OK, OK, I know you can do your own if you built the plane and have a
repairman's certificate, but this is for those that didn't or don't.....

From: Jim Weir
Subject: RST self-serve annuals

The $200 to $150 Annual

QUESTION: Which of these is real?

A. An honest lawyer.
B. A sincere politician.
C. A big-hearted FAA examiner.
D. The $200 to $150 airplane annual.

If you answered (d) to this question, you get "A" on the exam. Yes,
there IS such a thing as the $200 - $150 annual!

Very briefly, an "annual" is the abbreviation for "annual inspection".
The word "inspection" is the key. An annual is not the time for the
inspector to do all the routine maintenance or perform all the
airworthiness directives that are applicable to your airplane. An
inspection is just that
-- a close looksee at the internals of the airplane to certify that your
airplane is worthy of flight. An inspection is not a free- for-all fixit
of every little detail on the airplane.

I'm in the business of annual inspections.  Who did the fixit job on
your alternator diodes is not my problem, so long as the alternator
works when we do the inspection operations test. Who performed the work
that Airworthiness Directive 97-0-1234 mandated is up to you, so long as
it is signed off in your logbook when I do the inspection. Of course, if
you have an Airworthiness Directive that must be complied with, I will
be happy to recommend some local (Grass Valley area) mechanics that can
perform the work, but the work must be done prior to my inspection.

So what do you get with my annual? A thorough test of the operating
systems of the airplane. An AD check back to the day your airplane left
the factory. A list of things that will PROBABLY need attention prior to
my next annual. A computer printout of everything we checked, tested,
and noted on the airplane for your records, plus my signature in your
logbook for another year of flying.

Perhaps you've noticed by now that I'm a checklist and computer records
person. Yes, you are correct. I've been in the aviation game since ADs
were delivered by Pony Express. Since Lindbergh was in knickers. Since
Wilbur and Orville ... oh, you understand. I understand how important
records are to maintenance, and I spend well over a thousand dollars a
year keeping my computer system up to date. I have found that giving you
the total inspection package at the end of the annual makes for a better
annual in following years, and makes your total maintenance bill smaller
in the long run.

So you want a professional annual for $150? There are three ways to get
full information on this deal:

? Go to www.rst-engr.com/annual and download the information from this
website.

? Email me jim@rst-engr.com and I will attach the PDF documents to a
return email.

? Call me at 530.272.2203 and I'll put a copy of the information in
snailmail to you.

Jim Weir
CFI, A&P (IA)

(*) The first year's annual will be $200, with the next year's annual
$175, and then to $150 after three or more years of continuous annual
inspections.

RST Engineering
13993 Downwind Court
Grass Valley CA 95945
530.272.2203 (voice)

sales@rst-engr.com www.rst-engr.com

Folks, Jim is a well known aviation personality, founder of Radio
Systems Technologies, and County Supervisor in Nevada County (which
makes his politician remark above all the more entertaining!)  I don't
know if his service is wonderful or not, but I'd tend to guess so.  It
is an interesting approach for the self-determined, FYI!


Marc Wiese