This year's annual

There is a very old expression "Work expands to fill the time available for
its completion"
The more time you allow your maintenance facilities, the longer they will
take, that's the nature of us humans.
We schedule all maintenance on a start date and finish date basis.
We provide a written itemized list of all work to be performed before
scheduling the time in the shop, and we make sure that they have the parts
to hand before work starts.
If a facility exceeds the finish date, they know about it in no uncertain
terms.
It is quite ridiculous to allow any vendor in any business to be less than
efficient, you are doing them a disservice by aiding and abetting the
stagnation of their business.
Organize properly what service you are buying, ensure the vendor knows what
is expected and you unscheduled down time will be at a minimum.

I am putting my fire proof coveralls on :-)

--
Roy
Piper Archer N5804F

"Kyle Boatright" wrote in message
. ..


"A Lieberma" wrote in message
. 18...
"Kyle Boatright" wrote in
:

Depending on the airplane, a thorough annual on a fixed gear single is
probably a one day job, including several things that are more
maintenance related than inspection related...

The thing I find with the IA's I've used is that their day is full of
interruptions. I'd say my IA is only doing something that is
tangibly productive like turning wrenches or inspecting something for
50% of the time he's in his shop. All of the phone calls, drop in
customers, FedEX deliveries, potty breaks, etc. really cut into his
time.

I am surely not in a job to get uninterrupted time on an assignment
(computer specialist), I sure don't expect the same from my A&P!!!

I call it multitasking, if I didn't then people would scream to high
heaven if I didn't get to their problems quickly. Lower priority
problems get put aside for mission essentional problems. Annual sure is
a lower priority then somebody who came in and had a problem that
couldn't get them home.

In addition, my experience is that most IA's and A&P's have multiple
jobs going at one time. A field engine rebuild in this corner. An
elevator patch in another corner. An inspection in another corner, and
the other corner is being used to install an STC on someone's
airplane. And then someone shows up with a broken airplane and needs
to go on an important trip tomorrow.

I would gladly give up my time for somebody who needs out by tomorrow. I
sure would hope the same would be done in return should I be in podunct
airport and something goes amiss on my airplane.

Surely you jest in what you are saying above????

Jest? Naah. Not even complaining. Those are just the realities.


All of this adds up to a 2 week annual on a C-172 or a Cherokee.

It would have been three days had I not had problems, or parts ordered,
and IMHO that is more then reasonable, considering the business my A&P
has going through his hangar doors.

Personally, you need to lighten up on your A&P or find another one.

Again, I'm not complaining at all. I'm just pointing out the nature of the
business.

In fact, I hadn't seen or spoken to my IA in a while so I called and took
him to lunch last week. Since I do the inspections and maintenance on my
RV-6, he only gets an hour or so of business from me a year. And maybe a
couple of free lunches. ;-) I do pay him to time the mag, run a
compression test, and eyeball everything firewall forward once a year.


This person (me) will never complain should I have to take back seat to
an emergency repair when my plane is sitting in the comforts of my home
airport for an annual.

Allen

KB