Time required for annual?

[airguy]

I'm just curious what other builders are seeing for the time required for an annual inspection. I'm doing my third right now, have about 15 hours in it so far and I'm guessing another 5-7 before I've covered it, and that doesn't cover any changes to avionics/airframe, only checking the things that need to be checked and doing annual maintenance. Last two years were pretty close to the same, I would say.

[alpinelakespilot2000]

I’m sure I’m not the most efficient, but after doing my 6th condition inspection this past fall I’ve learned to plan about 40 man-hours per inspection very consistently. Not sure how I could do it in less and feel comfortable about it. Little bit less perhaps if I don’t need to repack bearings or rotate wheels/tires that year.

[pa38112]

Never timed it, but two full days usually covers it for me.

[bruceh]

Anywhere between 7-17 days! I don't keep track of the hours involved, but will spend many long nights and weekends in the hangar. I usually also have a project or two in addition to just doing the basic annual condition inspection. I've written up the my last 3 inspections in these blog posts:

https://flyingoverthehills.wordpress...-inspection-2/

https://flyingoverthehills.wordpress...-inspection-3/

https://flyingoverthehills.wordpress...spection-2018/

I'm in no hurry and will take the time it takes to do it right.

[fixnflyguy]

I am a big fan of what we refer to as "Progressive Inspection", which is what I perform on my personal aircraft..I don't like my plane torn completely apart for days, and the RV by design is about as simple as they get. I will focus a couple hours on each area over a span of time, doing detailed inspection and maintenance/upkeep. I usually save the FWF for last, and do that just before sign-off. This way, the plane isn't out of service and I don't miss much flying.

[dlloyd3]

Greg.
Cowling off to cowling on, inspection has taken me 21-22 hours. This includes the routine oil and filter change, oil strainer, fuel filter, fuel strainer, air filter, wheel bearings, etc.
I've advertised my RV for sale and a prospective buyer had a well known person from the Atlanta area do a pre-buy inspection. I removed the cowling, front wheel pants, baggage bulkhead, tail fairing, inspection covers under the aileron push tubes. He and son looked over everything in about an hour and a half. Yep, 3 man-hours. They found every deficient thing I knew about and several things that were a surprise. I looked over their printed checklist. Everything that is on my inspection checklist less some items. The did a compression check. They did not pull strainers, filters, seat pans, repack wheel bearings or change the oil. They did not clean, lubricate, grease, adjust, tweak, fiddle or talk. They knew what they were inspecting and looked hard. They were a lot more efficient than most of us with their inspection.

[Scott Hersha]

40 man hours over 4 days is about right for a thorough condition inspection for me. I?ve done or assisted in 3 condition inspections so in 2019 and that?s what we found. That includes some R & R on every one of them.

[guccidude1]

2 days to tear down, inspect, and reassemble. Does not include repairs, replacements, or mx. Dan

[Kyle Boatright]

Originally Posted by guccidude1

2 days to tear down, inspect, and reassemble. Does not include repairs, replacements, or mx. Dan

Sounds about right from my experience.

[JonJay]

It really depends on all that needs to be done. I don't do wheel bearings every year. That will add at least two hours.
If your injected and need to clean your injectors, not every year, another two hours.

I allow a full week. I end up spending between 20 and 40 hours as a guess. I have 100 hour items, and 500 hour items. These will add time if they are due.

If you can grease bearings, clean injectors, pull baggage floors and inspect and lube, clean plugs, compression check, timing adjust, put a wrench on all fasteners FWF, empennage, flap actuators, gear, mounts, etc...
Oil and filter change, air filter change.... check SB's and AD's.....

My CI check list is 8 pages.

....do all that in two days? you can come do mine (with supervision) and I will handsomely pay you!