Track life-limited components
Record a magneto, a propeller or any part with a life limit on the aircraft's Maintenance tab: when it went on, its hours since new or overhaul, and its limit in hours, months or both. The card shows its time now and the life left, and each limit is tracked as an inspection that warns, reminds owners and grounds the aircraft.
For owners, admins and technicians
Open the aircraft, then WebMaintenance → Components → Add. Enter the part, when it went on, the aircraft's tach then, its own hours since new or overhaul then, and its limit in hours, months, or both. The card shows its time now and the life left, and each limit is tracked as an inspection, so it warns, reminds owners and grounds like the rest.
Dispatchers can read the card. Instructors, students and renters do not see it. It works the same on your own aircraft and on a customer's aircraft in the shop.
Add a component#
Open the aircraft's Maintenance tab
WebAircraft → the tail → Maintenance. Components sits under Inspections. Click Add.
Name it and say where it is
Name is what you call it ("Left magneto", "Propeller"). Position is where it sits: pick Engine, Propeller, Airframe or Avionics, or type your own. Part number and Serial number go on the inspection, so whoever signs it off knows which part it is.
Say when it went on, and its time then
Installed on is the day it went on. Aircraft tach when installed is the aircraft's reading that day; it starts at today's reading, so change it for a part that went on earlier. Its time when installed is the part's own hours then. Use the Since new chip to switch to Since overhaul for an overhauled part.
Give the limit
Life limit, hours counts its own time. Life limit, months counts the calendar. Give one or both: with both, whichever comes first. Months count from the day it was new or last overhauled, so set that with the Overhaul date chip when it is not the day it went on.
Click Save
The part appears with its time now and the life it has left, and an inspection named Life limit: and the part's name appears under Inspections.
Reading the card#
Each row shows the part, where it is, its part and serial numbers, and on the right the life left on whichever limit is nearer: "40.0 h left", "60 days left", or "Until Mar 14, 2027" when it is further out. Underneath is its time now ("460.0 h since overhaul of 500.0, on the tach") and the calendar limit's date.
- Amber inside 10% of a limit or 10 hours, whichever is more. On a calendar limit, inside 10% of its life or 30 days.
- Past limit once it is reached, with how far past.
- Inspection on the right opens the inspection that tracks its limit.
Its time is worked out from the aircraft's tach: the hours it had when it went on, plus every hour the tach has moved since. Keep the aircraft's times current and the card stays current. Choose the On the Hobbs chip for a part whose limit counts Hobbs time instead.
It is tracked like any inspection#
Each limit is kept as a one-off inspection on the aircraft, due at the tach reading (or on the day) the part reaches it. That is what makes it work with everything else:
- the shop is warned as it gets close, at the steps set on the inspection, and on a customer's aircraft the owners are reminded too;
- it shows in the inspection lists with the rest, and on a customer's aircraft in the owner's Coming due;
- when it is reached, the aircraft is grounded, unless you chose Does not ground with the Grounds at the limit chip.
Change the part, not the inspection. Editing the component's times or limit moves its inspection's due point; deleting that inspection on its own is refused, because the part would then claim a limit nothing tracks.
A part comes off#
… on the row, then Record it came off. Give the day and the aircraft's tach then. Its time stops there, its inspection is removed (one already signed off stays in the history), and it moves under Show components that came off. Put back on in the same menu brings it back, with its tracking.
Delete is only for a part entered by mistake. It takes the record with it.
On a customer's aircraft#
The aircraft's owners see the parts and the life they have left on their aircraft's page, without your notes. See See your aircraft and approve work.
What it does not do#
- It does not know any manufacturer's limits. Enter the limit from the part's documentation.
- An aircraft with no meters, a glider for instance, can only carry a limit in months.
- A replaced tach is not caught: if the aircraft's tach was replaced since the part went on, edit the part's time and the tach reading it went on at.
Common questions
- Where does a component's time come from?
- The aircraft's tach: the hours the part had when it went on, plus every hour the tach has moved since. Keep the aircraft's times current and the card stays current. A part whose limit counts Hobbs time can count on the Hobbs instead.
- Can I delete the life-limit inspection on its own?
- No. It belongs to the component: change the component's limit or time and the inspection moves, record that the part came off and the inspection goes. Deleting it alone would leave the part claiming a limit nothing tracks.
- The part was replaced. What do I do?
- Record that it came off (the row's menu, then Record it came off), then add the new part. For a part overhauled and refitted, edit its time since overhaul and the overhaul date instead.
Still stuck on this?
Email support@aerscheduler.com and tell us what you were trying to do. We answer.