I wonder what the thinking was behind the UK G-reg 6 month time limit.
I can see one possible intent behind it (the world is full of hangar queens) but let’s say you fly 50hrs in 6 months; that is 100hrs/year which is about 3x to 5x the UK PPL average! I can see a 12 month limit would make sense…hmmm… hey, it’s called the Annual 
So I don’t see why Lyco would want a 4 month limit too since that translates to 150hrs/year (have never heard of it too, though I don’t doubt it – inactivity is the biggest enemy of engines and the industry is well aware of it).
The 6 month UK limit should have really been qualified so that e.g. if you are at 25hrs at the 6 month point, and the last flight was within the last few weeks, you don’t need to do the service.
The 50hr service, if done by a company, is a big cost, but the really big cost is the 150hr one which is a “G-reg special” and which really hits sundicates.
On an N-reg you don’t have this nonsense. The oil change check is done at around 50hrs and then there is just the Annual.
Is the 50 hour service on a certified G-reg something the owner can do? (I presume it is, if it’s anything like the LAA recommended 6 month check, it’s all pilot maintenance stuff).
Yes, apart from ADs etc the 50hr check can be done within pilot privileges, G-reg and N-reg and probably all other Euro-regs too.
But not if the aircraft is for hire or used for teaching the public to fly.
And the 150 check a right financial killer especially when its due 6 weeks before the annual.
Before going Permit EASA 2, we got an early annual at the 150 in that situation. You lose a month or so, but can be cheaper. Annual has to be done at least every year.
Peter wrote:
Yes, apart from ADs etc the 50hr check can be done within pilot privileges, G-reg and N-reg and probably all other Euro-regs too.
Is there a 50 hour check on an N-reg?
Peter wrote:
The 50hr service, if done by a company, is a big cost, but the really big cost is the 150hr one which is a “G-reg special” and which really hits sundicates.
Presumably anyone with an ELA1 aircraft could write this out of their Self-Declared Maintenance Programme and save themselves the expense.
Yes. I’m supposed to be writing one for my maintenance company. But don’t have the knowledge or understanding how to.
But I would like 100 hour check (although will change oil at 50 hours). No 150 check and then just annual.
I would also like to get rid of the radio annual to.
You can do it yourself right now.
The people who use a company now are the same people who will use a company in the future. The vast majority of owners use a company for everything, because
You need a hangar for anything involving jacking up, and for the Annual.
Where I am based, most owners fly away somewhere for maintenance. Even most schools have (historically; I don’t know about current) done that.
There are even homebuilders who use a company, for some of the above reasons. It’s the same thing because you can do the 50hr service on a certified plane on your own so a homebuilt doesn’t save you anything there.
@bathman – search for
own maintenance programme
and you will get some tips.
