Interesting. I don't have any studies, but from a strictly maintenance
standpoint, I see things completely opposite. Every single rental
aircraft I have flown is meticulously maintained, by certificated and
qualified mechanics with factory training. I'm picky about what I fly.

Well, with FBOs hurting to make a penny, I can vouch for the fact that
they sometimes cut corners on maintenance to "keep 'em flying".

My '75 Warrior was such a bird. This was my first plane, back in '98,
and I bought it from a Wisconsin FBO who (unbeknownst to me at the
time) was in the process of going belly up. We found all sorts of
things wrong at the first annual, but the one that blew me away (and
could have killed me) was the fact that they had not installed the
proper length push-rods after replacing a cylinder.

When the cylinder failed (again) after less than 100 hours, my mechanic
found that that FBO simply had omitted the rotator cap, to make the
(too long) push rod work.

Obviously this is an extreme example, but I flew all sorts of rental
birds before then that were, well, rough. Knowing what I know now,
there are at least two that I should have refused to fly -- but I was
inexperienced with maintenance matters, as are most renters. When
you're a renter, you write stuff on a squawk sheet (if there *is* a
squawk sheet), and hope for the best, never knowing what (if anything)
is actually done.

I've had throttle cables break on rentals, I've had doors not latch,
I've experienced TWO complete electrical failures (in two different
planes, from two different FBOs), and I once drained over a QUART of
water from the tanks of a rental Cherokee.

As for owners who cut corners, I guess it depends on what you mean by a
"corner." If you mean installing a tractor light bulb instead of an
"aircraft" light bulb, sure, I know LOTS of owners like that. But I
don't know any owner who would cut a safety corner. I'm sure they're
out there, but I haven't met them.

I suppose there is no way to glean any kind of valid information from
the accident reports, but it sure seems like the rental fleet in some
markets is, at best, suspect.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"