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Thread: What is the average cost of annual, maintenance, and hangar fees?

  1. #11
    WingsAloft's Avatar
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    Thanks for all the input, guys. Now how about this: I get a sport pilot maintenance license and a S-LSA. The course for the license is about $4000. I'll do all my own maintenance. and annuals, and do the same for other owners of S-LSAs/E-LSAs, charging about $300. Is this realistic? I love repairing things, (So much that it's a highlight of my day when the sink needs unclogging) so I don't mind tedious maintenance items. Is there a shortage of sport mechanics, and would I need thousands of dollars' worth of equipment? Thanks.
    *** Life is Lead Points and Habit Patterns ***

  2. #12

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    Move to a private airport/airpark, own your own hangar & airplane. That's what I did.
    There's almost always an A&P/IA on the field that does maintenance & annuals for the area residents. Our annuals (150s/172s & the like) run about $300 plus any parts needed to keep the airplane airworthy.

  3. #13

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    $300 inspections - Before you set a price, take a look at how many labor hours an inspection should take. Most maintenance manuals provide some guidance as to the time required. Then look at the cost of insurance for your liability. And yes, you will need tools. For what its worth, the guy who repairs my snow blower has $30K of tools in his roll-around tool box.

    So go get realistic numbers for what you will have to put in and then figure out what you will have to charge and whether there will be a return on that investment. How many inspections and repairs will it take to get back the $4K training cost?

    There's money in aviation. I know that I have put a lot into it.....

    Best of luck,

    Wes
    N78PS

  4. #14

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    Every one on this page must remember there is a difference between repairs of discrepancies and the inspection of the aircraft. I can inspect your aircraft and never fix a single discrepancy. there is no place in the FARs that require the discrepancies be repaired by the person doing the inspection, nor is there a requirement to have all discrepancies repaired before the inspection is completed.

    So, what did you pay for the inspection? any body really know?

  5. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Downey View Post
    Every one on this page must remember there is a difference between repairs of discrepancies and the inspection of the aircraft. I can inspect your aircraft and never fix a single discrepancy. there is no place in the FARs that require the discrepancies be repaired by the person doing the inspection, nor is there a requirement to have all discrepancies repaired before the inspection is completed.

    So, what did you pay for the inspection? any body really know?

    I would assume the inspection includes an AD search, correct? That's what our IA does for the $300, along with the initial "inspection". Then we go up from there.

  6. #16

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    "Airworthiness" does include compliance with part 39. but any AD can be uncompelled with and the annual can be completed.

    http://www.slideshare.net/guest3dac39/airworthiness
    Last edited by Tom Downey; 07-11-2012 at 09:03 AM.

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