Re: An Annual or what!

[Mi Vida Loca]

Brian,
I wish I could tell you that your experience is an isolated incident but the reality is that it is not. It is also not the norm either. Women always complain that they get taken by mechanics unlike men when they take their car into the shop. They just never met a pilot then, cause as a group we're in the same boat, only worse. Once a guy like this gets his hands on your plane you're stuck.

The only advise I can give you is first check out the A&P or IA you intend to use as thoroughly as possible. Next take a day off work and go help him do the annual. Unless you have real problems you should be able to do it in a day. If you have a hanger you could even remove all the inspection plates, pull the seats and floorboards, the cowling, etc. the day or night before. No sense in paying for something you can do yourself. Once you've done it a time or 2 you should be able to "field strip it" in about an hour with a power screwdriver. These are really simple aircraft so they are not usually a big deal to work on. BTW if you have a low cylinder do not just accept a single reading and get talked into putting a new jug on it. I've seen more than one case of a low cylinder fixed with a 3-4 hour cross country at high power settings. If the oil pressure is good fly the crud out of it, it may just be a little trash under the valve or the ring gaps have gotten lined up. I have an IA who has been doing my annuals for about the past 5-6 years so he knows the plane and he knows me and lets me do a large part of the work with him looking over my shoulder. If it needs any parts I do the leg work and get them myself . No markup. I'm paying him for his time only not for chasing parts and markup, and I'm there so I know how much time he spends on it. He's damn honest and has never tried to screw me, it's a good relationship. Good luck, ask around and preferably find an A&P who has worked on Coupes (more than one) recently. Check my web page (Owners page) and find another Couper close to you and ask him for a name.


Dave
41 Charlie
Dave's Ercoupe Page
http://www.flash.net/~dmprosvc/dave
ICQ # 1388138
http://wwp.mirabilis.com/1388138#contactingme