Weekend Annuals.

[comfail]

Ifly, what make of borescope works well for your typical small lyc/continental? I've tried a couple different cheaper units but image quality and positioning of the camera is almost impossible (o-200 cylinder).

[wrenchturnin]

I understand a startup business needs to spend money wisely however. If my funds were limited and I was saving money on tools I would forgo a master compass and spend the money on a plug cleaner tester. I would make sure that the engine turning the big fan that keeps the pilot cool stays running. Pilots get lost regardless of the magnetic compass accuracy myself included. So for tools at minimum that means a good crank angle finder (tdc finder) , a mag timer, a differential pressure tester, a prop tach tool and a plug cleaner tester. These will cover the inspection part of the tools you will need more if there is a problem and you need to start troubleshooting.
Just my 2 cents.

How do you propose I swing the compass legally then?

[hoptwoit]

You are right. Get a master compass. I don't know what I was thinking. You absolutely cannot do without one.

[dstechnical]

On compass swing . Could you swing a compass with GPS

[GyvAir]

On compass swing . Could you swing a compass with GPS

Short answer: No. Not approved. Not practical.
Look about 20 topics down the list where this was recently discussed.

[Hornblower]

There is more than one way to skin a cat; GPSs are more accurate than a hand held land or master compass all day long.

[Heliian]

There is more than one way to skin a cat; GPSs are more accurate than a hand held land or master compass all day long.

not while stationary, and you're not swinging a gps. A magnetic compass needs to be aligned with magnetic headings. Now if you want to do that in flight as a correlation check then it's all good, in fact we don't have to swing unless there is a big deviation (705).

[Hornblower]

Nope, swinging the whiskey compass with the aid of the aircraft DG, the GPS and enough ramp space to roll the aircraft in one direction for about 75 feet, works like a dream and will always produce better results than doing it with a hand held master or land compass - always!

[Hornblower]

Not that I am advocating any kind of scheduled compass swing — biggest waste of time ever!

[crazyaviator]

Nope, swinging the whiskey compass with the aid of the aircraft DG, the GPS and enough ramp space to roll the aircraft in one direction for about 75 feet, works like a dream and will always produce better results than doing it with a hand held master or land compass - always!

Hard to imagine that !!

biggest waste of time ever!

Maybe so but it is a requirement and who knows, maybe some day between now and the second coming, a pilot may need the whiskey or the compass or both to save his/her bacon !

If an AME pencils in a compass swing, what else is he/she/it penciling in without looking or doing the task?

[torquey401]

Out of phase tasks are the aircraft owners responsibility and they are part of the inspection requirements. Owners control the what and when. If someone doesn't want their compass swung or their altimeter calibrated or whatever else is in the list, not the AME's problem as far as the CARS are concerned. I bet a tort lawyer would plead the opposite.

[crazyaviator]

not the AME's problem as far as the CARS are concerned

It is a problem when the compass swing and any other CARS 625 appendix items ( required) are not done and yet not entered in the JLB as not completed. Example: Prop is never removed for 15 yrs for the 5 yr. insp. and develops a crack and takes the pilot to the grave,,,, You can be sure the AME will be in court defending him/herself if through negligence didn't do the work OR reduced his liability by entering the work not done in the JLB ! The widow wont be blaming the idiot/ owner/pilot /husband for not wanting the inspection done but will blame the AME for not doing it since there is NO record of the owner being aware it wasn't done or the AME entering it in the JLB indicating it wasn't done by owners request

[torquey401]

The CARS only require a brief description of the work done in the records. The work not done does not need to be included. But from a liability standpoint, I would be having copies of my entries and certifications for my own files, plus something on paper indicating that Mr Owner has declined his compass to be calibrated because it is BS in his opinion.

Got to love aviation!

[Hornblower]

Not sayin' that the compass swing is not required (by law) to be done, just that it is a waste of time and money if there is nothing wrong with it. The pilot of the aircraft is best positioned to say when it needs to be done. If the owner doesn't do it, that's their business, however they will be in violation of car 605.86 if it flies.

[Hornblower]

Hard to imagine that !!

Don't imagine it ... try it, you'll be converted; I promise. Swung compasses forever with that stupid land compass — relegated to the tool room now.

[Hornblower]

Example: Prop is never removed for 15 yrs for the 5 yr. insp. and develops a crack and takes the pilot to the grave,,,,

Bad example ... could never happen. There is no requirement for NDT at that inspection, and if there was a naked-eye-visible crack in a fixed pitch prop, it would be too late - prop would have failed long before you get eyes on it.

Let’s face it a bunch of that appendix C stuff is BS and doesn't need to be done ... don't get me started! Shit like that drives the small airplane owner out of the game and is ultimately bad for all of us. At some point a rational person will look at the wasted money and withdraw from GA altogether. It's also getting really difficult to attract new entrants when you explain that they have to pay literally thousands of dollars a year on completely unnecessary maintenance. Bad for GA, bad for AMEs working in GA.

[crazyaviator]

I agree ! repetative foolishness, ancient engines, overpriced everything,

[Badfarmer]

FYI;
Refer to Standard 625 App B - Maintenance Schedules;
Each person performing inspections required by the maintenance schedule shall record the inspections in the aircraft technical record, using a check list that includes all items in Parts I or II that are applicable to the aircraft concerned. Additionally, all tasks required by Appendix C shall be recorded in the aircraft technical record.
and; This maintenance schedule is not an inspection checklist. Prior to performing the inspections tabled herein, an appropriate checklist containing these requirements must be developed.

Ive spent the last 5 years developing a business, with a hangar and full time staff. Even a Cessna 150 takes about 12 hours to inspect properly IF you do any work to. Simply inspecting in accordance with the Manufacturers checklist (if you read the C150 Maint Manual, it states to clean and inspect wheel bearings, change the oil and clean the filter element, perform a compression check, in other words, the manufacture requires that work be performed rather than just a checkbox initialed off). More than can be completed in a single weekend. If you do your job well and don't cut corners, it will cost the owner a bit more, but word of mouth is your best advertisement.

[Strega]

Even a Cessna 150 takes about 12 hours to inspect properly

And you wonder why GA is dying.....

FYI I have R and Rd an engine in less than 8 hours.... Just sayin...

[PilotDAR]

Even a Cessna 150 takes about 12 hours to inspect properly IF you do any work to. Simply inspecting in accordance with the Manufacturers checklist (if you read the C150 Maint Manual, it states to clean and inspect wheel bearings, change the oil and clean the filter element, perform a compression check, in other words, the manufacture requires that work be performed rather than just a checkbox initialed off). More than can be completed in a single weekend. If you do your job well and don't cut corners, it will cost the owner a bit more, but word of mouth is your best advertisement.

+1