A Maintenance Oriented Podcast For Airplane Owners, Pilots, and Mechanics

148 – $200 Annual Inspection with Jim Weir

You might be wondering, “How is that possible,” or “What kind of shady operation is that?!” Same here. When I first heard about the $200 annual inspection, I was skeptical… until I actually researched what Jim does and how he does it. That prompted me to call him, and he was gracious enough to take some time to talk with me for the podcast. Thanks Jim!

In talking with Jim, I discovered he does a very thorough, AND very efficient annual inspection with the carefully selected owners he works with. He does this by maximizing the involvement of the airplane owner, and by requiring a very specific process of preparation before he even puts his eyes on the airplane.


Jim Weir has been involved with aviation for many years, and has a wealth of wisdom and experience to share with us.

Although the following picture may have been a few years ago, Jim is still very much full of life and energy… I discovered that the day I spoke with him!

And somehow, I’m guessing Cindi has been a very significant part of Jim’s success in aviation and in life 🙂


In the following picture, Jim ties down his Cessna 182 in advance of a thunderstorm on the way to Oshkosh (Iowa City) in 2002.


And here’s a fun picture: Jim has collected a coffe cup from Oshkosh, every year from 1974 to 2019!


I have to admit, Jim’s approach to annual inspections is not for everyone, but for the owners of small planes who want to be deeply involved in the process, it’s certainly a fascinating option to consider, especially if you’re anywhere near the Sierra Nevada foothills.

Maybe one day I’ll be able to travel clear across the country to visit Jim in person and see his operation… I would LOVE that, for sure!

Thank you Jim, for talking with us in this episode! Keep up the good work!

You can learn more about Jim at rstengineering.com

This is also a good place to learn about HOW Jim does an annual inspection… the key is, it’s an “inspection” and not “fixing discrepancies.”


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2 Comments

  1. Fax

    Loved this podcast! What I would really love is to know what is on the list Jim gives to the owner in preparation for the inspection….is that available?

    • Dean Showalter

      Thank you Fax! Yes, Jim’s list and other info is available on his website at http://www.rst-engr.com/annual/
      Just scroll down and click on “annual policies” for the 4 page document I referred to in the podcast.

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