My baby is back at home! After a 2-month annual inspection and maintenance event, she is back in her hangar where she belongs. General aviation (GA) aircraft are required to undergo an annual inspection no later than the last day of the month, one year after the previous inspection. Last year my Piper Cherokee 140 was signed off the first week of December 2017. I had until December 31, 2018, to deliver her to an airframe and powerplant mechanic (A&P) with inspection authority (IA). She was flown to the shop on December 28.

I dropped her off with the expectation of having a relatively clean and inexpensive annual, but if you know anything about airplanes, that rarely ever happens. The only issue I was aware of was a crackling in the intercom due to a bad (bent) headphone jack on the right side. I bought a new set and had them installed. The inspection that followed turned up a few other issues that had to be dealt with.

The first issue that was found was evidence of an old fuel leak around the sending unit for the fuel gauge. It was not visibly wet at the time, but there was evidence of a leak at some time in the past. The seal was cracking and it was suggested that a new seal be installed. This required removal of the fuel tank from the right wing.

Records also indicated that it had been 2 years since the ELT battery had been replaced. Upon inspection of the ELT, it was noted that the battery displayed an expiration date of 12/18. A new battery was ordered and installed.

Her propeller was removed for service to repair a couple of nicks in the leading edge due. Small stones or other FOD most likely caused the nicks. During the prop inspection, it was noted that the spinner had developed a crack and was no longer serviceable. A new spinner assembly was ordered, painted and installed.

The spinner, nose-bowl and wheel pants were sent to Charlie’s Body Shop in Shelby Ohio for paint. While there it was noted that the nose bowl was cracked, most likely due to a bird strike prior to my owning the plane. I had the fiberglass work done, and all three parts painted. Charlie and his team do excellent work, and I recommend this shop for great service and quality craftsmanship.

Prior to re-installing the cowling, I removed the old, oil-soaked anti-chaff tape and replaced with new. This should help seal the cowling and provide for better airflow across the cylinders.

The final repair for the year was the replacement of the carburetor. The original carb had a fuel leak and a service bulletin on it that required it to be rebuilt or replaced. I opted for replacement due to cost comparison. It was replaced with a genuine Marvel Schebler overhauled carb.

I also opted for an oil analysis this year. The cost is relatively low and consecutive analyses could show a trend of any unusual wear in the engine. I’m anxious to get the results!

The parts sent to Charlie’s had a 3-week backlog due to other scheduled work, and the carb replacement took longer than expected due to an issue with the new carb and shipping back and forth. Finally, on March 1, 2019 N4257J was signed off as having been inspected, repaired, and airworthy. She is due for her next annual inspection no later than March 31, 2020. Wish me luck…