Shop Rate and Flat Fees

[drseti]

What you are doing is what I assumed - that an annual includes a 100 hour.

Yes, but only in the case of those planes in commercial service. For others (E-LSA, for example), only the annual gets logged.

[roger lee]

ELSA has the same requirements as an SLSA as far as the 100 hr from Rotax and most Mfg's, but many ELSA owners do not follow the maint recommended times or even the SB's. They pick and choose what they want to do, which isn't the best choice. The logbook documentation should also be the same, but some aren't very diligent. Doing the right thing is always the best way to go. Dodging maint or poor documentation is in all walks of aviation and is never the right thing to do, especially to save a buck. You can't pull over to the curb and too many incidents are contributors to incidents. If you own a plane why cut corners or let a mechanic cut corners or perpetrate poor documentation. I just had someone tell me he has 600 hrs. on plugs in a 912 and sees no reason to change them. There is absolutely no sense in arguing any point or maint items with someone like that.

[drseti]

ELSA has the same requirements as an SLSA as far as the 100 hr from Rotax

That's true from a standpoint of maintenance, Roger, but not necessarily regarding inspections. Of course, at 100 hours, the Rotax owner is going to have to do an oil change, spark plug change, carb sync, compression check, slipper clutch friction test, etc. on any Rotax, per the maintenance manual, whether in commercial or private service, and whether in an E-LSA, S-LSA, E-AB, or whatever. All those items are on the 100 hour condition inspection checklist, of course, but also on the maintenance schedule, so they should be done whether we call it and log it as a 100 hour inspection or not.

I was thinking more along the lines of a 100 hour airframe condition inspection. If it's not required, few owners will ask the mechanic to open up all the inspection plates and do the flashlight-and-mirrors dance, and everything else that the commercial boys and gorls are required to do at 100 hours. This will happen at the annual, and that's probably good enough. In fact, few individual owners fly more than 100 hours a year anyway, so it's moot. (Flight school and rental aircraft typically need one or two 100 hour inspections between annuals, which is back to my original point: for planes requiring 100 hour inspections, perform them and log them as both a 100 hour and an annual, every time.)

[roger lee]

Hi Paul,

I see way too many ELSA owners not doing 100 hr. inspections, only annuals. That's because they don't have to. Not a good idea, but it saves a dollar. In all the SLSA's I inspect the manual for that plane usually has a 100 hr and annuals listed to do and they are mandatory. I find many SLSA owners don't even know they are required to do 100 hr. inspections that are listed in their maint manual. Too many ELSA owners also pick and choose what SB's they want to comply with and they have little to no education with that specific issue. There may be a few items different between the two, but usually not many. When filling out the logbook and you are encompassing both inspections you specifically have to document you are doing both. One entry does not count for both. It must say 100 hr and annual to cover both in the logbook. When I do my clients planes I initial both the 100 hr and annual check boxes and list both being done in the logbook.
Airframes on all the planes I inspect have 100 hr and annual inspection intervals right along with the engine. Many have failed to notice this. I have had this argument with several owners and have them call their respective aircraft MFG and then they find out they are non compliant. It is usually both engine and airframe.

I'm a service center for more than one aircraft MFG and a Rotax Repair Center and all the ones I do have the same requirements.