Module 1 - Required Aircraft Inspections

• Airplanes - are designed and built to provide many years of flight and service
• FARs – Federal Aviation Regulations
• Aircraft inspection may range from a casual “walk around” to a detailed inspection involving complete disassembly and the use of complex inspection aids
• In establishing an aircraft’s inspection requirements, it is necessary to consider the following factors:

  • the aircraft’s size and type
  • the purpose for which it is used
  • its operating environment
• Small aircraft usually fall under the requirements of:

  • annual
  • 100-hour
  • progressive inspections
• Annual and 100-Hour Inspections - are designed to provide a complete inspection of aircraft at specified intervals
• Annual Inspection - a comprehensive inspection of the complete aircraft that is required every 12 calendar months on those aircraft
• 100-Hour Inspection - a comprehensive inspection of the complete aircraft that is required on aircraft that are used for hire and also on aircraft that are used for flight instruction
• Appendix D of FAR Part 43 – where the procedures and scope of these inspections is based from
• Certificated airframe and powerplant maintenance technicians - are authorized to perform a 100-hour inspection
• Inspection Authorization (IA) – a certificate issued by the FAA that is needed by a certificated airframe and powerplant maintenance technician must have to be able to perform an annual inspection
• 10 hours – the no. of hours for a 100-hour inspection time limitation
• Special Flight Permit – a required permit from the local FAA flight standards district office (FSDO) to move an aircraft that is “out of annual”
• FSDO - Flight Standards District Office
• Checklist - must be used by a person performing an inspection
• Progressive Inspection System - has been designed to conduct inspections of aircraft on a predetermined basis, meaning the inspections are scheduled or planned ahead of time
• Progressive Inspection – an inspection which purpose is to allow maximum use of the aircraft, to reduce inspection costs, and to maintain a maximum standard of continuous airworthiness
• Progressive Inspection - is an inspection system designed to break a 100-hour or annual inspection down into small parts
• The progressive inspection is divided into two basic inspection items which are called:

  • routine inspection items
  • detailed inspection items
• Routine Inspection Items - are defined as visual inspection with no disassembly required to perform
• Detailed Inspection Items - are defined as those items requiring a thorough examination and disassembly to perform