Maintenance Services
Pre-Purchase Evaluation
Emergency, Mobile, 24HR & AOG Services
Pre-Purchase Evaluation
Pre-Purchase Evaluations. Prior to buying any airplane, a buyer should have an independent third party that is trusted in the proper operation and maintenance of a particular airframe, evaluate that aircraft for discrepancies, damage, improper maintenance and to ensure that airplane is safe, airworthy and worth its asking price. You dont want to find out the hard way about a hidden expense that would otherwise be a deal breaker.
Inspections
Emergency, Mobile, 24HR & AOG Services
Pre-Purchase Evaluation
Every 12 months your aircraft needs an annual or condition inspection as defined in FAR 43. This is our bread and butter! Honest, thorough safety and compliance our our priorities. Give us a call and discuss your next inspection!
25/50/100 Hour Inspection
Annual Inspection
Conditional Inspection
Progressive Inspection
Over G Inspection
Hard Landing Inspection
Safety Inspection
Technical Inspection
Emergency, Mobile, 24HR & AOG Services
Emergency, Mobile, 24HR & AOG Services
Emergency, Mobile, 24HR & AOG Services
Whatever day or time it is, if you're in distress, give us a call! We will do our best to accommodate your needs or help find you someone that can!
Owner Assisted Maintenance
Owner Assisted Maintenance
Emergency, Mobile, 24HR & AOG Services
Get hands on! Learn about your aircraft and save a few bucks too! We are willing to work with most owners who want to wrench on their aircraft. This is allowable with supervision of an A&P.
Major & Minor Repairs
Owner Assisted Maintenance
Major & Minor Repairs
Major repairs are defined by the FAA under FAR 43 Appendix A, and require a 337 form and approval for return to service by an A&P IA (Inspection Authorization). We are able to do much of this work, and what we can't do, we know who can. Shoot us an email so we can help you out.
STC Installations
Owner Assisted Maintenance
Major & Minor Repairs
We can install various STC applications. From Tail pull handles, to STOL kits to sun visors and shoulder harnesses. Send us the information for an estimate!
Oil Change & Tune Up Service
Oil Change & Tune Up Service
Oil Change & Tune Up Service
Call it a 25 hour or a 50 hour! If you need service between annual inspections, we can get you in an out in a day or less. Changing oil to testing and servicing spark plugs, checking magneto timing, cleaning air filters, seasonal carburetor mixture adjustments and wooden prop seasonal bolt re-torqueing can all be done in an afternoon. Fly in, enjoy an afternoon in the mountains, and be home in time for dinner!
Restoration
Oil Change & Tune Up Service
Oil Change & Tune Up Service
Everything is old on these planes and needs more than just an occasional lubrication and oil change. From complete aircraft to minor components, we can make most parts like new, and sometimes better than new!
Tundra Tire Field Approvals
Oil Change & Tune Up Service
Buyer & Seller Assistance Agent
Big tires are trendy right now, but most airplanes don't have the proper approval for sizes beyond 8.00-6. Let us help you with a field approval for your tire on your airframe!
We can get the tire you want approved in most cases. We can also update your airplanes weight & balance to reflect the equipment change.
Call to learn more!
Buyer & Seller Assistance Agent
Buyer & Seller Assistance Agent
Buyer & Seller Assistance Agent
Let us help you buy or sell your airplane. Buying an airplane can be complicated between logistics and the paperwork. Let us guide you through this process.
Flat Tire Recovery
Buyer & Seller Assistance Agent
Flat Tire Recovery
We carry almost all general aviation tire sizes and brands and can be dispatched anywhere in Northern California in minimal time.
Parts
Buyer & Seller Assistance Agent
Flat Tire Recovery
We have a huge inventory of new and used parts among our various locations to serve most general aviation needs. If not in stock, we can order most anything you need and have it here in as little as the next day! Click here for a list of many of our used items for sale.
Other Services
Pre-Purchase Evaluation
Maintenance & Safety Seminars
Maintenance & Safety Seminars
Often called a Pre-Buy Inspection, an evaluation of an aircraft prior to purchase is a MUST! An qualified and experienced opinion of an aircraft can save you thousands! Check out the page about Pre-Purchase Evaluations!
