[Old Fairy]

We have a very simple CAA, non EASA aircraft and are increasingly frustrated by the length of time it is away for annual servicing. Three weeks seems to be the shortest time so far but I would have thought that the amount of work required could be done in no more than three days.
Do all aviation maintenance companies have the same long working times or are there more efficient ones out there?

[Gas Guzzler]

Suggest you look around, my annual on an EASA spamcan has taken no longer than 1 week for the last 8 years. Prior to that another outfit would have it for 3-4 weeks. Some engineers just don't seem to want you flying

[PeteSpencer]

Something always crops up with our arrer:

This time it was the c/s prop that had to go away and a new u/c hydraulic pack needed.

I need an Ernie Bonds win to continue flying.

[johnm]

Generally speaking it's a week to two weeks for ours assuming that no major parts are needed. Keeping the aircraft maintained up to scratch throughout the year helps, otherwise if you store up minor probs until the annual that will extend the time.

[cotterpot]

With the advent of no more 'annuals', just 50/100 will this help?

[hatzflyer]

It is a fact that some types of aircraft are available on C of A and LAA permit.
Strange that an LAA annual (done properly to the correct standard) is often done in days . As someone that has worked with both systems I am aware that if there are more than one aircraft in the hangar being worked on at the same time ( very comm on on Cof A aircraft ) it is very easy to bill for one engineer to be working on 4 aircraft at a time as the owner is not present.
However if you get a bill for 150 hrs labour and the aircraft was only in the hangar one day you might get suspicious !

So to answer the question. ..the longer the a/c is in the hangar the more they can charge.
I have worked for 4 different organisations over the years and they were all crooks.

[Boxkite]

A bit like when builders quote for a month's work and then spend half their time 'fetching' supplies whilst working on another job.

[146fixer]

Old Fairy do you not get an estimate of down time before hand. If they have been working on the aircraft for a while they should be able to give you this. Are they a large outfit or are they a couple of guys in a cowshed. Are you happy with their work. You could always bring they annual inspection forward to a time of the year when you do less flying. This would impact your flying less. Or just take it somewhere else and see if you get better service.
Hatzflyer I must be one of those crooks you talk about. Spent best part of 30 years working on other peoples aircraft and never ripped any body off. But I guess as you have for worked for 4 organisations that makes you one of the crooks also

[Old Fairy]

It is a small company and we have no complaints about the standard of work or the price.
The problem is that no matter how much discussion goes into the best time to deliver the aircraft it always takes about the same length of time to come back.
Is it that difficult to plan work flow through the hangar?
I presume it's a captive market with not a great deal of competition that allows them to be so relaxed about timescales.

[146fixer]

It shouldn't be that difficult to plan your work flow or even prioritise which job require which man power to make a delivery date. Unless you're not very good at that sort of thing and some people aren't.
It's certainly not a captive market. There are plenty of other companies out there.
If you are happy with their work get the annual check done at a time of the year when the aircraft has lower utilisation.

[cockney steve]

It only needs one part to be found defective, towards the end of the inspection, then that part is found to have a long delay in sourcing.....maybe imported......maybe HM C&E delay it as well.......just trying to be devil's advocate, not making excuses for maintainers who take a cavalier attitude to customers' ongoing expense in something they can't use.

[AlanB]

What we used to find when we were on the G reg, is that the maintenance outfit would work in a very linear fashion. So the annual progresses and a part is needed. They order the part which takes 2 weeks to arrive. In the meantime work stops. Part arrives and work continues, oops another special bolt is needed, 2 more weeks. Etc....Then they get almost to the end and find the Mags need doing. Take them off and send them off. 4 weeks later the annual is complete. So by this time 3 months have passed....

[T67M]

Just got the paperwork for our annual - ~40 hours of labour for the basic annual, plus ~20 hours for type-specific ADs on the tailplane brackets and rudder pedals, some minor repairs we'd been deferring as they would require drying time for paint etc and a minor upgrade (LED landing lights). Aircraft on the ground for three weeks, as estimated.

[User72]

We have a very simple CAA, non EASA aircraft and are increasingly frustrated by the length of time it is away for annual servicing. Three weeks seems to be the shortest time so far but I would have thought that the amount of work required could be done in no more than three days.
Do all aviation maintenance companies have the same long working times or are there more efficient ones out there?

Explain your view, in simple terms with short words, to the company owner/boss. An annual should be possible in 3 to 5 days. Any emerging work may take longer depending on spares availability - insist they get your approval before doing anything beyond the annual. I'm guessing your aircraft is not that new? Is the length of time related to its age?