While there is room for some optimization, it is nowhere near what you can do in other competitive markets.
We hinted to that discussion in a couple of threads before but I think that it would be fun to have an “Euroga” aircraft.
It would be a plane that the “collective brain” would help maintain and that we could rotate from one airfield to another, year long, and that members here would rent in some kind of non-profit setup.
It seems that we shouldn’t start with a pressurized twin – ha ha ha -, but something like a C150 or an Arrow, etc might appeal to the larger crowd?
Someone in another thread wrote that we are probably the last generation to enjoy flying as a hobby. He’s right unless we really do something about it.
That is a brilliant idea. I would be interested.
BeechBaby wrote:
No in reality, but……..I may get a bill for 5k. so a simple O ring job, escalates to pads, O rings, fluid etc..
I understand your point but the consumables for brakes on aircraft are actually cheaper than they are for cars (Aeroshell hydraulic fluid is about half the price of DOT4 in small quantities, believe it or not, and the pads themselves cost buttons. It only starts getting pricey if you’re needing a lot of labour or have to replace something like a caliper, which is rare).
What it underlines though is that you’ve got to be proactive with your own maintenance if you want to keep costs under control, and unfortunately the whole system of “companies” and “approvals” (and often airfield policies) get in the way of this. If you can at least do owner assisted maintenance, you’ll often learn what the hard jobs are and what the easy jobs are and will get a good idea for the parts cost and lead times etc. and what tends to need looking after the most. Even just doing the stuff that EASA allows the pilot/owner to do can be really instructive (the list is pretty much all the typical items you might do on a 50 hr check).
Hi guys, pilot / owner maintenance is the right answer to save money and know your airplane.
Most probably,initially, you’ll need a continuous help from a part 66/A&P mechanic but, after your initial training, you may depend only annually.
I perform maintenance to my airplane each 60/90 days.
There a lot of items to be checked. Battery, cable, fuel filters.
Some private owner check the airplane in the 145 shop only annually.
