Page 33 - TNT Jan 17

Twin Proficiency
by Thomas P. Turner
Reading Between the Logbook Lines
The real meaning behind the words “Maintenance,” “Inspection” and “Repair.”
How much does it cost to get an annual inspection?” That is a common question among airplane owners, as well as frequent topic of discussion on internet chat lines and bulletin boards. Many times, the question is really a prologue to a discussion of what it costs an
owner to return an airplane to service at the end of the most recent annual inspection.
A variation on this theme is, “How much did your first annual inspection cost?” for a specific model of airplane. Another common thread describes, “the annual from hell,” one that cost the owner far more than he or she expected because of the number of items that had to be addressed before the Authorized Inspector could certify it was in compliance with its Type Certificate.
Questions and comments like these show a misunderstanding of what an annual inspection is really about. An annual inspection (also a 100-hour inspection, if required for the way the airplane is operated) is a thorough inspection of the airplane for the specific purpose of determining to the maximum extent possible that it fully conforms to the requirements of its Type Certificate and any Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs). The Type Certificate is the federal document that defines what makes a specific model “airworthy.” STCs refers to supplements or changes to the Type Certificate for approved modifications.
Conducting an annual inspection requires certain actions by the inspector, which in turn drives certain costs. For example, the time it takes to remove and reinstall the interior to gain access to items requiring inspection is usually part of the quoted cost. The shop rate for the time to remove and reinstall the interior, in this example, is included in your bill for the annual inspection. Changing the oil — including the cost of the oil and filter itself — is another example of an item that is usually included in the annual inspection cost. If you choose to send a sample off for oil analysis, however, the cost of the sampling kit, postage and the professional analysis itself will usually be added to your bill as an additional charge.
Many shops set a flat rate for an annual inspection on a particular model of airplane. If you do an owner-assisted annual, meaning you do some of the labor and leave the inspection itself to the authorized inspector, the inspector may give you a discount on the annual inspection rate (or, as the joke says, charge you more for being in the way). Bear in mind that this is just the cost of the inspection itself, which is the inspector’s fee, including time to do the required items. It does not cover anything extra (oil analysis, for example). Most notably, it does not cover the expense of discrepancies
January 2017
TWIN & TURBINE • 31