Tach and Hobbs meter numbers are critical for determining when certain aircraft inspections are due, when airworthiness directives need to be complied with, and how much the customer will be billed for the flight. [Credit: Meg Godlewski]
Key Takeaways:
Pilots must diligently check tach and Hobbs numbers before each flight to ensure accurate billing, logbook entries, and compliance with critical maintenance schedules and Airworthiness Directives (ADs), preventing potential penalties.
The Hobbs meter records total flight time for billing and logbooks, while the tachometer measures engine operating time for maintenance purposes (like 100-hour inspections), typically showing approximately 20% less time than the Hobbs.
Flight schools actively manage aircraft maintenance timing to avoid downtime, and while aircraft used for hire require 100-hour inspections, a pilot not flying for compensation can legally operate an aircraft past its 100-hour inspection for personal currency, provided it remains in annual and all ADs are current.
I wish I had a dollar for every time I was asked this, or asked someone else this. These numbers are critical for determining when certain aircraft inspections are due, when airworthiness directives (ADs) need to be complied with, and how much the customer will be billed for the flight.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
