Did the authorized aircraft inspector (IA) doing the ramp annual have the proper manuals, complete an up to date review of airworthiness directives, and service letter/bulletin information? Does this person have liability insurance, workman's compensation insurance, a stormwater discharge permit (presume he washed down the engine), etc?

The Federal Aviation Regulations and state regulations require that a legitimate aircraft inspector provide or maintain these items, and to comply with the FAA paperwork it, costs approximately $3,500 per year for various subscription services. Required liability and workman's compensation insurance can easily approach six figures for the averagesize fixed base operation, and a stormwater discharge permit application can cost an operator as much as $1,400 to complete, plus $100 per year to update.

Also to retain good, highly trained mechanics requires wages between $13-19 per hour here in the Midwest to compete with the wages being paid to mechanics at corporate flight departments and the airlines. Combined with fringe benefits and overhead (i.e. heat, light, safe working environment - not to mention oftentimes cutting the grass, plowing the runways, conducting runway checks, providing clean restrooms, time spent on public relations with the community, negotiations with the airport manager or airport commission when they try to raise the rent so the airport doesn't cost the community anything like the roads do), the $40-plus per hour charged for an annual on a quarter million dollar airplane is then placed into better perspective.