How to keep on top of maintenance requirements. Archer II

[BoeingBoy]

Hi All,

I have recently become sole owner of a 77 Archer II which is in fine condition and has been surveyed as up to date on all requirements along with a fresh annual.

As I will be doing very little hours (probably 50-100) max I would like to handle the maintenance program rather than pay £55 a month for a CAMO organisation to decide what needs doing each time it visits the hangar.

I have downloaded CAP's 455/562/747 and the LAMP's in 566 along with subscribing to CAA AIRCOMS and EASA AD's so have a rough idea of what's expected but I don't know of any sources that I should be using how to ensure I'm aware of any other directives or supplementary work that I might have to instruct my maintenance organisation to perform. That said, they are very supportive and would most likely make sure I don't fall foul of anything that should have been included, but as the onus is on me to get it right I would like to know that I am looking in all the right places.

Can anyone pass on the benefit of their own experiences or point me to where I can be sure of picking up current and future requirements.

Thanks in advance.

BB.

[Helicopterdriverguy]

I'm subscribed to the Piper service bullitens for my Piper Cherokee. It's a free service that you have to pay for if you want it posted (it comes via E-Mail).

http://www.piper.com.php54-1.ord1-1.websitetestlink.com/technical-publications-notifications/

[Johnm]

With the service bulletins and EASA CAA mailing list, together with a LAMP based maintenance programme you can't go very far wrong with a Archer 11 I used to have one and they're a great little aeroplane

[ericferret]

FAA AD's, airframe, engine and equipment are also on line for free.

I have been doing what you plan to do for the last 4 years and I think it's a great way to deal with this. I have the annuals, aircraft and radio completed and then present my paperwork.
In the past we lost the aircraft for weeks at a time, now I organise it myself and downtime is the length of the annual usually a week.

This is one area where the EASA system if better than the old UK C of A.

[Bob Upanddown]

surveyed as up to date on all requirements along with a fresh annual

Did you buy it with a fresh annual? Call me a cynic but that's no guarantee.

You don't say if this is your first aircraft but, if it is, you need to form a relationship with a maintenance organisation and with a CAMO.
No reason why you should not look after everything yourself but most maintenance organisations will want to check what is due themselves - more because they always have done this from before the time of EASA rather than not trusting you. They really don't trust any owners.
You will still need a CAMO to issue the ARC every year and they will also (because it is part of the ARC) check everything themselves. The ARC will be more expensive as they will need to do this every year instead of every three years.
You might find that you are not actually saving very much compared to £55 a month.

[BoeingBoy]

Thanks for the replies and the links.

The aircraft was given a fresh annual before sale but I also contracted a very trusted and experienced PA28 engineer to survey it for me prior to purchase. His summing up was 'if you don't buy it, I will' and I am assured it's all up to date and in great condition for its age.

Looking forward I just need to know I am looking in the right places to be ready to note anything required. My maintenance organisation can offer CAMO cover but frankly given the low utilisation working outside a controlled environment seems to be cheaper and I get the chance to move to another company with less hassle if I do an annual each year.

[ericferret]

12x55= £660 my last ARC £300. Not the point though. It is getting the aircraft back in a reasonable time that matters to me. Previously I was paying about £500 for the 3 year star (not including the annual coincident with the star). So I am now paying twice as much over a three year period for the paperwork side of things but nowhere near £2000. I am still far happier than previously because the aircraft is available to fly and not stuck in a hangar somewhere.

For a light aircraft what is there to check if the utilisation is low?
AD's available at the click of a mouse, a few log book entires and the LAMP worksheets.
The lifed component record.
Mandatory documentation ARC, C of A, Radio Licence e.t.c.
If you maintain and present your documents in a professional manner then we are looking at an hours work to review the above.
A couple of hours max to do a physical survey.
Another hour to submit the ARC renewal online to the CAA.
Forgot the CAA's pound of flesh, add about another £60 a year.

Bobupanddown hits the important point, you need a a good relationship with both maintainer and CAMO, without that you will own a hangar queen in a short space of time.

This is not for everybody but it can work well and it is a nice feeling to to be part of the process rather than the mug who just writes the cheques.

[giloc]

Originally Posted by Bob Upanddown

You will still need a CAMO to issue the ARC every year

Boeingboy, note that since an Archer is an ELA1 aircraft the ARC does not have to be re-issued by a CAMO every year. An independent maintenance engineer (who has a CAA approval) can do the ARC issue in two consecutive years and then you need to go to a CAMO only in the third year.

This may save you a bit more money, but the main benefit for me is being able to get the whole lot done 'in-house' at my home airfield (where there is no CAMO or MO), and only having to arrange to get the aircraft somewhere else every third year.

Other than that, I think eric is spot on.

[9 lives]

In Canada, there is a requirement for a maintenance program. I have done them for both my planes, and a few other friend's planes.

The exercise of creating the program, which pretty well must be custom per serial number plane, is good for sending you looking for the various maintenance requirements from all sources. In particular, ICA's from modifications installed on the aircraft, which are sometimes overlooked. Even some PMA parts and avionics may have specific maintenance requirements or limitations, which are not applicable to the original aircraft.

[A and C]

Go do it !

I would encourage aircraft owners to take on the task of managing their own aircraft maintenance, it's not rocket science but it is a lot of work if you do it properly.

I suspect that after two or three years most will return to using a CAMO because of the work involved and with the knowlage they have gained from they will be less critical of CAMO charges.

[BoeingBoy]

I have to say that I am already finding that A&C's comments above are correct. I took on the task of controlling the maintenance to give me something to do on rainy days in retirement....

...I am already praying for a flood of biblical proportions to get on top of the learning curve.