Flying a plane can get expensive fast, especially if you own the plane since there are thousands of parts that can go wrong on a plane or even a small jet. From instruments to hardware to GPS, there is the potential for anything to go wrong at any time.
Of course, this is why pilots perform so many safety checks, because it is obviously better to catch something before it becomes a major problem or danger. Crashes are always an ever present risk while flying since there is nowhere that you can pull over to in the air, but with the right safety checks and maintenance schedules you can prevent this from ever becoming a reality.
Why plane parts are harder to source than car parts
While conducting a safety check if you find something wrong you can simply have it fixed, or fix it yourself if you have the knowledge or a mechanic that can help you with the repair. In this case, you will need to first purchase the parts you need for the repair and this may be where you run into some trouble.
After all, flying is not nearly as common as driving, and that means that there is not an aviation parts shop on every corner. While you can usually find a mechanics garage or at least an auto parts shop in a suburban town, you are not going to find aviation shops so widespread.
Jet or plane parts are also not something that you can pick up at the local supermarket or sporting goods store. If you live in an area where flying is popular out in the country or somewhere similar you might have some luck finding more common items at sporting goods shops. However, outside of the mainstream items like GPS systems or paint you will likely be out of luck.
How buying parts online has changed the picture
Luckily, the internet has really changed the way that people are able to shop for aviation goods and made it a lot easier to find the items that you need without too much hassle. There are many wholesale aviation shops online that sell just about everything that you could think of. This is great news of you because it means finding replacement pieces or even some upgrade items like a better headset is only a click away.
It is also great news because it has made the aviation field a lot more competitive. Now that there are some great wholesale shops like Sky Geek that offer everything you need for low prices, almost all gear has come down in price. Now you can just jump online and pay half of what you would have just a decade ago, making flying a much more affordable hobby.
This makes it easier to be safe, because when price is not such a large concern you can take care of any safety problems right away, and nip any potential problems in the bud before they have any time to develop into real concerns. With so much available online at low prices, there is absolutely no reason to waste any time on your safety.
Summary
This article looks at why maintaining a plane safely is different from maintaining a car, since aviation parts shops are far less common than car parts shops on the high street. It explains that the internet has made replacement and upgrade parts much easier to find, and that more competition among online aviation retailers has brought prices down.
Questions this article raises
- Which aviation parts are riskiest to buy second-hand rather than new?
- How often should a private pilot budget for replacement parts each year?
- What should a first-time plane owner check before buying from an online aviation shop?