Maintenance & Safety Seminars
Maintenance & Safety Seminars
Maintenance & Safety Seminars
Jake's Air Repair offers a number of different safety seminars pertaining to General Aviation Maintenance. Jake is happy to come join your Business, Flight School, Flying Club or Aviation Group and speak to items he has seen in his many years of maintaining these airplanes.
Aircraft Sales
Maintenance & Safety Seminars
Aircraft Sales
No nonsense representation of your aircraft. Don't deal with potential buyers who will waste your time. Don't deal with sleazy brokers! We have successfully sold a handful of aircraft within their target price in as little as 1 hour! Its an odd market right now, let us help you get top dollar with as little hassle as possible! Were not brokers, were pilots, owners and mechanics. We live and breathe airplanes! We also charge alot less!
Apprasials
Recovery, Removal Disposal & Salvage
Aircraft Sales
Experienced and thorough appraisals. Often combines with a pre-purchase evaluation. Helpful for selling and insurance purposes.
Recovery, Removal Disposal & Salvage
Recovery, Removal Disposal & Salvage
Recovery, Removal Disposal & Salvage
We can safely and efficiently recover a wreck or damaged aircraft intact and remove it from your airpor site for storage, salvage or disposal.
We are able to recover and store aircraft for insurance companies during the course of the settlement and resale of the salvaged aircraft is complete.
Insurance Salvage Storage.
Aircraft Recovery.
Aircraft Salvage.
Aircraft Disposal.
Dynamic Prop Balancing
Recovery, Removal Disposal & Salvage
Recovery, Removal Disposal & Salvage
Dynamic Propeller Balancing. Remove odd vibrations caused by an out of balance propeller.
We offer this service with top of the line dynamic balancing equipment, not that armature junk sold to pilots in the back of flying magazines! Get it done right the firs time!
Aircraft Weighing
Aerial Photography
Aircraft Weighing
Aircraft Weighing and New Aircraft Weight Report and Equipment Listings.
We can weigh your airplane with our certified AWS aircraft scales. Weather you changed a bunch of equipment, or your current weight & balance just has too many revisions or is too old. We can weigh it you you know what it really weighs. If you don't have an "As Weighed" report in your aircraft file, your revisions are not valid! We can fix that too!
Hangar Space
Aerial Photography
Aircraft Weighing
We have various hangar space options available at many airports in the region. Currently Hangar space available at:
Livermore Municipal Airport KLVK
Calaveras County Airport KCPU
Columbia Airport O22
Livermore, CA KLVK
Aerial Photography
Aerial Photography
Aerial Photography
Air to Air Photography with our professional, published photographer, professional pilots and aircraft.
ADS-B
Log Book Audit
Aerial Photography
Installation of ADS-B systems.
uAvionix certified installer.
Log Book Audit
Log Book Audit
Log Book Audit
Organize and verify your aircraft records. Clean up excess and duplicate records and remove non critical paper to streamline your aircraft's maintenance file.
Courtesy Cars
Log Book Audit
Log Book Audit
Columbia Airport Courtesy cars are no longer available.
TRaining, Flight Instruction & Aircraft Rental
Flight Training
Introductory Flights
Introductory Flights
Experienced CFI, CFII and MEI's on staff available for flight reviews and transition or insurance checkouts. Can provide some types for type checkouts!
Tailwheels and aerobatics are our specialty!
Piper PA-22 Tail Wheel
Cessna 120 / 140
PA-24-250 Comanche
Piper PA-20
Piper PA-30
Introductory Flights
Introductory Flights
Introductory Flights
Have you wondered what it might be like to pilot a plane yourself?
Or what your house looks like from above? Come feel the wind under your wings!
Call us for a special introductory rate and start your path to becoming a certified pilot!
Bush Flying Course
Bush Flying Course
Bush Flying Course
Mountain Flying, Bush Flying, Big Tires, STOL & Safety techniques course.
Flown in our planes or yours. (PA20, PA22TW,C120)
Aircraft Rental
Bush Flying Course
Bush Flying Course
Piper PA-22 Tail Wheel "22/20"
Cessna 120 85HP, Electric Start
Our Aircraft are operated through the Columbia Flying Club.
