Federal Aviation Administration, DOT § 43.15

979

the Administrator, except as noted in

§ 43.16. He shall use the tools, equip-

ment, and test apparatus necessary to

assure completion of the work in ac-

cordance with accepted industry prac-

tices. If special equipment or test appa-

ratus is recommended by the manufac-

turer involved, he must use that equip-

ment or apparatus or its equivalent ac-

ceptable to the Administrator.

(b) Each person maintaining or alter-

ing, or performing preventive mainte-

nance, shall do that work in such a

manner and use materials of such a

quality, that the condition of the air-

craft, airframe, aircraft engine, pro-

peller, or appliance worked on will be

at least equal to its original or prop-

erly altered condition (with regard to

aerodynamic function, structural

strength, resistance to vibration and

deterioration, and other qualities af-

fecting airworthiness).

carrier operating certificates and oper-

ating certificates issued under the provi-

sions of Part 121 or 135 and Part 129 oper-

ators holding operations specifications.

Unless otherwise notified by the ad-

ministrator, the methods, techniques,

and practices contained in the mainte-

nance manual or the maintenance part

of the manual of the holder of an air

carrier operating certificate or an op-

erating certificate under Part 121 or 135

and Part 129 operators holding oper-

ations specifications (that is required

by its operating specifications to pro-

vide a continuous airworthiness main-

tenance and inspection program) con-

stitute acceptable means of compliance

with this section.

[Doc. No. 1993, 29 FR 5451, Apr. 23, 1964, as

amended by Amdt. 43–20, 45 FR 60182, Sept.

11, 1980; Amdt. 43–23, 47 FR 41085, Sept. 16,

1982; Amdt. 43–28, 52 FR 20028, June 16, 1987;

Amdt. 43–37, 66 FR 21066, Apr. 27, 2001]

§ 43.15 Additional performance rules

for inspections.

(a) General. Each person performing

an inspection required by part 91, 125,

or 135 of this chapter, shall—

(1) Perform the inspection so as to

determine whether the aircraft, or por-

tion(s) thereof under inspection, meets

all applicable airworthiness require-

ments; and

(2) If the inspection is one provided

for in part 125, 135, or § 91.409(e) of this

chapter, perform the inspection in ac-

cordance with the instructions and pro-

cedures set forth in the inspection pro-

gram for the aircraft being inspected.

(b) Rotorcraft. Each person per-

forming an inspection required by Part

91 on a rotorcraft shall inspect the fol-

lowing systems in accordance with the

maintenance manual or Instructions

for Continued Airworthiness of the

manufacturer concerned:

(1) The drive shafts or similar sys-

tems.

(2) The main rotor transmission gear

box for obvious defects.

(3) The main rotor and center section

(or the equivalent area).

(4) The auxiliary rotor on heli-

copters.

Each person performing an annual or

100-hour inspection shall use a check-

list while performing the inspection.

The checklist may be of the person’s

own design, one provided by the manu-

facturer of the equipment being in-

spected or one obtained from another

source. This checklist must include the

scope and detail of the items contained

in appendix D to this part and para-

graph (b) of this section.

(2) Each person approving a recipro-

cating-engine-powered aircraft for re-

turn to service after an annual or 100-

hour inspection shall, before that ap-

proval, run the aircraft engine or en-

gines to determine satisfactory per-

formance in accordance with the manu-

facturer’s recommendations of—

(i) Power output (static and idle

r.p.m.);

(ii) Magnetos;

(iii) Fuel and oil pressure; and

(iv) Cylinder and oil temperature.

(3) Each person approving a turbine-

engine-powered aircraft for return to

service after an annual, 100-hour, or

progressive inspection shall, before

that approval, run the aircraft engine

or engines to determine satisfactory

performance in accordance with the

manufacturer’s recommendations.

