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The short answer
A piston aircraft maintenance schedule tracks recurring items by date (annual every 12 months, transponder and pitot-static every 24 months) and by hours (100-hour inspection, oil changes, engine/prop intervals). For each item you record the interval and when it was last done; next-due is simply last-done plus the interval. Review the soonest items regularly so nothing slips from due-soon to overdue.
The recurring items to track
Exactly which items apply depends on how the aircraft is used and equipped, but most piston owners are tracking some combination of:
- Annual inspection: every 12 calendar months.
- 100-hour inspection: required if the aircraft is flown for hire or for flight instruction.
- ELT: inspection and battery replacement on their required intervals.
- Transponder check: every 24 calendar months.
- Pitot-static / altimeter check: every 24 calendar months for IFR.
- Oil change: typically every 25 to 50 hours or by calendar, per the engine maker.
- Engine and propeller: manufacturer inspection intervals and overhaul (TBO).
Note: intervals and applicability vary by aircraft, equipment, and operation. Always verify against the FARs, your POH, and manufacturer service documents. This is general guidance, not a compliance determination.
Date-based vs hour-based intervals
The reason a schedule needs a system rather than a sticky note is that two different clocks are running at once:
- Date-based items come due on the calendar. The annual is every 12 months no matter how little you fly.
- Hour-based items come due as the aircraft accrues time, like a 100-hour or an oil change at a set number of hours.
- Some items are whichever-comes-first, so you have to watch both the date and the hours.
How to stay ahead of every due date
- 1
Inventory everything once.
Get every recurring item, its interval, and its last-done point into one place.
- 2
Compute next-due for each.
Last-done plus the interval, in date and/or hours.
- 3
Watch the horizon.
Sort by what's due soonest so you can plan shop time instead of scrambling.
- 4
Update as work is done.
Each completed item resets its clock and rolls forward to the next due date.
How Maggneto handles it
Maggneto tracks each recurring item by date or hours, pulls in your logged Hobbs/tach time to compute next-due automatically, and shows color-coded status (up to date, due soon, or overdue) with a countdown to the next deadline. Every item rolls up into one view, so you can see at a glance what needs attention.
Never let an inspection sneak up on you
Maggneto computes every due date from your logged hours and flags what's coming, so you plan maintenance instead of reacting to it. See the maintenance scheduling product.
Frequently asked questions
What inspections does a piston aircraft need?
Common recurring items include the annual inspection (every 12 calendar months), the 100-hour inspection (if flown for hire or instruction), the ELT inspection and battery, the transponder check (every 24 months), and the pitot-static / altimeter check for IFR (every 24 months). Engine and prop have their own manufacturer intervals and overhauls.
What's the difference between a date-based and an hour-based interval?
Date-based items come due on the calendar regardless of flying. The annual is every 12 months whether you fly 10 hours or 200. Hour-based items come due as the aircraft accrues time, like a 100-hour inspection or an oil change every 50 hours. Many aircraft track both kinds at once.
How do I keep track of when everything is due?
List every recurring item with its interval, the date or hours it was last done, and the current aircraft time. The next-due point is last-done plus the interval. Maggneto computes this for you and shows color-coded status so overdue and due-soon items stand out.
What happens if I miss an inspection?
An overdue inspection needs to be brought current, and the determination of what is required is made with your mechanic. That's why staying ahead of due dates, not just reacting to them, is the whole point of a maintenance schedule.