With over ten million scheduled passenger flights a year and thousands of aircraft constantly in the sky, aircraft are subjected to heavy wear and tear that must be addressed regularly. If left unchecked, regular damage to systems and components from weathering and stressors could lead to failure, causing a high risk of flight for passengers and pilots alike. To ensure that aircraft are always operating smoothly, safely, and efficiently, maintenance is regularly conducted by many owners and facilities. In this blog, we will discuss the various types of bearing inspection that aircraft regularly go through as well as provide an overview of basic maintenance procedures that are conducted by the industry.
While the type of aircraft maintenance and inspections may vary by the country, type of aircraft, and regulations in place, many maintenance schedules are based off of the inspection standards that are set in Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, or 14 CFR. As stated by 14 CFR, the three main types of inspections conducted by aircraft owners include annual inspections, 100-hour inspection, and progressive inspections.
Annual inspections are routinely practiced for most aircraft as required by law, assuming that the aircraft does not have an exception such as a valid progressive inspection plan or provisional airworthiness certification. Annual inspections consist of a comprehensive inspection of the aircraft, requiring inspectors to thoroughly check the altimeter, transponder, fuselage, aircraft wings, aviation engine, cabin, cockpit, electronic equipment, propeller assembly,
landing gear, and every other components to ensure their airworthiness. These inspections will often be thorough enough that inspectors will even check rivets, nuts, bolts, and other fastener components for their integrity. As annual inspections are extremely important, inspectors who conduct such procedures must be authorized under 14 CFR part 43, 43.3, and 43.7. 100-hour inspections are fairly similar to annual inspections with their comprehensiveness, though they may not be required if the aircraft is not carrying any person for hire or are not used for flight instruction. While annual inspections are required yearly for aircraft regardless of usage amount, 100-hour inspections are considered based on the amount of hours that the aircraft is in service.
Beyond the annual and 100-hour inspections that are conducted for aircraft maintenance, progressive inspections can be utilized by select individuals, allowing them to complete aircraft checks at fixed intervals based on a specified maintenance plan and documentation that has been approved by the Flight Standards District Office. This type of aircraft maintenance is most often used by those who own heavily used fleets, such as those who own flight schools or use aircraft for business purposes. As propgressive maintenance plans are not transferable to new owners upon sale, the new owner must reapply to the Flights Standards District Office if they wish to conduct progressive inspections.
Alongside scheduled maintenance and inspections, aircraft should also undergo preflight
inspections gages tool every time before being flown to ensure that the integrity of the aircraft is still present. Typically, preflight inspections include areas such as the cabin and exterior. When checking the cabin it is important to remember the five documents that you need, including the airworthiness certificate, registration certificate, radio station license, operating handbook, and weight and balance data. To remember these, the acronym ARROW may be used by pilots. The exterior of the aircraft is also an important area to inspect as it allows for any damage or problem to be addressed immediately, including loose rivets, bolts, and nuts or an obstructed fuel vent.
Maintaining regularly scheduled inspection and preflight checks is crucial to the safety of your aircraft during operation, and one should always ensure that they replace parts as necessary to maintain airworthiness. When it comes time to begin sourcing quality aviation parts required for aircraft maintenance, look no further than
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