Learning from an owner annual

On 14 May 2006 03:37:06 -0700, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:


This seems odd, Robert. Is your plane parked outside? Why would those
inspection panel screws be so corroded? Unless...were they never
removed recently? (More work undone-but-paid-for?)

I strip a fair number of screws every year -- but I've NEVER had to
drill any out on either of the planes we've owned.

Dude, you really need to take a good look at the underside of a
Mooney, especially an older one. You just "think" a PA28 has a lot of
screws. Unless things have changed a whole bunch, they are mostly
countersunk machine screws, opposed to your universal head PK screws.

Really ups the temptation for a tech/owner to use power tools to crank
the **** out them when closing up. Makes me shudder just thinking
about it..

What I like is when you have everything in neat little tupperware cups
underneath the appropriate parts of the plane -- and then the shop
moves the plane. Or they pull an extension cord under your plane, and
lasso all the parts buckets. Or they get kicked over. THAT is my pet
peeve about doing an annual.

Mine is wheels off for inspection, somebody steps on the pedals and
blows out the wheel cylinder pistons.

I would highly recommend this experience to any aircraft owner who is
comfortable with a wrench.

Agree 100%. I have a voluminous knowledge of the inner workings of my
aircraft, solely because of doing the owner-assisted annuals.

In my case, the transition from allegedly mucho-experienced tech to
private pilot was definitely made a lot easier by having in-depth
knowledge of aircraft systems.

TC