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[Australia] RV maintenance costs

H

Hongie

Member
Hi All,
A question I've often wondered, which some Australian RV owners may be able to answer for me. I realise that its not a 'one size fits all'.

What does your maintenance generally cost for a 100hr or annual in an RV?

I'm finishing off a ch601 project that I got for a good price, and I'll most likely on-sell it, and hopefully make a bit out of it, and maybe buy an RV, most likely a -9a, as aero's are not a thing for me (well, my stomach).
 
G'day Hongie,
Are you buying or building? There is one -9a on the RAA register that I know of, but I assume you'd be going VH/PPL?
 
At this stage buy, but I would love to build in the future. The one on the RaAus register is yours? I think i've seen it on RecFly
 
No, not mine. It belongs to `RetiredRacer', who posts here from time to time (lives in Qld). It has an ex C152 engine in it, and other mods to keep it below 600kg MTOW. Not sure that RAA would let another one go through though. The -12 might be a better choice if it needed to be RAA rego.
 
That obviously makes buying much easier. Can't help you with maintenance costs, but there are a few Aussie -9 owners on the forum who should be able to. If I wasn't building a -12, I would have gone for the -9.
Cheers
 
No worries. Thanks for your input mate.

Obviously its early days yet, but I'm just kicking some figures around in a spreadsheet.
 
Allan is correct, it will cost in the range of $2000 a $2500 for an annual. Depending on your C of A and logbook statement, you shouldn't need to get a LAME to do a 100 hourly. For private operations, it's just the annual you need done by a LAME. You can do your own pilot matinance each 50 hours. If you fly more than 100 hours per year, you can do the 100 hourly (which will just be a second 50 hourly).
 
Yep, aware of the need for a LAME to do the annual, i wasnt aware that I would be able to do 50/100 hourly.

$2000 to $3000k I could probably handle. My hangarmate's 172 reportedly cost $10k on its annual! Could not handle that on a yearly basis.
 
Yes, with these ageing aircraft inspections, there are going to be a lot if old Cessnas left on airfields to rot as the owners can't afford an annual.
 
rgmwa said:
No, not mine. It belongs to `RetiredRacer', who posts here from time to time (lives in Qld). It has an ex C152 engine in it, and other mods to keep it below 600kg MTOW. Not sure that RAA would let another one go through though. The -12 might be a better choice if it needed to be RAA rego.
Click to expand...
They will be allowing one more -9A onto the RAAus register.

Mine.

But after that, that's it unless someone wants to mount a legal challange to the arbitrary refusal to register an aircraft that meets the legal requirements - you can thank a select few who thought it would be a great idea to fly overweight for that...

I would recommend you check out the latest pilot-authorised maintenance under Schedule 8 to see just how much you can do yourself. For an RV, there wouldn't be an awful lot for the LAME to actually do if you change the oil & plugs yourself, and you've got a fairly basic RV that doesn't need a lot of IFR-type certifications, let's face it, they're not comes machines.

Here's a copy of the current Schedule-8, available as a *.PDF here
Schedule 8 Maintenance that may be carried out on a class B aircraft by a pilot entitled to do so under subregulation 42ZC (4)
1. Removal or installation of landing gear tyres, but only if the removal or installation does not involve the complete jacking of the aircraft.
2. Repair of pneumatic tubes of landing gear tyres.
3. Servicing of landing gear wheel bearings.
4. Replacement of defective safety wiring or split pins, but not including wiring or pins in control systems.
5. Removal or refitting of a door, but only if:
(a) no disassembly of the primary structure or operating system of the aircraft is involved; and
(b) if the aircraft is to be operated with the door removed ? the aircraft has a flight manual and the manual indicates that the aircraft may be operated with the door removed.
6. Replacement of side windows in an unpressurised aircraft.
7. Replacement of seats, but only if the replacement does not involve disassembly of any part of the primary structure of the aircraft.
8. Repairs to the upholstery or decorative furnishings of the interior of the cabin or cockpit.
9. Replacement of seat belts or harnesses.
10. Replacement or repair of signs and markings.
11. Replacement of bulbs, reflectors, glasses, lenses or lights.
12. Replacement, cleaning, or setting gaps of spark plugs.
13. Replacement of batteries.
14. Changing oil filters or air filters.
15. Changing or replenishing engine oil or fuel.
16. Lubrication not requiring disassembly or requiring only the removal of non-structural parts, or of cover plates, cowlings and fairings.
17. Replenishment of hydraulic fluid.
18. Application of preservative or protective materials, but only if no disassembly of the primary structure or operating system of the aircraft is involved.
19. Removal or replacement of equipment used for agricultural purposes.
20. Removal or replacement of glider tow hooks.
21. Carrying out of an inspection under regulation 42G of a flight control system that has been assembled, adjusted, repaired, modified or replaced.
22. Carrying out of a daily inspection of an aircraft.
Click to expand...
 
