The honest answer is that it depends on the airplane and on what the inspection finds. Every annual bill has two parts. The first is the inspection itself, the labor to open the plane up, inspect it and close it back up. The second is fixing whatever the inspection turns up, which mechanics call squawks.
Typical numbers in 2026
Flying Magazine's 2026 cost breakdown gives these ranges for a Cessna 172:
- The base inspection on a well-kept plane typically runs $1,500 to $2,200.
- A total annual for a healthy airplane usually lands between $2,500 and $4,500.
- A plane with deferred maintenance can run $8,000 to $12,000.
Bigger and more complex planes cost more. Retractable gear, turbochargers and a second engine all add inspection items.
What pushes the bill up
- Age. Older airframes tend to have longer squawk lists.
- Where the plane lives. A plane parked outside through a New England winter, or near salt air on the Cape and islands, sees more corrosion than one in a hangar.
- Airworthiness directives that come due that year.
- Work the last owner put off.
- Parts that are hard to find or slow to ship.
How to keep it down
- Fly regularly. Planes that sit develop problems.
- Keep a running squawk list and hand it over when you drop the plane off.
- Keep your logbooks organized, so nobody bills you to dig through them.
- Ask for a call before any work beyond the inspection, and approve repairs up front.
- Fix small things when they're small. A loose fairing is cheap. A cracked one isn't.
Annuals with Brooks
Brooks's rates are economical, and every annual he does is test flown before you get the plane back. For a quote, call or text him with the make, model and the date of your last annual.
Not sure whether you need an annual, a 100-hour or both? Read annual vs. 100-hour.