Owner Maintenance

[RBeaubien]

Ok, I'm looking at getting my PPL AND purchasing a starter plane (C172/175). Just curious, what kind of maintenance items can I do myself?

I'm well versed maintaining cars (pulling/rebuilding engines, etc) as well as being an avid R/C modeler building and designing my own planes.

What are the limits?

Thanx,

Rob

 

[murphey]

Ok, I'm looking at getting my PPL AND purchasing a starter plane (C172/175). Just curious, what kind of maintenance items can I do myself?

I'm well versed maintaining cars (pulling/rebuilding engines, etc) as well as being an avid R/C modeler building and designing my own planes.

What are the limits?

Thanx,

Rob

14 CFR Part 43, Appendix A Section C

 

[flyingmoose]

Yup. Just to expand a bit:
c) Preventive maintenance. Preventive maintenance is limited to the following work, provided it does not involve complex assembly operations: (1) Removal, installation, and repair of landing gear tires.
(2) Replacing elastic shock absorber cords on landing gear.
(3) Servicing landing gear shock struts by adding oil, air, or both.
(4) Servicing landing gear wheel bearings, such as cleaning and greasing.
(5) Replacing defective safety wiring or cotter keys.
(6) Lubrication not requiring disassembly other than removal of nonstructural items such as cover plates, cowlings, and fairings.
(7) Making simple fabric patches not requiring rib stitching or the removal of structural parts or control surfaces. In the case of balloons, the making of small fabric repairs to envelopes (as defined in, and in accordance with, the balloon manufacturers' instructions) not requiring load tape repair or replacement.
(8) Replenishing hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic reservoir.
(9) Refinishing decorative coating of fuselage, balloon baskets, wings tail group surfaces (excluding balanced control surfaces), fairings, cowlings, landing gear, cabin, or cockpit interior when removal or disassembly of any primary structure or operating system is not required.
(10) Applying preservative or protective material to components where no disassembly of any primary structure or operating system is involved and where such coating is not prohibited or is not contrary to good practices.
(11) Repairing upholstery and decorative furnishings of the cabin, cockpit, or balloon basket interior when the repairing does not require disassembly of any primary structure or operating system or interfere with an operating system or affect the primary structure of the aircraft.
(12) Making small simple repairs to fairings, nonstructural cover plates, cowlings, and small patches and reinforcements not changing the contour so as to interfere with proper air flow.
(13) Replacing side windows where that work does not interfere with the structure or any operating system such as controls, electrical equipment, etc.
(14) Replacing safety belts.
(15) Replacing seats or seat parts with replacement parts approved for the aircraft, not involving disassembly of any primary structure or operating system.
(16) Trouble shooting and repairing broken circuits in landing light wiring circuits.
(17) Replacing bulbs, reflectors, and lenses of position and landing lights.
(18) Replacing wheels and skis where no weight and balance computation is involved.
(19) Replacing any cowling not requiring removal of the propeller or disconnection of flight controls.
(20) Replacing or cleaning spark plugs and setting of spark plug gap clearance.
(21) Replacing any hose connection except hydraulic connections.
(22) Replacing prefabricated fuel lines.
(23) Cleaning or replacing fuel and oil strainers or filter elements.
(24) Replacing and servicing batteries.
(25) Cleaning of balloon burner pilot and main nozzles in accordance with the balloon manufacturer's instructions.
(26) Replacement or adjustment of nonstructural standard fasteners incidental to operations.
(27) The interchange of balloon baskets and burners on envelopes when the basket or burner is designated as interchangeable in the balloon type certificate data and the baskets and burners are specifically designed for quick removal and installation.
(28) The installations of anti-misfueling devices to reduce the diameter of fuel tank filler openings provided the specific device has been made a part of the aircraft type certificiate data by the aircraft manufacturer, the aircraft manufacturer has provided FAA-approved instructions for installation of the specific device, and installation does not involve the disassembly of the existing tank filler opening.
(29) Removing, checking, and replacing magnetic chip detectors.
(30) The inspection and maintenance tasks prescribed and specifically identified as preventive maintenance in a primary category aircraft type certificate or supplemental type certificate holder's approved special inspection and preventive maintenance program when accomplished on a primary category aircraft provided:

