All aircraft have annual inspections, however the King Air follows a phased schedule of inspections. Broken into Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4, each phase is triggered by a set number of flight hours and focuses on different parts of the aircraft per phase.
While this phased approach to King Air inspections may seem complicated, the schedule of inspections actually ensures that the aircraft is consistently being assessed and maintained for airworthiness. Understanding the phased and unphased inspections required of a King Air is crucial for King Air operators. Here is the King Air schedule of inspections, explained.
Phased Inspections
Broken into Phases 1 through 4, the King Air Phase inspections occur every 200 flight hours. Even if a King Air operator logs fewer flight hours, it is at least required that they complete all four phases of King Air inspections every 24 months. Those who tend to log more flight hours often look for ways to combine their phased inspections to reduce downtime.
King Air Phase Inspections
As a King Air owner or operator, your particular aircraft maintenance inspections may vary from what you see below. However, as a general rule, all of your King Air Phase inspections include inspection of:
- Nose Avionics Bay
- Nose Landing Gear
- Nose Gear
- Pilot’s Compartment
- Cabin Section
- Rear Fuselage and Empennage
- Wings
- Main Landing Gear Area
- Engines
- Landing Gear Retraction System
- Operational Systems
King Air Phase 1 Inspection
During a King Air Phase 1 inspection, additional time and attention is dedicated to detail inspecting the:
- Nose Avionics Bay
- Rear Fuselage and Empennage
- Wings
King Air Phase 2 Inspection
During a King Air Phase 2 inspection, additional time and attention is dedicated to detail inspecting the:
- Engine and Cowling Area
King Air Phase 3 Inspection
During a King Air Phase 3 inspection, additional time and attention is dedicated to detail inspecting the:
- Flight Compartment Section
- Cabin Section
King Air Phase 4 Inspection
During a King Air Phase 4 inspection, additional time and attention is dedicated to detail inspecting the:
- Engine and Cowling Area
- Landing Gear
The combined Phase inspection program assures that the entire aircraft is inspected every 24 months, and that is why it often makes sense to combine phased inspections.
An experienced MRO will be able to expertly tell you the best combined schedule of inspections for your King Air.
These phase inspections are complete operational checks. Operational inspections help to determine or identify impending failure, and to keep an aircraft in optimal condition.
Budgeting for King Air Inspections
With Winner Aviation, you can typically plan on budgeting for 90 labor hours per combined inspection.
There are some MROs that will quote 75-80 hours of labor per phase/combined phase inspection. In our experience, those estimates should be reviewed very critically as either the attention to detail will suffer, or your King Air may experience longer downtime.
Outside of the phase inspections, there are other inspection milestones to keep in mind for your King Air. Wing bolt inspections, propeller overhauls, oxygen bottle inspections, and so on, are all vital parts of the overall schedule of inspections for a King Air.
Our priority is helping our King Air owners and operators save money and decrease downtime with efficient combined phase inspections. Talk with us about your schedule of inspections today.
