Page 5 - April 25

completed in a 24-month time span. Additionally, if a
King Air does a lot of flying, a phase must be done every
200 hours (more on that later).
Each phase has a checklist of items to be inspected.
The phases are not identical. Some basic inspection
items are repeated at every phase, but each checklist has
inspection items unique to that phase. All four phases
must be done every two years to maintain airworthiness.
There are a variety of special inspections that also apply
to the various King Air models. Compliance requirements
can be hour-based, calendar-based or they may come due
after a certain number of landings (cycles).
I have weaned many a new King Air owner off the
“annual inspection” idea and got them thinking in terms
of phase inspections, special inspections and tracking
cycles in addition to hours.
The alternate phase inspection program
Most King Airs out there (Part 91, at least) are on the
alternate phase inspection program. Phases 1 and 2
are done one year and phases 3 and 4 the next, and so
on. Provided your average use stays around 16.5 hours/
month or less, you qualify for this plan. The calendar
requirement of all four phases in a 24-month period
trumps the 200-hour requirement in this case. Since
you’re doing two phases every year, it may seem like
an annual inspection on a piston aircraft, but it is not.
In addition to the phases being done, there are special
inspections coming due at every phase inspection visit.
Some of these are 12-month items such as the capacity
check on the battery or the ELT (emergency locator
transmitter) check per FAR 91.207(d).
Other special inspections come due every 24
months, such as your avionics check (the pitot-static
and transponder checks, aka the 411/413). The engine
nozzle clean and flow check is a 400-hour item. Special
inspections of the landing gear are often cycle-based
(1,000-cycle inspection of the main gear and nose gear
clevis) or are a cycle/calendar combination (actuator end-
play and lube at 1,000 cycles or 30 months, whichever
comes first).
The 200-hour phase inspection program
High-use King Airs must do a phase every 200 hours.
King Airs that fly around 33 hours/month or more fall
into this category. At this use rate, a King Air could get all
four phase inspections done, one at a time, in a 24-month
period. Completion of the four phases every two years is
a requirement for all King Airs, no matter how much or
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