Hi Hongie,

I'm flying an RV 7 I built myself, I do all my own maintenance and an annual typically takes me two days, by the time I remove all the panels and inspect or adjust as required.

Parts used;

8 automotive plugs @ $5 each, new washers about $1 each, $48
Check and replace plug leads if required, about $120
Oil filter about $20
Oil 8 quarts @ $10 per quart $80
Clean air filter about $3 per clean
Check an replace tyres if required about $150 per tyre, $300
Repack bearings, $2 for bearing grease
Check brake pads, replace if necessary, $20
Remove and clean sump filter, new washer $1

So worst case scenario $600 per annual doing it yourself, so $2000 for a LAME sounds pretty good to me.

Cheers
 
Thanks for all the replies and information people.

After reading through Schedule 8, it seems that if I was to do most of that sort of stuff myself, which I feel I'm quite capable of, there wouldnt be much for a LAME to do.

I'm quite comfortable working on the motor, I'm a motor mechanic by trade, the air-frame is obviously a different matter, and I have no experience whatsoever with them.

Am I correct that if one was to build a aircraft, an Rv 9 for arguments sake, and then later on purchased a already flying rv 8, you would be able to then do your own maintenance?

Or would it have to be 'more similar' ie, side by side, as opposed to tandem.
 
You can do "pilot maintenance" on any Class B plane provided you hold a PPL or above, however, to do anything above and beyond what is shown in Schedule 8, you'll require your LAME quals or have built that very plane yourself.

Just because I've built a -9A doesn't mean I can automatically sign off the 100-hourly inspection on someone else's -9A unless you've built the major portion of a similar plane and satisfied any maintenance procedural requirements. Building any of the Vans designs "should" give enough of an education to satisfy that requirement, though the -10 may be an exception, and it will depend on the CASA interpretation when you actually apply for that authorisation.

Have a gander at CAAP 42ZC-2 - Maintenance of amateur built aircraft. It should help you out.
 
Code: 
6.1 Maintenance may be performed on amateur-built experimental aircraft (including kit-built aircraft) by:
 The current sole owner of an amateur-built aircraft who:
º is able to satisfactorily demonstrate that he or she has previously fabricated and assembled the major portion of an aircraft of a similar type; and
º has satisfied the maintenance procedures training requirements.

Cheers KR

This is what I was alluding to. I suppose what I'm really asking is, just because it says it in the CAAP, in actuality, does CASA ever allow it?
 
Also keep in mind the requirement to have passed an approved Maintenance Procedures Course (MPC), currently run by the SAA, before you can sign off an annual. This course is all about the legal requirements and obligations associated with that privilege, not about the nuts and bolts of doing an annual.
 
Hongie said:
Am I correct that if one was to build a aircraft, an Rv 9 for arguments sake, and then later on purchased a already flying rv 8, you would be able to then do your own maintenance?

Or would it have to be 'more similar' ie, side by side, as opposed to tandem.
Click to expand...

I don't think there's much doubt that CASA would view an RV9 and RV8 as similar. They may not see an RV4 and an RV12 the same way.
 
Yes, I can see how they would be regarded as being different.

Do you know of any instances where someone other then the original owner/builder has been granted the authority to sign the annual off?
 
Hongie said:
Yes, I can see how they would be regarded as being different.

Do you know of any instances where someone other then the original owner/builder has been granted the authority to sign the annual off?
Click to expand...

Not personally. It may be worth contacting SAAA to get more specific information.
 
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