IA Fee's

[Jetdriver125]

What does most independent IA's charge for Annual's, 337's ETC. Wasn't sure what the going rates was for these services?

 

[avbug]

There's really no "going rate." You'll find IA holders who will pencil whip your annual for three hundred dollars...every area has one. You'll find others who will be very thorough and your annual will come out at eight or nine thousand. You'll find others who will allow you to assist with the annual, and others who adamantly will not. Some will perform only the inspection and allow you to have the work done elsewhere, others will not.

Going rates, such as they are, range from flat-rate inspections of six hundred to twelve hundred, or fifty bucks an hour to one fifty an hour, depending on the nature of the inspection, or the work.

Bear in mind that especially where inspection is concerned, and this applies equally to an annual or to a special airworthiness permit or major repair or alteration (337, etc), generally more work rests in the research and paperwork than in the actual labor. Sometimes folks forget this when they see the bill...it's not just about attaching a few wires or riveting a patch as it is the qualification, the experience, the knowledge, and the behind-the-scenes effort, to say nothing of the liability.

A wide diversity exists in what you may expect to be charged, and your best bet is to approach the particular IA or repair station and inquire. You'll also find some who use flat-rate books for particular jobs, but you should also bear in mind that the nature of being an inspector means that one is constantly looking for defects, and when you go in to have a cylinder changed you may well end up needing an engine mount replaced...because more may be found than what you thought was wrong...and the cost may go up. Even with a flat-rate job, something as straight forward as a cylinder change, a failed stud or some unexpected finding may increase the amount of work, the complexity, and the cost. Additionally, by effectivity (part number and serial number), you may have a particular part which is subject to additional inspection requirements (eg, an AD) which also increase costs above what might normally be expected for that particular work or inspection item.

 

[Jetdriver125]

Thanks for the Info, I have been an A&P and doing all the 100Hr inspections and then doing any type of repairs we find during the 100hr/annual I will mostly be doing only my own sign offs cause I'm not into pencil whipping any paperwork, I was going to charge like 850 for a Single fixed gear and 1000 for a single retract and then 1350 for most light twins and this was for the Inspection ONLY.. of course anything found would be on top of that price...
Thanks for the reply..

 

[avbug]

Those are certainly reasonable numbers. Bear in mind that your operation costs go up as an IA. You'll need to maintain a current regulatory database, as well as manuals and inspection data for each aircraft on which you work, as well as calibrated tools appropriate to the work being done...as well as records, and you should have some kind of legal plan, as well. You can see then, how the amount of work you do should influence how much you charge for your services, to some degree.

It's hard to maintain a current library and facilities, as well as fund aircraft jacks and scales and so forth, if you're only doing one or two inspections a year (hard to stay current that way, too).

 

[Jetdriver125]

Thats true but I am also a Pilot /Mechanic on a Citation Bravo and I have all the technical data tool calibrations etc. The only reason I got my IA was to do annuals for a few different guys.. I don't want the responsiblity of running a repair station or FBO.. Thanks..

 

[AC560]

The only reason I got my IA was to do annuals for a few different guys

I have a friend who is an IA for a major carrier and did a pre-buy inspection for a guy as a favor. Aircraft ended up having some corrosion issues which can be debated whether or not should have been noticed on the pre-buy. End result was my friend losing his IA for 12 months, buying the airplane, and a lot of legal fees.

Be careful who and what you sign off.

 

[rotor&wing]

I have a friend who is an IA for a major carrier and did a pre-buy inspection for a guy as a favor. Aircraft ended up having some corrosion issues which can be debated whether or not should have been noticed on the pre-buy. End result was my friend losing his IA for 12 months, buying the airplane, and a lot of legal fees.

Be careful who and what you sign off.

This makes no sense. Unless your IA friend signed off an Inspection (annual or 100 hour) how did he get violated for a prebuy?

I understand the legal issues as I too had a scumbag who tried to sue me over a prebuy when he figured out he bought more aircraft than he could afford and wanted someone to blame.

 

[avbug]

This makes no sense.

Whereas no information is provided, one may be premature to suggest it makes no sense. Any number of considerations could have been a factor.

If the individual happened to "throw in" an annual signoff at the same time, he may have opened himself up to trouble, though no information is provided.