CA.I.B Airworthiness Requirements

Question 1

What does airworthy mean?

Answer 1

An aircraft is air worthy if it conforms to its original type design, or properly altered state (STC), and is in a condition for safe flight.

Question 2

What goes into keeping an airplane airworthy?

Answer 2

ACRONYM: DIE
- Documents (airworthiness, registration, operating limitations, w&b)
- inspections (annual, 100hr)
- equipment (91.205)

Question 3

Who is primarily responsible for maintaining an aircraft in airworthy condition?

Answer 3

The owner/operator.

Question 4

What documents must be on board when the airplane is being operated?

Answer 4

Remember Acronym ARROW

Airworthiness Certificate
Registration Certificate
Radio station license (flying outside US)
Operating limitations, placards
Weight & balance and equipment list

ALSO:
Avionics reference guide
Compass deviation card

Question 5

Which certificate must be visible to occupants of the aircraft?

Answer 5

Airworthiness certificate.

Question 6

How long is an airworthiness certificate valid?

Answer 6

For as long as the aircraft is in an airworthy condition and remains registered in the US.

Question 7

When do registration certificates expire?

Answer 7

Every seven years.

Question 8

Other than expiring, what else would cause the registration to no longer be valid?

Answer 8

Acronym 30FT DUC

30 days after death
Foreign registration
Transfer of ownership
Destroyed
US citizenship revoked
Cancelled

Question 9

How long can a newly purchased aircraft operate without being fully registered?

Answer 9

12 months
Only valid for domestic flight

Question 10

What aircraft document is required only when flying outside of the United States?

Answer 10

Radio station license

Question 11

What pilot document is required only when flying outside of the United States?

Answer 11

Radio operators permit

Question 12

When must the airplane’s official weight and balance be amended?

Answer 12

Any weight change more than 1 lb.
E.g avionics added or removed.

Question 13

What are the required maintenance inspections, and how often must each be completed?

Answer 13

Acronym: AAVIATES
Annual Inspection (12 mo)
AD’s (recurring, one-time, time based)
VOR check (30 days)
100 Hour Inspection
Transponder (24 mo)
ELT (12 mo, 1 hour of use, or 1/2 battery)
Static System/Altimeter (24 mo)

Question 14

What is an Airworthiness Directive?

Answer 14

Similar to an auto recall. It is a requirement issued by the FAA to correct an unsafe condition in a product.

Question 15

What is a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB)?

Answer 15

The FAA issues a SAIB to make safety recommendations. It is different from an AD in that it contains non-regulatory, non-mandatory guidance for safety issues that do not meet the criteria for airworthiness directive

Question 16

Who can conduct and annual inspection?

Answer 16

Certified A&P with IA (Inspection Authorization).

Question 17

Who can conduct a 100 Hour Inspection?

Answer 17

Certified A&P (IA not required)

Question 18

What are some scenarios that would require a special
flight permit for an aircraft that is not airworthy?

Answer 18

• Flying aircraft to a maintenance base (overdue Annual inspection).
• Delivering new aircraft.
• Conducting production flight tests.
• Evacuating an aircraft
  from a natural disaster.
• Customer demonstration flights in new production
  aircraft that have passed or completed production flight tests.
• Excess weight operations (e.g ferry over the ocean).

Question 19

What are some typical limitations on special flight permits?

Answer 19

• Day VMC conditions only.
• Flight must be direct.
• Valid for only the one flight.
• No overflight of congested areas.
• Mechanic must inspect the aircraft and certify that it’s safe for the flight.
• ADs must be in compliance.

Question 20

Can you overfly a 100-Hour inspection?

Answer 20

Yes, you can overfly a 100-Hour by up to 10 hours as long as you’re repositioning the aircraft to receive its 100-Hour inspection.

Question 21

What information must be included in inspection maintenance log entries?

Answer 21

1) Type of inspection and a brief description of the extent of the inspection.
2) The date & aircraft total time. 3) The signature, certificate number, and kind of certificate held by the person approving or disapproving for return to service.
4) a similarly worded statement: “I certify that this aircraft has been inspected in accordance with (insert type) inspection and was determined to be in an airworthy condition.”

Question 22

When should 121.5 ELT tests be conducted so as not to confuse ATC and/or other aircraft?

Answer 22

First five minutes of the hour, no more than three sweeps.

Question 23

Can a commercial pilot conduct any kind of maintenance on the plane?

Answer 23

Yes, but only preventative maintenance “not involving complex assembly operations.”
Part-43 Appendix A Paragraph(c)

Question 24

During your preflight you discover that some of your equipment is
inoperative. How can you determine whether you can continue with the flight?

Answer 24

1.) Does the aircraft have an MEL? Check to see if it complies.
2.) Is the equipment required under the Type Certificate Data Sheet?
3.) Is it required under Kinds of Equipment List?
4.) Is it required under an Airworthiness Directive?
5.) Is it required under Part 91.205?

Question 25

What is an MEL?

Answer 25

Minimum Equipment List.
Tail number-specific document
(derived from the MMEL) listing conditions that allow the aircraft to be operated safely with inoperative equipment.

Question 26

Can you create an MEL that is more restrictive than the MMEL?

Answer 26

Yes, but cannot be less restrictive than the MMEL.

Question 27

What do the “O” and “M” signify on an MEL?

Answer 27

• “O” indicates a specific Operations procedure
  must be accomplished before continuing the flight. Normally accomplished by the crew.
• “M” indicates a specific Maintenance procedure before beginning flight with inoperative equipment.

Question 28

What is a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC)?

Answer 28

A change in type design not great enough to require a new application for a type certificate. An example would be the
installation of a powerplant different from what was included in the original type certificate.