As an Aircraft Owner, one of the best thing you can do is to get some training in the Federal Aviation Regulations  FARs, why they are needed and how to properly work with your local Flight Standards District Office "FSDO". Having some working knowledge of the FARs, where to find them, and they can be your safety ticket (Your Get out of jail FREE card) to keeping your aircraft "Airworthy"! If you are Airworthy , you can be out there flying and having fun. In addition, knowing the FARs allows you to converse responsibly with those people maintaining your aircraft, knowing they are doing the job correctly.

It has been our longtime experience consulting with Aircraft Owners that they are not sufficiently knowledgeable about the requirements for operating and/or maintaining their aircraft. This includes the Annual Inspection, the installation of new components, engine repair and/or overhaul, even ramp checks etc. and the costs associated. I frequently discover that owners have attempted cheap Annuals by unscrupulous Mechanics, only to get hit  with  the “mammoth” costs when something goes wrong! The difference between the quick and dirty $250 Annual and one done correctly can give you sticker shock! You can’t accomplish a legitimate and legal Annual or 100-Hour Inspection for under $500! This is for the inspection only per FAR 43, Appendix D, including a complete Airworthiness Directive (“AD”) search. It does not include any items requiring repair or replacement. The average complete Annual Inspection on a Cessna 150/152 should cost about $2000 if done properly.  Besides inspecting to FAR 43, Appendix D and the AD search, there are other requirements such as jacking the plane to inspect wheel bearings and performing required gear retraction tests. Then there are Emergency Tests such as manually lowering the gear on a Beech Bonanza, etc. IAs do not work for $20 an hour! Properly doing an Annual or 100-Hour inspection on a Cessna 150/152 should take about 30-40 hours. The seats must come out, the engine oil checked for metal, the cylinder compressions checked to assure they are within limits, wheels removed to check bearings, etc.  Rest assured you will save money in the long run by having it done correctly, and be able to sleep better at night too! Remember it may not just be you in the plane, you may have your family, even friends with you. Training Aircraft Owners results in a safe and legal aircraft! If the Airworthiness Certificate is violated, the insurance on the aircraft becomes NULL and VOID! Just read your policy!