(d) Progressive inspection. (1) Each per-

son performing a progressive inspec-

tion shall, at the start of a progressive

inspection system, inspect the aircraft

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980

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–11 Edition) § 43.16

completely. After this initial inspec-

tion, routine and detailed inspections

must be conducted as prescribed in the

progressive inspection schedule. Rou-

tine inspections consist of visual exam-

ination or check of the appliances, the

aircraft, and its components and sys-

tems, insofar as practicable without

disassembly. Detailed inspections con-

sist of a thorough examination of the

appliances, the aircraft, and its compo-

nents and systems, with such dis-

assembly as is necessary. For the pur-

poses of this subparagraph, the over-

haul of a component or system is con-

sidered to be a detailed inspection.

(2) If the aircraft is away from the

station where inspections are normally

conducted, an appropriately rated me-

chanic, a certificated repair station, or

the manufacturer of the aircraft may

perform inspections in accordance with

the procedures and using the forms of

the person who would otherwise per-

form the inspection.

[Doc. No. 1993, 29 FR 5451, Apr. 23, 1964, as

amended by Amdt. 43–23, 47 FR 41086, Sept.

16, 1982; Amdt. 43–25, 51 FR 40702, Nov. 7, 1986;

Amdt. 43–31, 54 FR 34330, Aug. 18, 1989; 71 FR

44188, Aug. 4, 2006]

§ 43.16 Airworthiness limitations.

Each person performing an inspec-

tion or other maintenance specified in

an Airworthiness Limitations section

of a manufacturer’s maintenance man-

ual or Instructions for Continued Air-

worthiness shall perform the inspec-

tion or other maintenance in accord-

ance with that section, or in accord-

ance with operations specifications ap-

proved by the Administrator under

part 121 or 135, or an inspection pro-

gram approved under § 91.409(e).

[71 FR 44188, Aug. 4, 2006]

§ 43.17 Maintenance, preventive main-

tenance, and alterations performed

on U.S. aeronautical products by

certain Canadian persons.

(a) Definitions. For purposes of this

section:

Aeronautical product means any civil

aircraft or airframe, aircraft engine,

propeller, appliance, component, or

part to be installed thereon.

Canadian aeronautical product means

any aeronautical product under air-

worthiness regulation by Transport

Canada Civil Aviation.

U.S. aeronautical product means any

aeronautical product under airworthi-

ness regulation by the FAA.

(b) Applicability. This section does not

apply to any U.S. aeronautical prod-

ucts maintained or altered under any

bilateral agreement made between

Canada and any country other than the

United States.

holding a valid Transport Canada Civil

Aviation Maintenance Engineer license

and appropriate ratings may, with re-

spect to a U.S.-registered aircraft lo-

cated in Canada, perform maintenance,

preventive maintenance, and alter-

ations in accordance with the require-

ments of paragraph (d) of this section

and approve the affected aircraft for

return to service in accordance with

the requirements of paragraph (e) of

this section.

(2) A Transport Canada Civil Avia-

tion Approved Maintenance Organiza-

tion (AMO) holding appropriate ratings

may, with respect to a U.S.-registered

aircraft or other U.S. aeronautical

products located in Canada, perform

maintenance, preventive maintenance,

and alterations in accordance with the

requirements of paragraph (d) of this

section and approve the affected prod-

ucts for return to service in accordance

with the requirements of paragraph (e)

of this section.

(d) Performance requirements. A person

authorized in paragraph (c) of this sec-

tion may perform maintenance (includ-

ing any inspection required by Sec.

91.409 of this chapter, except an annual

inspection), preventive maintenance,

and alterations, provided—

(1) The person performing the work is

authorized by Transport Canada Civil

Aviation to perform the same type of

work with respect to Canadian aero-

nautical products;

(2) The maintenance, preventive

maintenance, or alteration is per-

formed in accordance with a Bilateral

Aviation Safety Agreement between

the United States and Canada and asso-

ciated Maintenance Implementation

Procedures that provide a level of safe-

ty equivalent to that provided by the

provisions of this chapter;

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