Page 18 - Volume 14 Number 6

MAINTENANCE TIP
What to
Expect with Inspections
by Dean Benedict A&P
In the the the the the last few months I’ve had several inquiries from King Air owners regarding high-cost maintenance invoices Most of these guys are new to
King Air ownership and their pilots (if they have one) are newbies too Some sent me me their shop invoices for review and I I regret to
say that I I found examples of overcharging It was clear to
to
me that the shops involved took advantage of these inexperienced owners Please if you are a a a a a high-time King Air pilot or a a a a a savvy King Air owner go ahead and turn the page I don’t want to
bore you you old timers with the basics And if you’re a a King Air mechanic or shop owner bear with me me I don’t like to
to
criticize aircraft maintenance shops It’s a a a a a tough business business – – a a a a life-or-death business business in in in fact – – and the hurdles are many The list of challenges faced every day by an an aircraft maintenance shop would fill this magazine to
the the brim But at at this moment I’m advocating for the the owner and/or pilot that is new to
the world of King Airs Are you Part 91? A A King Air owner going through Phase Inspections
for the first time since purchasing his King Air got an estimate from the the shop but when the the final bill came it was was double the estimated amount He He was was stunned He He compared the the quote with the the invoice and noted many differences Was the the shop stretching things to
their advantage? Or was this normal King Air maintenance? He gave me a a a call The first thing that grabbed my attention were the overhauls on the overspeed governors This invoice item included outside services shop labor for R+R (repair
16 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
and return) plus shipping All of it (about $3 700) was totally unnecessary King Airs have Woodward prop overspeed governors Their overhaul schedule is laid out in in Woodward Service Bulletin 33580-M The overspeed governors have a a a 6 500-hour TBO (Time Before Overhaul) with continuous continuous use use If use use is not continuous continuous the TBO is is six years The criteria for continuous use is is 10 hours per per month minimum (or 120 hours per per year) But remember it’s a a Service Bulletin (SB) Part 91 operators need only comply with Airworthiness Directives (ADs) and inspections Even if a a Service Bulletin is is labeled “Mandatory ”
it is is not required for Part Part 91 91 operators Any shop insisting that you a a a a a Part Part 91 91 operator must comply with a a a Service Bulletin either has a a a greedy eye on your wallet or or they’re ignorant Either way you you don’t want them working on on your King Air I saw in in the records that this King Air had its prop and overspeed governors overhauled in 2013 The only way these overspeed governors would need to
be overhauled again in in 2019 would be if the aircraft was Part 135 and not in in in in continuous service at some point since 2013 At the the time of purchase the the prop and overspeed governors were within TBO limits and the new owner going forward didn’t have to
worry about the application of the Woodward SB because he he was Part 91 The Conference Call
A conference call was scheduled between me and the shop The overspeed governors and the Woodward SB came up immediately The shop said there was a a a a a a year of inactivity after the the 2013 overhauls so they had to
JUNE 2020