Chapter 12. Publications, Forms, & Records 14 CFR Part 147 — Aviation Maintenance Technician Schools Part 147 defines the requirements for obtaining a maintenance training certificate. This certificate may be for either airframe, or powerplant, or a combination of the two. The minimum number of curriculum hours for conducting either airframe or powerplant training independently is 1,150. If both airframe and powerplant ratings are offered, the combined total curriculum hours are 1,900. This is because of the 1,150 hours specified to obtain either the Airframe or the Powerplant rating; 400 hours are devoted to general studies. Only one set of general studies hours is applicable to the combined total. Therefore, 400 hours can be subtracted from the implied total of 2,300 hours (1,150 × 2) to obtain the reduced figure of 1,900 hours. Requirements are detailed as follows: Appendix A lists Curriculum Requirements Appendix B lists General Curriculum Subjects Appendix C lists Airframe Curricular Subjects Appendix D lists Powerplant Curriculum Subjects 14 CFR Part 183 — Representatives of the Administrator As the aviation industry grows and the design, manufacture, and testing of aircraft gets more complex, the FAA faces both budget constraints and personnel shortages. As early as 1962, the FAA began a program to allow private sector persons in various areas of industry to be “designees" or “representatives of the FAA Administrator." These people are not FAA employees, but rather are designated by the FAA to act on their behalf. Most people are aware that regular doctors may serve as “aviation medical examiners," skilled pilots can become “pilot examiners," and frequently maintenance school instructors serve as “technical person examiners" to administer the oral and practical portion of the FAA testing. Other lesser known designees are the designated engineering representatives (DER), the designated manufacturing inspection representatives (DMIR), and the designated airworthiness representatives (DAR). DERs approve data based upon their engineering training and their knowledge of FAA regulations. DMIRs make conformity inspections only at their employer. They are similar to “designated repairmen" because they are only authorized to inspect parts at their employers’ facility. DARs conduct conformity inspections whenever they are authorized to do so by the FAA. They can do this for either manufacturing or maintenance facilities depending on their specific authorization. Detailed Explanation of Primary Regulations (Parts 43 and 91) 14 CFR Part 43 — Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance, Rebuilding, and Alteration §43.1 Applicability Paragraph (a) states quite clearly that aircraft (whether U.S.- or foreign-registered operating under part 121 or 135) and component parts thereof, must be maintained in accordance with the rules set forth in this part. However, although paragraph (b) states quite clearly the type of aircraft for which this part does not apply, it seems to have led to considerable confusion within the aviation industry. If an aircraft is flying with a Special Airworthiness — Experimental certificate (FAA Form 8130-7, Special Airworthiness Certificate — pink color certificate) and that is the only airworthiness certificate this aircraft has ever had, then part 43 does not apply. Conversely, sometimes during maintenance (especially Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) modification — the STC will be addressed later in this chapter) it becomes necessary to temporarily place the aircraft into Special Airworthiness — Experimental. This is done to show compliance with federal regulations. These aircraft must still be maintained in accordance with part 43 because the aircraft had a different kind of airworthiness (in this example a Standard) prior to being issued the Special.

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