MONTHLY SAFETY TOPIC

Preventive Maintenance and other gray areas of flying…
Most of us know that a certificated pilot can perform preventive maintenance on an aircraft which he/she owns and/or operates. FAR Part One gives us a good definition of preventive maintenance and Part 43 provides us with a fairly comprehensive list of what is considered to be preventive maintenance. So if we already know what we can and can't accomplish as a certificated pilot or mechanic, let's consider how the job should be accomplished.

Part 91 tells us that the owner is responsible for maintaining his/her aircraft. The owner doesn't just delegate that responsibility to a mechanic when he/she drops it off for scheduled or unscheduled maintenance. Remember, the mechanic may approve an aircraft for return to service but the pilot returns it to service and that may or may not require a test flight.

So, if Part 91 tells us that we must maintain our aircraft, then Part 43 tells us how we must conduct ourselves when performing that maintenance. This is true regardless of whether we are accomplishing preventive maintenance as a Private Pilot or a 100 hour inspection as an A&P Mechanic. The performance standards remain the same regardless of who is accomplishing the maintenance or preventive maintenance. First of all, you must use the methods, techniques, and practices prescribed in the current manufacturer's maintenance manual. That's right, if you are installing a new tire on your aircraft, you must do it in accordance with the latest version of the aircraft maintenance manual. This shouldn't come as a big surprise since, the manufacturer is probably the one source who knows the most about this particular aircraft.

Part 43 also tells you that you must use the tools and equipment necessary to assure completion of the job in accordance with accepted industry standards. So, if the maintenance manual tells you to torque the retaining nut to a certain value then back it off until the cotter pin holes line up to install the cotter pin, they mean torque it with a torque wrench (which, by the way, must also be calibrated).

Now, while conducting a post flight inspection of the airplane you own or operate, you discover the identification tag for a safety belt is lying on the floor. Accepting the fact that the identification tag must remain attached to the belt, (unlike a mattress, where the consumer actually can remove the tag) you ask yourself a couple questions. First, can this belt be repaired, or do you need to replace it? Secondly, can you as a pilot, repair it or replace it?

The second question is easier to answer. Part 43 allows the pilot to replace a safety belt but there is no provision for a pilot to repair a seat belt as preventive maintenance. Since the safety belt appears to be serviceable, you take it to your trusted repair station or personal A&P Mechanic and ask if he/she can repair it. That answer will most likely be "maybe" or "that depends".

When the manufacturer built your airplane, they had the option of producing their own safety belts or installing a safety belt built to the specifications of a Technical Standard Order (TSO). Several different firms may be authorized to manufacture safety belts under the same TSO. Those manufacturers may or may not provide a repair manual with their product. Ahhh, do you get it?, if there is no repair manual, there is no authorized method of repairing that safety belt. Chances are, your safety belt was built under a TSO. But if it was built by the aircraft manufacturer, then according to AC 43.13-1B, the belt cannot be repaired.

Don't forget, Part 43 also tells us that we have to make a record of this maintenance. But, that will have to be next month's topic.

Runway Incursions

You have probably noticed, we have been talking a lot about Runway Incursions this year. I heard two stories related to runway incursions that I would like to respond to. In one case a pilot landed gear up during the day when the tower was operating. The well meaning pilot got out of his airplane and started picking up aircraft parts. He happened to step onto an intersecting runway while retrieving an antenna. This incident was reported as a runway incursion. In another case a pilot landed gear up after the tower was closed and in spite of his effort to let someone know, it wasn't until sunrise the next day that the airport was aware of the incident.

The Question is, what should a pilot do after landing gear up?
If the tower is open stay where you are or get out of the airplane and walk to the edge of the runway you are on if you have any concerns about someone landing on top of you. The tower will alert the proper people to come out and take care of the situation.

If the tower is not open and your radios work, make a call in the blind on CTAF to alert other pilots in the pattern. Next contact the AFSS and ask them to file a NOTAM and contact the airport manager through the emergency contact list. Stay with the aircraft or at the edge of the runway until the manager or security come to you. If you are not able to contact the AFSS, stay with the airplane or at the edge of the runway for about 10 to 15 minutes. Airport security should notice you and come to help. If they don't come in 15 minutes, walk to the nearest phone, not crossing other runways if possible, and call the AFSS as above. Tell AFSS where you are and what has happened. Wait there for airport security.

These are not hard and fast rules just some guide lines that should help in an already difficult situation.

Human Factors
San Diego accident statistics like those across the nation indicate that almost every accident has a Human Factor involved. As a pilot you might be thinking that an engine failure does not involve a human factor. But what about the AMT who worked on that engine. Did he or she make a mistake that caused the failure? If so, it is very possible that that mistake was a result of a human factor. What if the owner decided to save some money by using an unapproved part? This would probably have been caused by the "G" factor that Fred talks about regarding maintenance and unapproved parts. This is also a human factor. We will be talking about human factors this month at the Wings Seminars. Come out and tell us about your human factors situations.