Borescopes To Go

Sophisticated remote visual inspection (RVI) and non-destructive testing (NDT) equipment costs a bundle, and many companies are shying away from tool purchases these days. With capable video fiberscopes running tens of thousands of dollars, it’s no surprise that capital expenditures like these end up on the back burner.

But there is an alternative: rental RVI and NDT equipment. Sure, it makes sense to spend $30,000 on a video borescope system that your company will use frequently; the tool will pay for itself. But for that occasional inspection, especially for an operator with a small fleet, rentals or outsourcing may be most efficient.

There is one word of caution, however. Most OEMs approve certain RVI equipment for performance of required inspections, especially on turbine engines. This means that a technician can’t perform a required inspection using any old borescope.

"Make sure they’re getting the right equipment to do the job," one borescope expert told Aviation Maintenance.

It is essential to confirm that both the rental equipment and the operator of the equipment are qualified for the inspection, this expert added. Too often, he said, he has seen companies that can’t afford to buy borescopes opting for the rental option, but not checking to see that the equipment is correct and that the operator has been trained.

"That is a big problem right now," he said.

Many borescope manufacturers rent their equipment. There are also independent companies that provide rentals and trained operators. Everest VIT is one of the few borescope manufacturers that not only rents equipment but provides inspection services.

"We rent anything," said Everest VIT’s Mark Fagan. "And we’ll get it to you anywhere in the world. It doesn’t matter where you are. You don’t just get the scope, you get the light source, camera adaptor, camera, all that for the rental fee."

Adrian Rodriguez, who owns the Clarksville, Tennessee-based bargain borescope manufacturer Borescopes-R-Us, said he isn’t too keen on renting out equipment, although he said he will rent a scope when a used one becomes available on a trade-in.

"We recommend don’t rent, buy," he said. "If you don’t want to buy it all at one time, we’ll do a three-year lease. At our pricing, it’s almost cheaper to buy it instead of renting."

The chart above provides a listing of borescope equipment providers and rental options they offer. Keep in mind that, in most parts of the world, there are small local companies that offer rental services but are not included in this listing.