Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

2 Answers

Aircraft Cosmetic Imperfections and the Go/No-Go Decision

Asked by: 2640 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? 

Ace Any FAA Written Test!
Actual FAA Questions / Free Lifetime Updates
The best explanations in the business
Fast, efficient study.
Pass Your Checkride With Confidence!
FAA Practical Test prep that reflects actual checkrides.
Any checkride: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, etc.
Written and maintained by actual pilot examiners and master CFIs.
The World's Most Trusted eLogbook
Be Organized, Current, Professional, and Safe.
Highly customizable - for student pilots through pros.
Free Transition Service for users of other eLogs.
Our sincere thanks to pilots such as yourself who support AskACFI while helping themselves by using the awesome PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Android aviation apps of our sponsors.

2 Answers



  1. John D Collins on Mar 24, 2021

    In some instances, the aircraft maintenance manual will discuss how to deal with the damage. Another resource is AC 43.13-1B ACCEPTABLE METHODS, TECHNIQUES, AND PRACTICES AIRCRAFT INSPECTION AND REPAIR where one can find general guidance on repairs. It would not be uncommon for a mechanic to seek advice from the manufacturer and provided pictures and reference marks on the damage. Certainly any damage that affects structural members is more concerning than cosmetic only damage. The mechanic that reviews the damaged area is expected to follow industry standards and to use their judgement.

    +1 Votes Thumb up 1 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  2. KDS on Mar 24, 2021

    In some situations, the mechanic will mark a damaged area to indicate it is okay. That way the don’t keep getting called away from other work to reinspect the same defect.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


The following terms have been auto-detected the question above and any answers or discussion provided. Click on a term to see its definition from the Dauntless Aviation JargonBuster Glossary.

Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.