Each aircraft comes with documentation and a set of manuals with which a pilot must be familiar in order to fly that aircraft. Flight manual is a paper book or electronic information set containing vital procedural and performance related information for a particular aircraft or aircraft Type. Manuals must be kept up to date, inaccurate … Read more
Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 91 requires pilot compliance with the operating limitations specified in approved rotorcraft flight manuals, markings, and placards. Originally, flight manuals were often characterized by a lack of essential information and followed whatever format and content the manufacturer deemed appropriate. This changed with the acceptance … Read more
Airworthiness Directives A primary safety function of the FAA is to require correction of unsafe conditions found in an aircraft, aircraft engine, propeller, or appliance when such conditions exist and are likely to exist or develop in other products of the same design. The unsafe condition may exist because of a design defect, maintenance, or … Read more
Preventive maintenance is regarded as simple or minor preservation operations and the replacement of small standard parts, not involving complex assembly operations. Allowed items of preventative maintenance are listed and limited to the items of 14 CFR part 43, appendix A(c). Maintenance Entries All pilots who perform preventive maintenance must make an entry in the … Read more
Under 14 CFR, all aircraft instruments and installed equipment are required to be operative prior to each departure. When the FAA adopted the minimum equipment list (MEL) concept for 14 CFR part 91 operations, it allowed aircraft to be operated with inoperative equipment determined to be nonessential for safe flight. At the same time, it … Read more
Under 14 CFR part 91, the primary responsibility for maintaining an aircraft in an airworthy condition falls on the owner or operator of the aircraft. Certain inspections must be performed on the aircraft, and the owner must maintain the airworthiness of the aircraft during the time between required inspections by having any defects corrected. Under … Read more
Certificate of Aircraft Registration Before an aircraft can be flown legally, it must be registered with the FAA Aircraft Registry. The Certificate of Aircraft Registration, which is issued to the owner as evidence of the registration, must be carried in the aircraft at all times. [Figure 1] Figure 1. AC Form 8050-3, Certificate of Aircraft … Read more
Flight manuals and operating handbooks are concise reference books that provide specific information about a particular aircraft or subject. They contain basic facts, information, and/or instructions for the pilot about the operation of an aircraft, flying techniques, etc., and are intended to be kept on hand for ready reference. The aircraft owner/information manual is a … Read more