Owner Maintenance

[johnsunday]

I know it's posted somewhere on this site, but I can't find it.

What maintenance is an owner allowed to perform and sign off?

Can I install a new Artificial Horizon, or do I have to have an A&P do it?

John Burnett
N2786C, Old ratty Alaskan bush plane

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

You need to do it under the direction of an A&P or just have them do it.

What your looking for is FAR 43 Appendix A that lists maintenance that can be performed by the aircraft owner who is at least a private pilot and assuming the aircraft is not flown under FAR part 121, 129 or 135.

Here is a link to it at the Electronic code of Federal Regulations

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/te ... .363.14.51

[johnsunday]

Bruce,

Many thanks.

John

[GAHorn]

Here's the applicable text (preventive mx items a pilot may perform) of the link Bruce kindly posted:

(c) Preventive maintenance. Preventive maintenance is limited to the following work, provided it does not involve complex assembly operations:

(1) Removal, installation, and repair of landing gear tires.

(2) Replacing elastic shock absorber cords on landing gear.

(3) Servicing landing gear shock struts by adding oil, air, or both.

(4) Servicing landing gear wheel bearings, such as cleaning and greasing.

(5) Replacing defective safety wiring or cotter keys.

(6) Lubrication not requiring disassembly other than removal of nonstructural items such as cover plates, cowlings, and fairings.

(7) Making simple fabric patches not requiring rib stitching or the removal of structural parts or control surfaces. In the case of balloons, the making of small fabric repairs to envelopes (as defined in, and in accordance with, the balloon manufacturers' instructions) not requiring load tape repair or replacement.

(8) Replenishing hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic reservoir.

(9) Refinishing decorative coating of fuselage, balloon baskets, wings tail group surfaces (excluding balanced control surfaces), fairings, cowlings, landing gear, cabin, or cockpit interior when removal or disassembly of any primary structure or operating system is not required.

(10) Applying preservative or protective material to components where no disassembly of any primary structure or operating system is involved and where such coating is not prohibited or is not contrary to good practices.

(11) Repairing upholstery and decorative furnishings of the cabin, cockpit, or balloon basket interior when the repairing does not require disassembly of any primary structure or operating system or interfere with an operating system or affect the primary structure of the aircraft.

(12) Making small simple repairs to fairings, nonstructural cover plates, cowlings, and small patches and reinforcements not changing the contour so as to interfere with proper air flow.

(13) Replacing side windows where that work does not interfere with the structure or any operating system such as controls, electrical equipment, etc.

(14) Replacing safety belts.

(15) Replacing seats or seat parts with replacement parts approved for the aircraft, not involving disassembly of any primary structure or operating system.

(16) Trouble shooting and repairing broken circuits in landing light wiring circuits.

(17) Replacing bulbs, reflectors, and lenses of position and landing lights.

(18) Replacing wheels and skis where no weight and balance computation is involved.

(19) Replacing any cowling not requiring removal of the propeller or disconnection of flight controls.

(20) Replacing or cleaning spark plugs and setting of spark plug gap clearance.

(21) Replacing any hose connection except hydraulic connections.

(22) Replacing prefabricated fuel lines.

(23) Cleaning or replacing fuel and oil strainers or filter elements.

(24) Replacing and servicing batteries.

(25) Cleaning of balloon burner pilot and main nozzles in accordance with the balloon manufacturer's instructions.

(26) Replacement or adjustment of nonstructural standard fasteners incidental to operations.

(27) The interchange of balloon baskets and burners on envelopes when the basket or burner is designated as interchangeable in the balloon type certificate data and the baskets and burners are specifically designed for quick removal and installation.

(28) The installations of anti-misfueling devices to reduce the diameter of fuel tank filler openings provided the specific device has been made a part of the aircraft type certificiate data by the aircraft manufacturer, the aircraft manufacturer has provided FAA-approved instructions for installation of the specific device, and installation does not involve the disassembly of the existing tank filler opening.

(29) Removing, checking, and replacing magnetic chip detectors.

(30) The inspection and maintenance tasks prescribed and specifically identified as preventive maintenance in a primary category aircraft type certificate or supplemental type certificate holder's approved special inspection and preventive maintenance program when accomplished on a primary category aircraft provided:

(i) They are performed by the holder of at least a private pilot certificate issued under part 61 who is the registered owner (including co-owners) of the affected aircraft and who holds a certificate of competency for the affected aircraft (1) issued by a school approved under §147.21(e) of this chapter; (2) issued by the holder of the production certificate for that primary category aircraft that has a special training program approved under §21.24 of this subchapter; or (3) issued by another entity that has a course approved by the Administrator; and

(ii) The inspections and maintenance tasks are performed in accordance with instructions contained by the special inspection and preventive maintenance program approved as part of the aircraft's type design or supplemental type design.

(31) Removing and replacing self-contained, front instrument panel-mounted navigation and communication devices that employ tray-mounted connectors that connect the unit when the unit is installed into the instrument panel, (excluding automatic flight control systems, transponders, and microwave frequency distance measuring equipment (DME)). The approved unit must be designed to be readily and repeatedly removed and replaced, and pertinent instructions must be provided. Prior to the unit's intended use, and operational check must be performed in accordance with the applicable sections of part 91 of this chapter.

(32) Updating self-contained, front instrument panel-mounted Air Traffic Control (ATC) navigational software data bases (excluding those of automatic flight control systems, transponders, and microwave frequency distance measuring equipment (DME)) provided no disassembly of the unit is required and pertinent instructions are provided. Prior to the unit's intended use, an operational check must be performed in accordance with applicable sections of part 91 of this chapter.

[Showboatsix]

(1) Removal, installation, and repair of landing gear tires.

(4) Servicing landing gear wheel bearings, such as cleaning and greasing.

(18) Replacing wheels and skis where no weight and balance computation is involved.

Being that I am a big fan of the FAA, I was wondering, how the above items (1,4,18) are accomplished without removing the brake caliper from the disc, since that appears to NOT be an area serviceable by owner/pilots?

Or is this one of the FAA's many contridictions to which you may do, but you may not do to your airplane without an AP or IA standing by you?

Remember this saying... "I am from the government....I am here to help you!"

[skippy2]

If you deflate the tire then you can undue the 3 bolts/nuts, undue the cotter pin with nut and it will all slide off leaving the brake disc in place. This is how I do it to avoid shifting the shims or removing the caliper.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Showboatsix you most likely have Cleveland brakes and those need to be removed but if you have a Cub with original brakes as well and others I'm sure you can remove the wheel without removing the brakes.

But yes we are now into ANOTHER GRAY AREA that we can have a healthy discussion about.

Many people feel that in the spirit the FAR is written it is understood that a pilot/owner would remove the caliper in order to remove the wheel. But the FAR does not allow you to replace the brake lining because that would require riveting and you can't rebuild the caliper because that would require disassembly and inspection. Of course there are people who say you can't remove the brake caliper in which case on a 170 with Cleveland breaks you can't perform the other maintenance you point out.

There are a few things that on the first look don't make sense. You can replace oil lines to the engine but not manufacture the oil line itself. It is curious the FAA draws the line with the pilots capability at replacement but not actually manufacture the line your replacing. Oh no that is over the line of difficulty. Yet the failure of a line or incorrect replacement of it will lead to the same catastrophic failure.

I personally remove the calipers and believe I can legally do so. But I don't rebuild the calipers and I wouldn't think of replacing the linings while I'm at it.

[GAHorn]

Showboatsix, that was exactly the point I was making in the other discussion (rear seat removal.)

Skippy,.... removal of the axle-nut, calipers, and wheel-assy will not result in any loss or shifting of axle or shims.

The calipers may be removed by removing two bolts which hold the friction-plate to the caliper. Reverse the procedure to re-install. (It's that last part that is not covered by the rule.) Be careful not to compress the brake/caliper piston or you risk damaging the O-ring seal and creating a potential lack-of-braking action upon re-assembly. (Pump the brakes after reassembly and assure proper braking action prior to starting an engine.)

As a standard operating procedure, I test for brake-pressure prior to starting engine(s). Every time.