We’ve been owning and flying airplanes long enough to know for certain that the sport has many things going for it. But let’s be real—membership also comes with some downsides. This includes rising insurance premiums, ever-changing fuel prices, monthly database updates and, of course, maintenance and upgrades.
While we encourage owners to perform as many of the preventive maintenance tasks listed in FAR 43’s Appendix A as they are capable of, some things require signoffs the typical pilot can’t make legally. And then there are the dreaded annual inspections.