Harsh Realities of the Annual Inspection
Common questions regarding Annual Inspections
How much does an Annual Inspection cost?
Its tough to say. Generally an estimate can be determined based on flat rate and labor allowance manuals, and experience working on a certain aircraft type. The "flat rate" consists of inspection and limited servicing. Repairs and other service are generally charged separate. The biggest expense I discover while performing an annual is the paperwork. It can take several days to sort through an improperly organized and sorted aircraft maintenance file. The first time seeing an aircraft for an annual inspection does cost more as the time spent to see the entire air frame and sort the aircraft records have to happen the first time a mechanic sees the aircraft. The subsequent inspections get a lot easier and cheaper once the first time items are addressed, and the mechanic is familiar with that particular airplane.
Additional items like any STC modifications or upgrades require inspections in accordance with the instructions for continued airworthiness (ICA). Power flow exhausts require additional inspection and repair, Robertson STOL kits have a yearly rigging inspection. Modifications approved by the FAA in the last 20 years have a thing called ICA or Instructions for Continued Airworthiness. Each of these modifications has its own inspection requirements and limitations that have to be complied with. Something like a Cessna 180 with all the bells and whistles can easily have lots of additional inspection time!
I break down the charges on your invoice that make it clear where your money is spent.
What is included in an Annual Inspection?
An annual inspection includes the items outlined in FAR 43 Appendix D. Things like removing the wheels to inspect the wheel bearings are included in the flat rate price, as are the oil changes. Even though FAR Part 43 Appendix D does NOT require an oil change at 100 HR / Annual, we do that anyways. Items such as the oil and filters are not part of the flat rate price. Parts and materials are charged as additional parts as required.
How long does an Annual Inspection or maintenance take?
In the wake of Covid19, shippers and vendors have been affected. Shipping has taken alot longer and items sent out for repair have a much longer turn around time. I am seeing the average annual inspection with repairs taking about 3 weeks. Its usually about 1 week (5-7 business days) but an additional week due to slower shipping, inventory backlogs or not in stock items is considered. I have had a single airplane waiting 6 weeks on a muffler and a 172 waiting 2 weeks on a magneto, just this year (2020). A simple inspection with minimal parts has taken 3 weeks only because of delays by vendors and shipping. ( March 2021). If timing is a consideration, it is best to get your work done early. Schedule ahead of time to make sure you can get in and out in short time, and make a list of parts you know you'll need, so those can be ordered well in advance of the inspection.
Can you have it done by......?
NO. Simple answer to these types of questions is almost always: NO. Working with deadlines does not work. Pressures on mechanics can leave to complacency and short cuts. We don't jeopardize safety. We work expeditiously and try to turn your airplane around in a timely fashion, however there are many circumstances that prevent knowing what could happen or how long a hold up may last. If you have a deadline, plan ahead for it. Get your inspection or maintenance done well before your "I need the airplane by" date. We do many AOG or priority maintenance, but inspections always take longer than anticipated. Since the Covid era, suppliers and vendors have been behind on production and parts acquisition. The ability to procure common parts has become difficult! In 2021, tires took months to get. even common and standard sizes! In 2022 alone items like oil filters have become nearly impossible to source. In 2023, air filters are harder to get. Air filters! This reason alone is enough of an unknown to guarantee a complete by date.
Do you do Owner Assisted Maintenance and Annuals?
Absolutely. I appreciate an owner who has interest in knowing more about his airplane. That said I have had MANY owner assisted annuals and maintenance where having the owner involved actually cost the owner more money. Having to slow down the pace of an inspection and time to stop and explain or teach the owner about various topics still cost shop rate. If you as an owner are interested in learning, that can be appreciated and understood, but as an owner looking to save a buck, you gotta know what you're doing and work quickly, diligently and be meticulous! I consider Owner Assisted on a case by case basis. Generally owner assisted at your hangar is NOT going to be cheaper than just dropping it off at our shop.
What do you look for on a Pre-Purchase Inspection?
I could talk for days about that one! See our Pre-Purchase page where we dive into more detail regarding Pre-Purchase Evaluations.
Repair Work PHOTO GALLERY
