I survived!!!!

[Dean]

I got my plane back today from its annual inspection, my first as an owner, Boy was I shocked, new carb, new alternator, new alternator drive, new tires, fix this and that. As I wrote the check I kept telling myself, you just had to have your own plane, no more renting, renting sure was cheaper. And now I want to buy a bigger one. Someone knock some sense into me, please. So much for a budget, shot that all to h*LL.
But after a few hours back in the clear blue sky, I forgot all about it and I am all smiles.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

Glad you can be upbeat about it - what was the bill for those parts listed, Dean? Sounds typical, really. What did you budget for annual? I am allowing about 4000 per year including annual but that is for an OLD complex hp that gets a fair bit of flying.

 

[Carol]

They all come with a little shredder in the panel that eats hundred dollar bills.

Welcome to the world of ownership.

 

[Dean]

Glad you can be upbeat about it - what was the bill for those parts listed, Dean? Sounds typical, really. What did you budget for annual? I am allowing about 4000 per year including annual but that is for an OLD complex hp that gets a fair bit of flying.

As you know I have a Cessna 150 and everyone I talked to advised me to budget $1500-$2000 for the first annual and then about $1000.00 after that. They said there would be a few unexpected items to replace that were missed in the pre-buy. The total was just over $3000.00, this is probably not bad, but for a first time owner, it was a shock.

 

[silver-eagle]

I'd have more fun burning $20s in the back yard.

I think my first annual was , well, a shock. Around $3000. Last month. But then, we do get to say "My other vehicle is a Piper!"

 

[fgcason]

new carb, new alternator, new alternator drive, new tires, fix this and that.

Look at it this way: Items that will not be on Deans list of fit-it's at next years annual: new carb, new alternator, new alternator drive. Very possibly tires but that's a variable depending on what you do to them this year.

Renting may be cheaper but you don't have to deal with the rental hassles and that justifies at least 5 times the going rate easily.

 

[Tom-D]

Doesn't any one repair any thing any more?

A carb kit costs less than $20.00, and less than 1/2 hour labor.

The only thing that goes wrong with an alternator on a C-150 is the brushes, they are $.50

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

As you know I have a Cessna 150 and everyone I talked to advised me to budget $1500-$2000 for the first annual and then about $1000.00 after that. They said there would be a few unexpected items to replace that were missed in the pre-buy. The total was just over $3000.00, this is probably not bad, but for a first time owner, it was a shock.

Huh... weren't you the one selling a 150 and buying a faster-bigger plane?
Anyway Tom is right about mx (although I was the one trying to sell him on repairing mags this summer!).
There is $$$mx and there is $mx. One is not necessarily a safer choice. If there is any way to repair it, this is the cheaper (short term at least) option of R&R. That was a very large annual for a 150. I bet we'd love to nitpick it here.
Unless a component or accessory is totally smoked I try to repair it first, heck I am probably the only one to re-vane my dry vac pumps anymore. I am the ultimate cheapbastard.com-er!

 

[judypilot]

I got my plane back today from its annual inspection, my first as an owner, Boy was I shocked, new carb, new alternator, new alternator drive, new tires, fix this and that. As I wrote the check I kept telling myself, you just had to have your own plane, no more renting, renting sure was cheaper. And now I want to buy a bigger one. Someone knock some sense into me, please. So much for a budget, shot that all to h*LL.
But after a few hours back in the clear blue sky, I forgot all about it and I am all smiles.

In my experience (of all of 4 annuals), that is pretty atypical, except maybe for the first annual. I have a C182A (read: old), and my annuals have never cost that much, except possibly the very first one, which was actually also the pre-buy (I paid for the labor, the seller paid for the parts, so my out-of-pocket wasn't the total).

Of course, I also pay for repairs as the need arises and don't wait until the annual, even on things that could be postponed. So my true costs may be higher; I just haven't bothered to add it up.

Incidentally, that's the trick. Never, ever total what you've spent on your airplane. I actually have airplane-related expenses broken out in Quicken, but I have never, ever totaled them. And won't.


Judy

 

[Ken Ibold]

Incidentally, that's the trick. Never, ever total what you've spent on your airplane. I actually have airplane-related expenses broken out in Quicken, but I have never, ever totaled them. And won't.

Smart woman. But if, by mistake, you do happen to total the number, do NOT divide by the number of hours flown. I made that mistake once.

 

[Toby]

Incidentally, that's the trick. Never, ever total what you've spent on your airplane. I actually have airplane-related expenses broken out in Quicken, but I have never, ever totaled them. And won't.


Judy

I'm with you. I'm keeping all my expenses on an Excel spreadsheet, but luckily I've never figured out how to do the sum function, so I don't have to add them up. Just putting them into the spreadsheet gives me a feeling of control over them.

I am also doing the minor fixes on my new-old airplane a couple at a time, not all at once. The concept is similar to eating broken cookies; you know, that way they have no calories.

 

[Carol]

.....
Incidentally, that's the trick. Never, ever total what you've spent on your airplane. I actually have airplane-related expenses broken out in Quicken, but I have never, ever totaled them. And won't.


Judy

Amen. Especially during a year that you haven't been flying much.