It's always heartwarming to see owners of certified airplanes dig and do as much as they're allowed to during the annual (which is quite a lot).
Plus it makes me feel safer when I fly with a pilot that I know takes a hands-on approach to knowing what makes their airplane work.
I'm pretty sure OG could more than afford a "turn key" annual where the A&P borrows the hangar key and a week later puts it back in with a bill taped to the windscreen, but he's much wiser than that.
Thanks. I am getting pretty competent at maintaining my airplane. I do all the prep disassembly before his arrival. Then while he is there I do the oil and filter change, air filter clean and re-oil, replace bulbs, lube cables, rollers etc. I could do the compression check, but he does that and the magneto timing/adjustment. Then he does all the system verifications, control inspections, and cable check, clean, and lube. He checks anything I’ve done just to be sure. Putting in new LED taxi and landing lights I pulled a wire from my left/red navigation light. So he put in an in-line disconnect since trying to stabilize the wingtip is too difficult when changing bulbs. Now I can easily remove the whole tip.
I am very happy with him as my A&P and friend. We work well together. He is happy that he doesn’t have to do all the monkey work and can just get on to what he needs to do.
As Dart put so well, it makes me a better pilot.