Chapter 12. Publications, Forms, & Records

Appendix B — Recording of Major Repairs and Major Alterations

In most cases when a major repair or alteration is accomplished, FAA Form 337, Major Repair or Alteration, is completed at least in duplicate with the original going to the aircraft owner and a copy sent to the FAA Aircraft Registration Branch in Oklahoma City where all civil aircraft information is compiled and retained. Note: Historically the second copy was sent to the local FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) within 48 hours after RTS. This copy is reviewed by an ASI and then forwarded by the FSDO to FAA records on OK City. However, in the fall of 2005 the FAA made a significant change to this submittal process and now requires the technician to submit the Form 337 directly to the Aircraft Registration Branch in Oklahoma City. (Although a third copy is not required, it makes good business sense for the technician or certified repair station to keep a copy of the work that was accomplished.)

However, if a certificated repair station completes a major repair, it may provide the customer with a signed copy of the work order and a maintenance release signed by an authorized representative of the repair station, instead of the FAA Form 337.

If the major repair or alteration was done by an authorized Canadian maintenance person (AME or AMO), the copy normally provided to the FAA-FSDO is sent directly to the FAA Aircraft Registration Branch

Finally, if extended range tanks are installed in either passenger or cargo compartments, the technician must generate a third FAA Form 337 for the modification. This copy must be placed and retained in the aircraft. (Refer to §91.417(d).)

Appendix C is reserved for future use and therefore currently contains no information.

Appendix D — Scope and Detail of Items To Be Included in Annual and 100-Hour Inspections

Some important items to consider in this appendix are:

  • The list of items and areas to be inspected are exactly the same for an annual as a 100 hour. (The only difference is who is authorized to approve the aircraft for return to service following the inspection.) Refer to §65.95(a)(2), which states that an IA must perform an annual inspection.
  • The aircraft and engine must be cleaned prior to conducting the inspection.
  • Any miscellaneous item not covered in the detailed list provided must also be inspected for improper installation and operation.
  • There are eight specific areas identified for detail inspection. They are the fuselage hull group, cabin/cockpit group, engine/nacelle group, landing gear group, wing/center section group, empennage assembly, propeller group, and the radio group.

Appendix E — Altimeter System Test and Inspection

This is commonly referred to as “the 411 test." (Refer to §91.411, which requires that no person may operate an aircraft in controlled airspace under IFR unless the aircraft has had this test completed successfully within the preceding 24 months.) This section, which requires detailed testing of the static pressure system, the altimeter, and the automatic pressure altitude reporting equipment, also requires that the test information be recorded in the maintenance logs and on the altimeter.

Appendix F — ATC Transponder Tests and Inspections

This is commonly referred to as “the 413 test." (Refer to §91.413, which requires that no person may use a transponder unless it has had this test completed successfully within the preceding 24 months.) This section specifies an extremely complex set of tests, which may be accomplished either as a bench test, or by using portable test equipment. Major categories of the testing required are radio reply frequency, suppression, receiver sensitivity, radio frequency peak output power, and mode S (when applicable). Upon completion of testing, proper entries must be made in the maintenance record.

14 CFR Part 91 — General Operating and Flight Rules

Subpart A — General

As mentioned in the brief overview of the regulation portion earlier in this chapter, this part is actually addressing the operation of the aircraft. For example, §91.7(a) states “no person may operate a civil aircraft unless it is in an airworthy condition." We learned earlier that this term means that the aircraft conforms to its approved type design and is in condition for safe operation. When the pilot performs a preflight inspection, he or she is making a determination concerning the “condition for safe operation." The pilot does not usually determine “conformity to type design" unless he or she performs a review of the maintenance records. However, since that is fundamental to the definition of airworthy, it is still part of their responsibility. Therefore, a professional and ethical technician will want to help the customer understand his or her responsibilities in maintaining and documenting the airworthiness of the aircraft.

 
 
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