Private Pilot (Airplane)
Airworthiness Requirements Lesson Plan

Introduction:

Attention:

  • Research a mishap case study:
  • Discuss how the initial conditions developed into an incident/accident/mishap
  • Relate similar personal experience of the same type of incident/accident/mishap
  • Consider incorporating a case study as a guided scenario

Motivator:

  • Federal Aviation Regulation 91.7 states "no person may operate a civil aircraft unless it is in an airworthy condition"
  • To understand airworthiness requirements, we must define what it means to be airworthy
  • To determine airworthiness, the pilot must examne several documents and inspection records
  • The pilot must have certain documents that demonstrate they are legal to fly
  • Aircraft can be flown with inoperative equipment

Overview:

Topic:
Time:
Introduction:
0:05
General airworthiness requirements and compliance for airplanes:
0:15
Pilot-performed preventive maintenance:
0:05
Equipment requirements for day and night VFR flight:
0:15
Review (quiz):
0:05
Case Studies:
0:05
Total Ground Time:
0:50

Required Materials:

  • Paper & Pen or Marker & Whiteboard, parked aircraft or airworthiness & registration certificate, aircraft logbook, minimum equipment list (if available), kinds of equipment list (if available), A&P with aircraft logbook, minimum/kinds of equipment list (or example if not applicable)

Instructor Actions:

Student Actions:

Airworthiness Guided Scenario(s):

  • In conjunction with a preflight:
    • Locate and review the airworthiness certificate for accuracy and expiration
    • Review an aircraft maintenance logbook with an A&P and discuss:
      • What the required inspections are and how they can be found/are logged in the aircraft logbook
      • What Airworthiness Directives exist, how to find them, and how they've been complied with and logged
      • What Special Airworthiness Information Bulletins exist, how to find them, and how they've been complied with and logged
  • Still with an A&P, while conducting a preflight discuss provide examples of what maintenance requirements may be discovered and who must perform them
  • Discuss inoperative equipment found during preflight:
    • Do the items appear on a minimum equipment list? (if applicable)
    • Do the items appear on a kinds of equipment list? (if applicable)
    • What are the items required for VFR operations?
    • In any case, how must these items be placarded when found?
  • Provide a scenario where the pilot has determined the aircraft is airworthy, but various items start to fail
    • At what point must the aircraft be legally terminated? (VFR required equipment/unairworthy)
    • What are other considerations to an aircraft that has multiple pieces of equipment fail together or on the same flight?
  • Related scenarios:

Private Pilot (Airplane) Airworthiness Requirements Airman Certification Standards:

.

Private Pilot (Airplane) Airworthiness Requirements Knowledge:

The applicant demonstrates understanding of:

Private Pilot (Airplane) Airworthiness Requirements Risk Management:

The applicant is able to identify, assess, and mitigate risk associated with:

Private Pilot (Airplane) Airworthiness Requirements Skills:

The applicant exhibits the skill to:

  • PA.I.B.S1:

    Locate and describe airplane airworthiness and registration information.

  • PA.I.B.S2:

    Determine the airplane is airworthy in the scenario given by the evaluator.

  • PA.I.B.S3:

    Apply appropriate procedures for operating with inoperative equipment in the scenario given by the evaluator.

Re-Motivation:

  • Airworthiness is a nuanced topic:
    • Manufacturers are responsible for airworthiness from factory
    • The A&P makes an airworthiness determination once a year on annual
    • The owner is responsibility to ensure that the airworthiness certificate is valid
    • The PIC is making an airworthiness determination continuously, every flight, and if an unairworthy condition develops in flight, the PIC is to end the flight
  • Regardless, no person may operate a civil aircraft unless it is in an airworthy condition
  • Your local FAA Flight Standard District Office can provide direct guidance and information in order to obtain an airworthiness certificate
  • It is best to contact your local FAA office for direct guidance immediately after you register your aircraft
  • On the actual airworthiness certificate itself, you will find:
    • "Unless sooner surrendered, suspended, revoked, or a termination date is otherwise established by the Administrator, this airworthiness certificate is effective as long as the maintenance, preventive maintenance, and alterations are performed in accordance with parts 21, 43, and 91 of the federal aviation regulations, as appropriate, and the aircraft is registered in the United States"
      • "Unless sooner surrendered, suspended, revoked, or a termination date is otherwise established by the Administrator"
        • Various reasons including aircraft condition or legislation may null and void an airworthiness certificate
      • "This airworthiness certificate is effective as long as the maintenance, preventative maintenance, and alterations are performed in accordance with parts 21, 43, and 91 of the federal aviation regulations, as appropriate, and the aircraft is registered in the United States"
        • Airworthiness certificates never expire
  • Remember that airworthiness requirements apply to all aircraft, owned or rented, as do the responsibilities to ensure compliance
    • Ramp checks are not the time to start taking airworthiness seriously
  • It is true that the Pitot-Static system does not require an inspection if operating VFR however, if operating in airspace which requires a transponder then the system will be looked at, albeit to a lesser extent than the required IFR check
  • To learn more about inspections, see also AOPA's guide to aircraft inspections
  • Whether or not your airplane has an MEL, FAR 91.213 still applies to all inoperative equipment and it is the pilot's responsibility to find out if the airplane has an MEL
  • MEL deferral of maintenance is not to be taken lightly, and due consideration should be given to the effect an inoperative component may have on the operation of an aircraft, particularly if other items are inoperative
    • Further information regarding MELs and operations with inoperative equipment can be found in AC 91-67, Minimum Equipment Requirements for General Aviation Operations Under FAR Part 91
  • Hours for inspectiosn are based on time in service, which is an ill-defined number
    • When basing inspections off hours, pilot's may run off the slower hours, to save money, or the higher hours, to be conservative
  • Master minimum equipment lists and associated documentation can be found on the FAA's website
  • Read more about aircraft lighting for additional context on requirements
  • Do not make it a habit to fly with a faulty component, unless there is a deliberate plan to correct
    • Further, if its tied to airworthiness, and especially if ATC knows about it, don't push your luck!
  • Those looking to apply for a radio license to fly internationally may visit the Federal Communications Commision's Universal Licensing System to learn more and apply
  • Still looking for something? Continue searching:

Closure:

  • Advise students that this lesson will be used as a starting point for the next lesson
  • Assign study materials for the next lesson

Conclusion: