Aircraft Cosmetic Imperfections and the Go/No-Go Decision
Asked by: ssoll7 2591 views Aerodynamics, Aircraft Systems, FAA Regulations, Flight Instructor, General Aviation, Private Pilot, Student Pilot
One of the Skyhawks at my flight school has two or three small dents present, one on the leading edge of the right wing and the other on the underside of the fuselage toward the tail. Additionally, minor cracks are present on plastic fairings which cover the strut to wing and main gear to fuselage connection points. It is obvious that many of these cracks have been addressed, and the dents are not so significant that I would believe them to appreciably affect the aerodynamic characteristics of the airplane; however, how much is too much when it comes to aircraft damage? What would you say to a new student on his/her first preflight about when to be concerned? The golden rule of course would be to stay on the ground and ask a mechanic when the slightest level of doubt exists...but what rule of thumb do they use to determine whether a dent or crack renders an aircraft unairworthy?
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