 

[flyingron]

As Murph points out, Appendix A lists the PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE items you can do. Note that you're obliged to make the appropriate log entries and do things the right way.
Many mechanics are willing to show you how to do certain things. My first oil change I told the mechanic I wanted one and she said bring it over saturday and I watched her do it. The next time it was due, she said, bring it over saturday, and she handed me a screwdriver and a bucket.

Maintenance I've done under the owner-pilot provision:

Oil change.
Bulb replacement.
Tire replacement.
Servicing various fluids.
Fixing safety wiring.
Replacing battery.
Repacking the wheel bearing
Redoing the seats, carpet, and headliner
Spark plugs.
Remove/replace audio panel, MX20.
Database card update
Repairing the rotating beacon

I've also worked with the mechanic to do various tasks under supervision:

Replace the Hartzell prop on my plane with a new model,
Install a new ELT and remote panel for it,
Replace the prop diaphragm
Retime the mags
Perform one of the navion ADs.
Replace the boost pump

My old mechanic would divide her customers into two categories....those who would turn a wrench on their plane and those who were "just pilots."

We were sitting around eating pizza in her back office one day while I was assisting on the annual and a guy came in and said he thought his battery was weak and she told him to bring it in and she'd test it on the bench. Blank stare. "Oh, I forgot, you're just a pilot. Ron, go help him take his battery out."

 

[RBeaubien]

Interesting. Thanks for the answers. Sounds like I need to find a good mechanic to work with.

 

[Tom-D]

Interesting. Thanks for the answers. Sounds like I need to find a good mechanic to work with.

Find an A&P that will allow you to work under their supervision, then you can do it all.

65.81 General privileges and limitations.
(a) A certificated mechanic may perform or supervise the maintenance, preventive maintenance or alteration of an aircraft or appliance, or a part thereof, for which he is rated (but excluding major repairs to, and major alterations of, propellers, and any repair to, or alteration of, instruments), and may perform additional duties in accordance with §§ 65.85, 65.87, and 65.95.

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

From what I have seen the limits are self imposed only. There are always certified mechanics that want to work with you and supervise you if you want to do that kind of work. The more mechanical ability you have, the bigger your tool chest they more they might trust you.

I have had mechanics offer to let me do things I prefer not to do. The main thing they cannot delegate the annual inspection but even with that you can shave much labor by opening inspection ports, taking the seats out of the plane, clean an charge battery, injectors, plugs, oil change, clean airplane and landing gear, change tires, pack wheel bearings, check breaks.......check induction system and cylinders for leaks/cracks. There are very few things you probably could not do with respect of repairing discrepancies with supervision.

Ok, I'm looking at getting my PPL AND purchasing a starter plane (C172/175). Just curious, what kind of maintenance items can I do myself?

I'm well versed maintaining cars (pulling/rebuilding engines, etc) as well as being an avid R/C modeler building and designing my own planes.

What are the limits?

Thanx,

Rob

 

[Immelman]

You can do an awful lot. The key is developing a relationship with a solid IA who will inspect your work.. then, there is no limit. I've done a lot of stuff on that list on my plane, and an awful lot more that was inspected and signed off for free.

There is a point where I draw the line and pay the pros and its important to know where that is. For example, my mags came up on 500 hours for the rebuild. I pulled them out of the airplane and paid for them to do the IRAN and re-install/timing.

 

[Tom-D]

There is a point where I draw the line and pay the pros and its important to know where that is.

There is stuff I won't do on my aircraft.

There are very few parts I won't replace, but few I will try to repair.

Radios for a starter. mufflers are another.