Behind the Scenes with Kevin Allen
Watch the Interview Footage Used for This Article Featuring Kevin Allen, President of AAI:
Aircraft owners want their planes ready for takeoff—not parked waiting on parts and paperwork. Whether you manage a fleet or fly a single Challenger, delays are costly and frustrating. You need certified, safe, tested components you can trust, and you need them on a timeline that works. At AAI (Aircraft Accessories International), we overhaul and exchange hard‑to‑find aircraft accessories, so mechanics get the parts they need, planes get fixed quickly, and owners get back to flying.
We understand the headache of long lead times, high prices, and hard‑to‑find parts. Our mission is simple: make it easy for you to get certified parts fast—with a clear plan, dependable communication, and expert landing gear work that’s done right the first time.
Who This Guide Is For
If you’re planning a Challenger landing gear 96‑month detailed inspection or a 192‑month restoration, this guide explains what’s due at each interval, what AAI does during inspection and restoration, how we manage timelines, and how we help you avoid surprises. You’ll find specific notes for the Challenger 600/601/604/605/650 and Challenger 300 series.
Challenger Landing Gear Intervals by Model
Understanding your interval schedule is the key to staying ahead of downtime.
- Challenger 600/601 (earlier series): 60‑month Detailed Inspection → 120‑month Restoration
- Challenger 300 series & later 600 series (e.g., 300/350/604/605/650): 96‑month Detailed Inspection, then a Restoration every 96 months thereafter (e.g., 192, 288)
Detailed Landing Gear Inspection vs. Restoration (What’s the Difference?)
*Behind the Scenes on YouTube → Jump to This Section of Kevin’s Interview Footage
A detailed inspection is a targeted check with minor disassembly that focuses on high‑load areas and known corrosion points. The goal is to catch early wear, corrosion, or cracking before they escalate into safety issues and force a plane out of service for emergency repairs. A certified landing gear maintenance shop, like AAI, will perform the landing gear inspection while the broader airframe inspection is in process at the airframe shop so that the maintenance window is minimized and the plane can return to operation quickly and safely.
Restoration goes significantly deeper. We completely disassemble the gear (down to bare metal as required), perform visual and dimensional inspections, and execute non‑destructive testing (NDT) to detect cracks you can’t see with the naked eye. From there, we carry out the necessary repairs—such as re‑chroming pistons, oversized bore repairs, bushing replacements, replating/anodizing, and new paint for corrosion protection—before reassembly and functional testing. In short: inspections identify issues and/or confirm health; restorations return gear to like‑new serviceability.
The 96‑Month Detailed Inspection in Context
A 96‑month event is typically part of a broader airframe inspection. Your airframe shop removes interior components and the landing gear, then ships the gear to a qualified component shop like AAI. While they progress through the airframe checklist, we perform the landing gear scope in parallel. This coordinated approach aims to align schedules and reduce total downtime. Our role is to keep you moving through rapid inspection reporting, fast answers, and a clear plan of action.
Common Findings on Challenger Landing Gear (and How We Address Them)
Challenger Landing Gear Corrosion
*Behind the Scenes on YouTube → Jump to This Section of Kevin’s Interview Footage
Corrosion is the most common issue across Challenger gear—particularly on chrome‑plated surfaces, axle journals, and around bushings/bores where moisture intrusion and environmental exposure add up over time. Minor corrosion can often be blended out; deeper corrosion typically requires stripping and re‑chroming, followed by proper plating/anodizing and paint to protect the metal going forward.
Challenger Landing Gear Worn Bushings
*Behind the Scenes on YouTube → Jump to This Section of Kevin’s Interview Footage
Wear at bushings and bores is another frequent finding. When permitted by the maintenance instructions, we’ll install an oversized bushing. If the manual doesn’t cover the condition, we develop an engineering‑approved repair (with FAA authorization) to restore serviceability.
Challenger Landing Gear Cracking
*Behind the Scenes on YouTube → Jump to This Section of Kevin’s Interview Footage
Cracking is a serious concern in high‑load areas. Because many cracks aren’t visible to the naked eye, NDT is essential. Where OEM or engineering limits disallow repairs, replacement is the safe path.
What Happens When You Send Your Gear to AAI
From the moment your gear arrives, we maintain traceability with a detailed work order and component verification. For landing gear restoration, we disassemble to the required level and strip coatings to bare metal (where needed) so hidden issues aren’t missed. We then run visual, dimensional, and NDT inspections to map the true condition of every part.
Repairs may include re‑chroming of pistons or axle journals, oversize bore/bushing work, and metal treatments (cadmium plating, anodizing) followed by paint for long‑term corrosion prevention.
When OEM maintenance instructions don’t fully cover a condition, our team engages engineering and the FAA to approve a certified repair that preserves airworthiness and, when feasible, saves your part.
We reassemble and complete functional testing—oleo compression and leak checks, swing tests, pivot/attach‑point movement, and proximity switch setting—before issuing airworthiness certifications.
Turn Times, Reports, and Downtime Planning
Plan for ~30 days in‑house at the gear shop for either a 96‑month detailed inspection or a 192‑month restoration. Once your gear arrives, we target an inspection report within 5–7 days so you can make quick decisions and keep the schedule on track. Restorations can uncover more findings because every component is disassembled and tested—but our landing gear team remains dedicated to your unit to maintain momentum toward that 30‑day goal.
Why Operators Choose AAI (Your Guide to Certified Challenger Landing Gear Overhaul)
You’re the hero of this story—the one responsible for the inspections and maintenance of your aircraft. Our role is to be your guide: experienced, practical, and prepared. We service Challenger 600/601/604/605/650 and the Challenger 300 series, bringing the tools, training, and processes to execute top quality work. We follow the book, and when the book doesn’t go far enough, we involve engineering and the FAA to deliver compliant repairs that protect your asset and your schedule. Above all, we communicate clearly so there are no surprises—just a dependable path back to service.
A Simple Plan to Fix and Fly
- Call – Share your part number. We’ll confirm availability, answer your questions, and help you make a quick decision.
- Quote – You’ll receive clear details on lead time, cost, and (for exchanges) core deposit.
- Fix and Fly – We ship certified, safe, tested components so you can complete repairs and get back in the air—fast.
Call now with your part number. When you order from AAI, you avoid the delays and headaches and get back what matters most: a safe aircraft and a reliable schedule.
FAQs
How do I know whether my landing gear is due for a detailed inspection or restoration?
Check your aircraft’s maintenance plan. 600/601 models run 60‑month detailed inspections and 120‑month restorations. 300 series and later 600 series (e.g., 604/605/650) perform a 96‑month detailed inspection, then restorations every 96 months thereafter (e.g., 192, 288).
What drives unexpected landing gear maintenance costs?
Deeper corrosion, worn bores/bushings that require oversize repairs or replacements, and cracking discovered via NDT.
What testing do you perform before returning landing gear to service?
We verify oleo compression/pressure retention, run swing tests, confirm free movement at pivots/attach points, and set/validate proximity switches for correct cockpit indications—followed by final quality checks and airworthiness certification.