Costs of Aircraft Ownership
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Costs of Aircraft Ownership
Forgive me if this subject has arisen recently and I have missed it. As the owner of a 46 year old certified very basic spam can aircraft requiring the EASA ARC I am rather staggered at the costs of paperwork issue. I have just received a bill for over a thousand pounds for JUST paperwork checking and issue of a new ARC. Since issue of the previous ARC the aircraft has flown very little, there have been no ADs issued and all log books are up to date from Day 1 46 years ago. A new 1 man CAMO for the aircraft is involved.
Surely it is not required that every new CAMO has to go through all the 46 years of log books before issuing a new ARC.
IMHO this is bureaucracy gone mad and insulting to all other previous ARC issuers.
I have been charged near £300 to establish paperwork status of my aircraft plus a fee of nearly £500 for the actual ARC issue (done on line with CAA I understand). Plus other bits and pieces I am not disputing.
This will occur every year each time the CAMO is changed it seems.
Am I right in thinking this is rather excessive and if so what's the solution ? Get a Permit or LAA aircraft obviously.
Surely it is not required that every new CAMO has to go through all the 46 years of log books before issuing a new ARC.
IMHO this is bureaucracy gone mad and insulting to all other previous ARC issuers.
I have been charged near £300 to establish paperwork status of my aircraft plus a fee of nearly £500 for the actual ARC issue (done on line with CAA I understand). Plus other bits and pieces I am not disputing.
This will occur every year each time the CAMO is changed it seems.
Am I right in thinking this is rather excessive and if so what's the solution ? Get a Permit or LAA aircraft obviously.
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The actual 'on line' fee that the CAA charge for the ARC issue (or renewal) was £56 for something like a C152 or PA38 upwards depending on the size of the aircraft - £84 for a PA28-161 and £112 for a PA32-300 (charges made in the last 12 months).
It is true that it takes a fair bit of time to produce an Airworthiness Directive/Service Bulletin compliance statement but rarely have I heard someone being charged that amount.
Was this a standalone CAMO or part of a maintenance organisation? Did you get a quote before using the new CAMO? Does this cost also include a contract for a fixed period including notification of ADs/SBs, completion of log books, work required, generation of workpacks etc?
Ideally stay with the same CAMO under contract (initial issue then two renewals) or exist in the uncontrolled environment with no CAMO contract fee and have a new ARC every year.
It is true that it takes a fair bit of time to produce an Airworthiness Directive/Service Bulletin compliance statement but rarely have I heard someone being charged that amount.
Was this a standalone CAMO or part of a maintenance organisation? Did you get a quote before using the new CAMO? Does this cost also include a contract for a fixed period including notification of ADs/SBs, completion of log books, work required, generation of workpacks etc?
Ideally stay with the same CAMO under contract (initial issue then two renewals) or exist in the uncontrolled environment with no CAMO contract fee and have a new ARC every year.
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Just some things to consider:
By the CAA's interpretation of the EASA maintenance requirements your CAMO must keep up to date and have all the manuals for your aircraft (an annual bill in the thousands) as well as this they must have regular audits by qualified people to check the processes which they describe in their Part M procedures. It's a nightmare!
If you have been following the posts with regard to SIDs for the C150 this has also come about as a result of EASA and will likely cost you thousands more.
These changes have been in existence for somewhile now and in my experience not many owners seem very aware of the impact they do and will have. I'm afraid it's another result of joining the EU (for better or worse).
By the CAA's interpretation of the EASA maintenance requirements your CAMO must keep up to date and have all the manuals for your aircraft (an annual bill in the thousands) as well as this they must have regular audits by qualified people to check the processes which they describe in their Part M procedures. It's a nightmare!
If you have been following the posts with regard to SIDs for the C150 this has also come about as a result of EASA and will likely cost you thousands more.
These changes have been in existence for somewhile now and in my experience not many owners seem very aware of the impact they do and will have. I'm afraid it's another result of joining the EU (for better or worse).
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Continuing Saga
Thanks for replies for so far. The CAMO concerned is not based at a race circuit although I know where you mean. Not too far away tho'.
I must emphasise that my Account to date is just for paperwork - I have another Account to come for further inspections and repairs necessary for the ARC issue.
All log books for 46 years were in order as were AD compliance.
Stupidly I did not get an estimate for the ARC issuance.
CAMOs obviously have a licence under EASA to print their own money and there is nothing one can do apart from civil court action it seems. No money ? - no ARC and a grounded aircraft.
Oh Yes ! he has now offered me an ARC continuance to save $100 over new ARC issue and seems to think he is doing me a favour.
No wonder that outside the LAA, Permit to Fly etc worlds GA at the lower end of the market is dying.
Anybody who wants a cheap aircraft please contact me !
I must emphasise that my Account to date is just for paperwork - I have another Account to come for further inspections and repairs necessary for the ARC issue.
All log books for 46 years were in order as were AD compliance.
Stupidly I did not get an estimate for the ARC issuance.
CAMOs obviously have a licence under EASA to print their own money and there is nothing one can do apart from civil court action it seems. No money ? - no ARC and a grounded aircraft.
Oh Yes ! he has now offered me an ARC continuance to save $100 over new ARC issue and seems to think he is doing me a favour.
No wonder that outside the LAA, Permit to Fly etc worlds GA at the lower end of the market is dying.
Anybody who wants a cheap aircraft please contact me !
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The ARC is the worse thing to happen to GA in the UK. Stupid me, I thought that a CAMO who takes care of your aircraft can issue the Airworthiness Review Certificate. But no, not unless they have another piece of paper.
Without this bit of paper they have to subcontract someone else to issue the ARC paperwork. Now really this subcontractor's job is easy, sign some documents and charge between £500-1000 to do it. The MO has done all the hard work.
Our last bill on the G reg was about £5000. This included £1600 for parts (over inflated + 20%) plus £750 + VAT for the ARC.
By simply moving to the N reg we save ourselves a grand a year....I will never go back to the G while it is in its current form.
Without this bit of paper they have to subcontract someone else to issue the ARC paperwork. Now really this subcontractor's job is easy, sign some documents and charge between £500-1000 to do it. The MO has done all the hard work.
Our last bill on the G reg was about £5000. This included £1600 for parts (over inflated + 20%) plus £750 + VAT for the ARC.
By simply moving to the N reg we save ourselves a grand a year....I will never go back to the G while it is in its current form.
