Maintenance Tip: Inspections – A Phase is not an Annual

Any time an aircraft broker calls me about a pre-buy inspection and asks, “How much would an annual cost for a King Air?”, it makes me wonder if this is their first shot at selling one.

A few months ago, I was invited to speak at the local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) for their Inspection Authorization (IA) renewal class. My audience was full of A&Ps renewing their IA certificates, plus half of the people from the FSDO was there for the free food. Afterwards, while chatting with the attendees around the refreshment table, one guy asked me how many signoffs I get each year for my own IA renewal. I said it averaged around five to eight per year. “Really? I figured you’d have a lot more with all those King Airs you do!”

King Airs Don’t Get “Annual Inspections”

As soon as I said King Airs don’t get annual inspections, he cut me off abruptly and declared loudly, “Every aircraft must have an annual inspection per FAR 91.409(a)(1). Do I need to show you?” Suddenly this casual conversation was going ugly.

As I paused and took a deep breath, I mentioned the numerous exceptions and options that follow 91.409(a)(1) for nearly two full pages. Ultimately he realized that the King Air Phase Inspection program is a factory-recommended program per 91.409(f)(3). This is acceptable in lieu of an annual inspection, and an IA certificate is not required for the logbook signoff.

I received my IA certification in 1985 and have always had more than enough eligible signoffs for automatic renewal from the FAA – Dukes, Barons and Bonanzas make up the bulk of them. The only time I list a King Air on my IA renewal summary is when I have Form 337s (Major Repairs or Alterations) to report.

I’ve been working with aircraft owners transitioning from the piston to the turbine world for 45 years. I help wean them off of the annual inspection idea and get them thinking in terms of phase inspections, special inspections, and tracking cycles in addition to hours.

King Airs have special inspection items due at a variety of calendar intervals – 12, 24, 30, 36 months, etc. Just because something is due every 12 months doesn’t mean it’s the equivalent of the annual inspection required by piston-powered aircraft. I’m surprised when people, who I think should know better, call everything an annual. It’s a nomenclature issue.

Normally I don’t kick up a fuss about nomenclature and proper language, but this one is a sticking point for me. So remember: King Airs don’t get “annual inspections,” but they all need some kind of maintenance on an annual basis.

Why can’t I just get a Phase I-IV every other year?

You can! Beech calls it the “Biennial Inspection Program.” There are three requirements to be eligible for this program. First, if you are flying less than 200 hours in a 24-month period, an average of 8.5 hours per month, or less (this program is for low-usage King Airs). The second requirement is an interim inspection at the 12-month mark in alternate years between the biennial Phase I-IV. There’s a checklist for it in the maintenance manual; essentially, it’s a thorough operational check on the aircraft. Obviously, any discrepancies noted must be remedied. The third requirement is a declaration in your logbooks that the aircraft is on the Biennial Inspection Program. You can’t go two years without a phase and then suddenly decide you are doing the biennial program.

I don’t come across a lot of King Airs on the biennial program, but when I do, they are usually in bad shape. Oftentimes the interim inspection hasn’t been done; or if it has, it’s been pencil whipped. Special inspections are ignored or glossed over. Too many owners think it’s a Phase I-IV every other year and little else. If you follow the biennial program correctly with interim inspections, special inspections, etc., it doesn’t save much money in the long run. I’m not a fan.

I’ve had many low-usage customers that could qualify for the
biennial program, but they choose the Alternate Phase Inspection Program – two phases each year, completing all four phases in a two-year period. When the owners go to fly their King Air, they want to have confidence in it. They prefer an airplane that is looked at regularly and thoroughly. The less they fly, the more they want this assurance.

Whatever inspection program you are using; it should be declared in your logbooks. I wrote about maintenance inspections back in 2010, but I find myself discussing it every day.

The 200-hour Phase Inspection Program

High-use King Airs must have a phase inspection every 200 hours. A King Air that flies around 33 hours/month or more is going through a phase inspection every 200 hours. That high usage rate will get through all four phases within a 24-month period. Completion of the four phases every two years is a requirement for all King Airs, no matter how much or how little it flies.

When average usage fluctuates between 16-17 hours/month and 32-34 hours/month, you have got to keep an eye on when that 24-month deadline comes around. An example of a King Air averaging 22 hours/month: It has its Phase I inspection and flies 200 hours, which takes about nine months.

It goes through a Phase II and flies another 200 hours over nine more months. Now it’s 18 months into the 24-month period for all four phases. The Phase III can be completed and put down again after six more months for the Phase IV; or the Phase III and IV can be done right then, and the aircraft would not have to be down for another 200 hours (obviously, the 24-month parameter resets from that point). Either choice is acceptable, but the latter saves downtime.

The Alternate Phase Inspection Program

The majority of King Airs out there (Part 91, at least) are on the Alternate Phase Inspection program mentioned previously. Provided your average usage stays around 16.5 hours/month or less, you qualify for this plan. Since you’re doing two phases every year, it may seem like an annual inspection on a piston aircraft, but it’s not. The four phases are not identical. Each phase has a checklist of items to be inspected and plenty of items show up on every one, but then there are items for each inspection that are unique to that phase.

All the other Stuff

Besides the Phase Inspection Program, King Airs have a plethora of items/components subject to Special Inspection, Overhaul or Replacement. Some are calendar-based, such as the hydrostatic test on the oxygen bottle, due at 36 or 60 months depending on the bottle. Some items are hourly based, such as the instrument air filter 600-hour replace or the 1,000-hour starter generator overhaul. Others are cycle-based, such as the 5,000-cycle flap flex shaft replace.

Major items like landing gear, props and engine maintenance are all in addition to whatever phase program you are using. If one or both of your engines are on the M.O.R.E. program, you’ve got even more engine maintenance requirements specific to that program that need compliance. It’s all got to be done.

Don’t Forget your POH!

STCs have operational and maintenance requirements – some are quite vital, such as the difference in prop idle when four-blade props are installed. All STCs come with Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA) which are placed in the POH. The ICA gives the pertinent maintenance requirements. That’s got to be done too.

Bring the Logbooks to Maintenance

I can’t emphasize enough that even if you return to the same shop every time, the mechanic needs those logbooks and your POH for reference. Inevitably, when the logbooks aren’t there, something pops up on inspection and your mechanic needs to research something. It’s a real pain when they aren’t brought to the inspection, so please remember them.

This discussion has been focused mostly on the Part 91 crowd. Although elementary in nature, it never hurts to review the basics. Per FAR 91.403(a), “The owner or operator of an aircraft is primarily responsible for maintaining that aircraft in an airworthy condition…” That said, I wish you many happy and safe hours in your King Air!