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6 Answers

Student performing preventative maintenance

Asked by: 8650 views FAA Regulations

Under the FAR's is a student allowed to perform any preventative maintenance on the instructor's plane?  For example, would a student be allowed to put air in tires or perform an oil change? Would you please point me to the appropriate FAR's.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

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6 Answers



  1. Wes Beard on May 14, 2012

    Far §43.3(g)
    Except for holders of a sport pilot certificate, the holder of a pilot certificate issued under part 61 may perform preventive maintenance on any aircraft owned or operated by that pilot which is not used under part 121, 129, or 135 of this chapter. The holder of a sport pilot certificate may perform preventive maintenance on an aircraft owned or operated by that pilot and issued a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category. 
     
    It looks like the student pilot cannot perform preventative maintenance because the airplane is not owned by the student.  It is interesting that a student pilot certificate is issued under Part 61 but I seem to remember that student pilots cannot perform preventative maintenance on their airplanes either.

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  2. Kris Kortokrax on May 14, 2012

    14 CFR 43.3 (g) states:
    Except for holders of a sport pilot certificate, the holder of a pilot certificate issued under part 61 may perform preventive maintenance on any aircraft owned or operated by that pilot which is not used under part 121, 129, or 135 of this chapter. The holder of a sport pilot certificate may perform preventive maintenance on an aircraft owned or operated by that pilot and issued a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category.
     
    Putting air in the tires isn’t considered preventive maintenance.

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  3. John D. Collins on May 14, 2012

    A student pilot cannot perform preventive maintenance on an airplane, reference 43.3(g). 43.9(a) describes the logging requirements for performing preventive maintenance. Part 43, Appendix A (c) lists all of the tasks considered preventive maintenance.  Putting air in the tires, topping off the oil level, fueling the airplane, and cleaning the airplane all fall into the category of servicing and are not considered preventive maintenance.

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  4. Jeff Nunan on May 14, 2012

    You guys are great – thanks for the help!

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  5. DeWitt Barker on May 22, 2012

     
    Code of Federal Regulations
    Appendix A

    Part 43 MAINTENANCE, PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE, REBUILDING, AND ALTERATION

    Appendix A–Major Alterations, Major Repairs, and Preventive Maintenance

     

    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 Sec. 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 Sec. 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.

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  6. Ben on Feb 17, 2017

    Correct, but that only applies to PRIMARY category aircraft. Part 43.3 states that every holder of a pilot certificate issued under part 61 may perfprm preventive maintenance on an aircraft owned or operated by them which is not used under part 121, 129, or 135 EXCEPT SPORT PILOTS. There is no mention to student or recreational pilots. A private pilot is only required to fly an operation check of the aircraft per 91.407

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