Scheduling conflicts

[klmmarine]

How many students (current or prior) have had scheduling problems with their schools. I have had flights scheduled for almost a month, and now, one week before I am supposed to go home and fly, the aircraft is going into its 100 hour inspection. Is this a common occurance. Maybe I am just a little misinformed, but don't flight schools have 100 flight hours to plan for the next inspection? It would seem that by looking at the flight schedule and having a little foresight these things could be planned with a little more than just 5 days notice and the aircraft could be taken off the schedule BEFORE reservations are made?

 

I would be interested to know how many others have had this kind of problem, and what can be done to prevent it from happening again.

 

Thanks

[brushfire21]

Planned maintenence (25/50/75 and most important 100hour) was done in the evenings/weekends before the needed service at my last school. But weather played a big part, some weeks the aircraft only flew a few timetimes. Other times it was nonstop and service came and went in a blink.

 

Not sure this answered your question, but every school has a different way of scheduling and some of that depends on how many aircraft are available.

[coyote chaser]

Welcome to the aviation world where the unexpected happens all the time and you will become a coffee drinking basket case while maintenance makes a 5 min fix 3 days long.

Have fun and happy flying when u get to go.

[PhotoFlyer]

Umm, the 100 hour inspection happens every 100 hours of flight time. If you can predict a month away when the helicopter will hit 100 hours please tell me how. Plus, 5 days is a lot of notice. I can understand being annoyed if you had been booked for a month, and then when you walked in the door for the flight they canceled for a 100 hour, but that isn't the case. Inspections are a part of aviation, and it is very difficult to predict when the helicopter will accrue 100 hours. Sure, you could count out 100 hours based on the schedule a month ahead, but students cancel and are added, weather happens, and other maintenance happens. Just get used to it, because it will never go away.

[ChprPlt]

I had my instument checkride delayed twice due to maintance. Just part of aviation.

[rollthbns]

I have had that happen a few times myself. I believe that a school who was truly concerned about cash flow would schedule maintenance staff overnight if need be to keep that bird ready on the flight line. Now that I have been training for a bit, I realize that it is just part of the deal. You can try and predict the downtimes, but it varies with cancellations, fill ins, etc. I lucked out this weekend and got the last 1.6 prior to a 100 hour service. Phew!

[Pogue]

This is one of the areas where the bigger schools have an advantage. Quantum has 10 helicopters, one of which is going to be in maintenance at any given time. The mechanics work a later schedule so a lot of the regular work gets done at night. A smaller operation just doesn't have the latitude to do that.