Be it a training aircraft or a commercial one, maintenance is an integral part of making any flight successful. To maintain dependability and safety, aircraft need routine maintenance, just like any other complicated mechanical system. Maintaining an aircraft’s condition and spotting possible issues before they become critical requires preventive maintenance. Aircraft preventative maintenance can be carried out by qualified aviation maintenance technicians and pilots who possess a pilot certificate issued under 14 CFR Part 61; however, strict adherence to FAA standards is required for both groups. Whether you are doing a pilot internship in the USA or searching for a pilot academy in the USA, it is necessary to understand the role of pilots with respect to preventive maintenance.
Also Read: How to Convert FAA (U.S.) ATPL to TCCA (Canada) ATPL
What Does Preventive Aircraft Maintenance Mean?
Preventive maintenance includes duties related to protection or replacement that do not need complex assembly procedures. This refers to any work done from a list of permissible tasks that involves servicing or replacing tiny standard parts of the aircraft without disassembling much of it. Preventive maintenance for aircraft usually follows a set schedule and is intended to avert serious issues with maintenance. Among the duties for preventive maintenance are:
- Running evaluations
- Wearing examinations
- Replacing permissible elements
- Cleaning and lubricating specific components
Preventive maintenance of an aircraft may be carried out by its owner or operator, provided they are also certified pilots. On aircraft operated under 14 CFR parts 121, preventive maintenance performed by the pilot is not permitted.
Remember that even while a pilot is qualified to perform maintenance, it’s not always the best option. The pilot must assess if they possess the abilities needed to finish the maintenance operation. A pilot should seek the advice or assistance of a trained mechanic or technician if they lack mechanical competence.
The kinds of duties carried out in aviation preventive maintenance might differ from one aircraft to another and are contingent upon the components’ accessibility. Preventive maintenance also requires that any engine, airframe, appliance, or propeller that is operated in an aircraft must match its original state.
In the aviation industry, preventive maintenance also entails routine checks, inspections, and covers:
Preflight inspections: Preventive maintenance includes the preflight inspections that pilots must perform. In order to make sure the aircraft is safe to fly, pilots check both the exterior and the cabin for visible problems and go through a checklist.
50- and 100-hour inspections: Inspections after fifty or one hundred hours of flight time are performed on a large number of aircraft used for hire or flight training. The FAA does not mandate 50-hour checks, but they are frequently performed concurrently with oil changes, which must be performed at least once every 50 hours. This FAA-mandated 100-hour inspection is necessary.
Annual inspections: The majority of aircraft need to undergo comprehensive inspections every 12 months in order to be operated. An annual is quite comprehensive; it includes parts checks, logbook reviews, engine inspections, and avionics and control tests.
Progressive inspections: These checks are beneficial for high-use aircraft, like those flown by flight schools and fixed-based operators (FBOs). They take less time but are carried out more frequently—typically every 25 to 50 hours. Airframe manufacturers often supply plans for progressive inspections.
What Type Of Preventive Maintenance Can Pilots Carry Out?
Pilots are permitted to conduct basic or minimal maintenance on their aircraft, often known as preventive maintenance according to the FAA. A list of tasks that fit the concept of preventive maintenance can be found in Appendix A to Part 43. Preventive maintenance is not performed if a job or maintenance function is not listed.
The following is a summary of some of the most typical preventative maintenance examples:
- Detach, install, and repair landing gear tires.
- Cleaning and greasing the landing gear wheel bearings.
- Service landing gear shock struts.
- Replace worn-out safety wire or cotter keys.
- Lubricate elements that don’t need disassembly other than eliminating non-structural items.
- Refill hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic reservoir.
- Replace safety belts.
- Replace bulbs, reflectors, and lenses of position and landing lights.
- Replace or clean spark plugs and adjust spark plug gap clearance.
- Adjust hose connection, except hydraulic connections.
- Replace and service batteries.
- Perform simple fabric patches that don’t require rib stitching or the elimination of structural parts or control surfaces.
- Replace any cowling that doesn’t require removal of the propeller or withdrawal of flight controls.
Other Formalities
If a pilot or any other eligible person decides to undertake the task on his own, he would be held accountable for documenting the work in your aircraft maintenance logbook. Each entry needs to have the following details:
- A description of the task accomplished, or references to data that are acceptable to the Administrator.
- The finishing date.
- The individual carrying out the work’s signature, certificate type, and number. For the work completed, the signature alone serves as “approval” for returning to duty.
Also Read: How to Convert a TCCA (Canadian) PPL to an FAA (U.S.) PPL?
Benefits of Timely Preventive Maintenance
Reliability: Regular maintenance reduces the likelihood of equipment failure, resulting in a more reliable piece of machinery with less downtime. You can often prolong the life of an aircraft component as well. For instance, just like in an automobile, oil changes maintain the system’s effectiveness and stop early wear.
Increased mechanical proficiency: Pilots and owners who perform routine maintenance on their aircraft tend to gain a deeper understanding of its workings, which helps them spot problems early on. It can help them have a better grasp of the machinery they use on a daily basis and work something like a training session.
Enhanced workplace safety and compliance: You can make airplanes significantly safer and better support a variety of workplace safety laws and requirements by preventing system failure. A preventative maintenance schedule also facilitates technicians’ ability to take their time fixing difficult problems, hence minimizing downtime. You can also provide hygienic and safe work spaces.
Increased effectiveness: An operation that adheres to a set timetable and is more efficient is the result of fewer unplanned repairs. Scheduled activities are maintained with fewer last-minute repairs.
Savings: All of these advantages, such as longer part life and less downtime, contribute to lower costs. Using preventative maintenance instead of reactive maintenance can save a firm, according to estimates from the U.S. Department of Energy, anywhere from 12% to 18% on average, if not more. When done correctly, aircraft owner maintenance can also result in financial savings because basic duties can be managed by the owner instead of being contracted out to a technician.
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FAQs
Can pilot carry out preventive maintenance of aircrafts?
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the US permits trained mechanics, repair stations, and pilots with specific credentials to carry out specific preventive maintenance duties. These chores, which include changing tires, lights, and batteries in addition to cleaning and lubricating certain parts, are enumerated in FAR Part 43 Appendix A. It’s crucial to remember that airplanes operated in accordance with 14 CFR parts 121, 127, 129, or 135 are exempt from these requirements.
How preventive maintenance is different from corrective maintenance?
Preventive maintenance includes routine maintenance procedures, inspections on a regular basis, system testing, and calibration. Corrective maintenance, on the other hand, is carried out in reaction to an issue or malfunction that already exists. Identifying the problem and taking the required actions to replace or repair the impacted systems or components are part of this reactive strategy.
How important is preventive maintenance of an aircraft?
Preventive maintenance is an essential first step in guaranteeing the dependability and safety of an aircraft. Operators may enhance safety, decrease downtime, and save money over time by identifying and resolving possible problems early on with the use of proactive maintenance techniques.