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DAR Cost

FSDO is free....but sometimes ya get what you pay for.

I wish I had used the local DAR, even though he charges $600.
 
I used a DAR. I got his name from the volunteers that are on the EAA web site.
He did a great job and cost me nothing. He would not take even a bottle of water. I felt that I should give him something, but refused any attempt of payment or even a hint of payment.
I do not know if all are this way, but those volunteers are to be commented. I appreciate his time and his care.
Dave
 
gas money

I used a DAR in Southern IN that would only take gas money to drive 120 miles. The inspection took about 6 hours. Total cost 117.00.
Squeak
 
I used the local FSDO and all was great, 1.5 hrs and repairman cert. Others have not faired so well.
 
Every DAR or FSDO guy is different, but there is a perception that the FSDO is more interested in paperwork while DARs do more of a real inspection.
 
BobTurner said:
Every DAR or FSDO guy is different, but there is a perception that the FSDO is more interested in paperwork while DARs do more of a real inspection.
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Like Bob stated, each is different. The person that I'm working with in FSDO is very experimental safety conscience. He was very upfront and told me the specific things he wanted to inspect. Most were items straight from AC43-13 and contributing factors to recent NTSB findings. He also stated the he personally was interested in building an experimental, which may account for his different views than some of his peers. I'll let you in k ow in a few weeks how the inspection goes.
 
My fee is $450. Since 1999, I've certificated approximately 700 Experimental Amateur-Built and both Special and Experimental Light-Sport aircraft.

If the aircraft is opened up and ready, you can expect about 3 hours for the inspection itself.
 
I have come to the conclusion that some DAR's have let it go to their head, and believe they must do a "thorough" check of the entire construction, to include torque of every last bolt etc, kind of like they get to play AI or something for a day. What a DAR is apparently REQUIRED to do seems to be a bit different than that.
I don't have a choice really, no DAR within 600 miles of me, and I personally feel that since I paid my taxes, FAA "owes" me an AW cert. The cheapest quote I have had from a DAR is over $2000, and I just am not going to do that (includes transportation reimbursement, travel expenses like motels, meals, etc). I may have to trailer the craft to some location for the AW checkout.
 
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Don,
You are correct in that a thorough checkout is NOT required by the FAA.
If you don't want a thorough checkout of your airplane, then the FSDO is probably your best choice. The thorough checkout is what most people want. That's why they go with a DAR. Believe it or not, out of 700 certifications, I have found only 3 aircraft that I haven't found discrepancies on.

I just did a quick check of mileage and you are about 575 miles from me. That would be 1150 miles round trip. My total charges would be about $1125.
If you have a commercial airport nearby served by Southwest, it would be cheaper.

If you want to trailer the aircraft to me, $450!

Don't quite understand your reference to a DAR wanting to "play" IA for a day. DAR designation is much more difficult to obtain than IA.
 
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Some DAR's charge the typical fee and all they do is the paperwork...Not all DAR's are equal in their routine....some go over the top and some just get by...most are somewhere in between.
 
Thanks Mel, I was stretching it, thought you were closer to 600 miles. We may have a deal, Southwest flies into Harlingen, my plane is at T65 Weslaco, and I live between the two, all only a few miles from each other! Of course the fact that I know and trust you counts for a lot.

Mel said:
Don,
You are correct in that a thorough checkout is NOT required by the FAA.
If you don't want a thorough checkout of your airplane, then the FSDO is probably your best choice. The thorough checkout is what most people want. That's why they go with a DAR. Believe it or not, out of 700 certifications, I have found only 3 aircraft that I haven't found discrepancies on.

I just did a quick check of mileage and you are about 575 miles from me. That would be 1150 miles round trip. My total charges would be about $1125.
If you have a commercial airport nearby served by Southwest, it would be cheaper.

If you want to trailer the aircraft to me, $450!
Click to expand...
 
DAR

SoCal. I used Gary Sobek - twice due to a "life is harder when you're stupid" QB bulkhead issue. Reasonable cost - and worth every penny.

I didn't want a paperwork drill - I wanted someone who was experienced and focused enough to give an honest tell it like it is opinion of the mechanical airworthiness of my airplane.

After recovering from the legit blow to my ego in discovering and then fixing the bulkhead glitch, turns out I built a dream machine.
 
It's cheap insurance.

We paid $400, almost 8 years ago for the DAR to do our -6A inspection and he was very thorough, something that I really wanted anyway. In the grand scheme of things, it's less than 1 % of our total cost but a significant step that DEMANDS the kind of thorough inspection Mel and Vic Syracuse do, often finding discrepancies that could cause a serious problem...the reversed trim movement that Vic found on a -10 comes to mind.

How quickly could the test pilot have discovered that in flight and compensated for immediately...see what I mean?

Best,
 
Interesting that you brought this up......

pierre smith said:
We paid $400, almost 8 years ago for the DAR to do our -6A inspection and he was very thorough, something that I really wanted anyway. In the grand scheme of things, it's less than 1 % of our total cost but a significant step that DEMANDS the kind of thorough inspection Mel and Vic Syracuse do, often finding discrepancies that could cause a serious problem...the reversed trim movement that Vic found on a -10 comes to mind.
How quickly could the test pilot have discovered that in flight and compensated for immediately...see what I mean?
Best,
Click to expand...

Believe it or not, almost 1/2 the airplanes I inspect have either the tab, the indicator, or both backwards.
 
Mel said:
Believe it or not, almost 1/2 the airplanes I inspect have either the tab, the indicator, or both backwards.
Click to expand...

Mel, if this is really true, and I have no reason to doubt you, this is a poor reflection on the quality of EAB aircraft builders. Makes you wonder what else is wrong.

Don, glad you have a choice. When I called my FSDO I was told they were too busy, my only option was to hire a DAR.
 
It is true, I promise.
You would not believe how many people think, "Trim-up, Tab goes-up!" Yep, got it!

What else is wrong? Usually short bolts, loose jam nuts, missing cotter pins and safety wire.
 
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