In general, I would plan on 16 hrs if one is complying with all the disassembly/reassembly/clean/research. Sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less. If following the Cessna program usually a little more. Regardless, there can be a number of variables with specific planes/owners that can also affect the time frame.
And yet... They do.
What! Your AnP doesn’t wash and wax the airplane at the end of the annual for you? Time to find another AnP!
That's a new one on me. Unfortunately know of a number of owners who would disagree with that assessment as they were held to the Part 91 higher standard by the FAA. Are owners responsible for the mechanics specific work. No. But they are still responsible at the higher level that the required work is performed and signed off to include AD compliance. And so on. While I agree it is a team effort the owner doesn't get a pass on the responsibility side just because he's riding the bench for a bit.
My old mechanic divided her customers into two groups: aircraft owners who would turn a wrench on their own planes and those were "just pilots." We were doing the annual one year and sitting in the back of the shop eating lunch when a pilot came in and said he thought his battery was getting weak. Bobbi told him to bring it inside and she'd bench test it. He gave her a blank stare. "Oh, I forgot. You're just a pilot. Ron, go help him take his battery out."
Our IA has a flat rate inspection fee (based on aircraft type) that includes -
The owner/operator is responsible for airworthiness. The two aren’t necessarily the same person.
The IA performs an Annual 'Conformity' Inspection on Type Certified Aircraft and an A&P or Repairman does an Annual 'Condition' Inspection on an Experimental Aircraft. The IA is to confirm that the items on the Certified Aircraft 'Conform' to the TCDS, Airworthiness Directives (A.D.), Manufacture's Parts publication, Manufacturer's maintenance publications (Service Bulletins, Letters, ICAs...etc.) and that previous maintenance was performed per standard practices and procedures.
"Ask your FAA Inspector" because there's no regulation directly spelling out the difference between 'Conformity' and 'Condition'. In many IA renewal meetings this difference is brought up and the mechanics want to see the regulation. This argument becomes an issue and some mechanics argue that the Annual isn't where the conformity is done because it takes too much time.
I assumed you do also
Long enough to know how to use the correct terminology.
Interesting. It sure seems the FAA in the Pacific NW and the Atlantic NE march to their own beat and terminologies.
Yes. Unless the IA can meet his regulatory requirements without having to physically review the list each annual.
Not my classification, my IA's. But she'd consider you a pilot if you were willing (just not able) to work on it. Most years I didn't participate in the annual (other than writing checks), but my wife (who was a school teacher a the time) would go over there and assist the A&Ps on anybody who was ahead of us in line, clean up the shop, whatever, to get us into the shop for our turn.
