So your prized aircraft is down for an annual and your A&P says it’s time for your 500hr inspection. Some pilots choose to overlook the importance of the inspection. However, the 500-hour inspection is the single most important magneto service event.

Whether you are an owner, flight school, commercial operator, or engine overhaul shop, you can ensure continuing trouble-free and safe service of an aircraft magneto.

The 500-hour magneto inspection is critical to the safe operation of magnetos. While not a required service action as an airworthiness directive, it is considered critical and mandatory by magneto OEM’s and is considered a good, common-sense maintenance practice by aircraft mechanics.

The 500 hour is scheduled preventative maintenance and to avoid expensive unscheduled maintenance. If a magneto is not inspected every 500 hours, then the risk of an unplanned component failure that can cause inconvenient and unplanned maintenance at a location far from an aircraft owner’s home airport is certain to occur.

The cost of one or more nights of hotel, car rental, meals, missed work, lost flight revenue will easily be offset by the relatively small cost of a 500-hour inspection.

The inspection is not limited to magnetos which have accumulated 500 hours in service. A 500 hour inspection can be accomplished at any hours of magneto total time in service. In some cases, some magneto and engine combinations may result in the need to perform magneto maintenance more frequently than 500 hours. Pressurized magnetos used on Continental and Lycoming engines operate in demanding, high altitude environments and require more maintenance than other types of magnetos.

Dual contact, or retard breaker magnetos that use the Shower of Sparks starting system typically require more frequent maintenance. Magnetos used in Shower of Spark applications require frequent inspections to ensure that fuel-injected Lycoming and Continental engines do not experience hard starting problems.

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