Cessna 172 Annual 1.0

For aviator types who would rather skip a football game for a hundred-dollar hamburger, you better check to see if your airplane is ‘in annual’ before you taxi out.

Richard Scarbrough

Thursday, October 05, 2023 at 10:54 PM ET

Verified

Taking an active role in your airplane’s annual inspection can lead to better understanding of the airplane. [Courtesy of Richard Scarbrough]

Key Takeaways:

Annual aircraft inspections are mandatory every 12 months and must be conducted by an A&P mechanic holding an Inspection Authorization (IA), who is solely responsible for returning the aircraft to service.
The inspection process involves three distinct phases: the physical inspection, resolving any identified discrepancies, and finally, returning the aircraft to service.
Thorough preparation, including reviewing aircraft logbooks for maintenance history and ensuring compliance with all Airworthiness Directives (ADs) and relevant Service Bulletins (SBs) for the airframe and components, is crucial before beginning physical work.
Key resources for understanding and conducting annual inspections include FAA guides (e.g., AC 20-106) and specific Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) such as 91.409 (Inspections) and 91.417 (Maintenance records).

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It is that time of year again, folks. No, I am not discussing sweater weather, changing leaves, or college football. The ritual I speak of may not have quite the grandeur of cheering your team to victory, but each of us has our passions. For those aviator types who would rather skip the game for a hundred-dollar hamburger, you better check to see if your airplane is “in annual” before you taxi out.

What Is an Annual Inspection?

The term “in annual” refers to the annual inspection your A&P IA must complete every 12 months. Consult your logbook. If the last annual entry is October 5, 2022, your airplane is due another annual before November 1, 2023. As you know, A&P is a mechanic holding an airframe and powerplant license. The added IA denotes inspection authorization, a higher rating level, and the only individual who can return the aircraft to service after the annual inspection. Annual inspections are mandatory. Besides, why wouldn’t you look closely at your aircraft periodically? After all, you cannot simply pull over and check under the hood up there.