I saw a flat-rate of $1,330 for an annual inspection. Man! that is high. My A&P charges only $300 for the inspection, plus time & parts for any repairs and adjustments. My mechanic's hourly rate is $50; looks like it's $75 at the shop you use.
I really wonder if that's a true 'flat rate', or just the spot where that figure appears so the computer program matches the mechanic's own accounting system.
Reminds me of one customer who complained about losing out on a 'core charge' when the old parts were thrown away by the mechanic. In reality, the 'core charge' entry was the only way the mechanic knew how to force the computer to discount the price for the customer!
While $1300 does sound high, I don't think this is out of line for a first time annual in a big city. Part of the annual is the inspection of the airplane, of course. But another part is inspection of the logbooks. In effect, you're paying the mechanic to play book-keeper on ledgers that are three decades old, trying to decipher entries from skilled (and unskilled) mechanics. That alone can take a whole day (including AD research, calculating times, etc., etc.).
Of course, the second year with the same mechanic should be much simpler (read: cheaper) since everything is now up to snuff.
Paul, ditto what Hung said about the oil filter. Of course you may feel like you're bleeding money right now, but put an F&M Oil Filter kit on your short list - it's worth every penny.
And to paraphrase an old joke: Why is aviation so expensive? Because it's worth it!
