The aircraft inspection procedure is key to maintaining the airplane's airworthiness, safety, efficiency, and performance. Failing to inspect your aircraft regularly leads to a decrease in its effectiveness and gradual deterioration of its vital components, especially the engine.
While inspections can be costly and time-consuming, they're increasingly vital in the life cycle of every aircraft to enhance performance. During the inspection process, the aircraft maintenance technicians need to make significant decisions about what type of products to utilize in maintaining an airplane.
Here, we'll discuss some of the vital things every aircraft operator must know about the aviation inspection process:
Registering Your Aircraft With Concerned Aviation Authority
After purchasing an aircraft, the very first thing to do is immediately get your airplane registered with your concerned aviation authority (Transport Canada Civil Aviation TCCA for Canada and Federal Aviation Administration for the United States). You must also comply with all the airworthiness directives as provided by your concerned aviation authority.
Taking Aircraft Inspection As A Continuous Process
Aircraft inspection is an ongoing process - from pre-purchase airplane examinations to those that happen over the lifetime of the aircraft, inspections, by no means, are a one-time task. The following are some of the significant aircraft inspections you should expect to conclude in order to meet your concerned aviation authority's requirements:
- Pre-purchase Inspections: Before buying an aircraft, make sure that the plane has been inspected by an expert aircraft technician who can discover hidden issues and offer valuable advice on the overall quality of your next aircraft
- Annual Inspections: Your aircraft must be inspected every year via authorized aircraft mechanics - a special ferry permit is needed if you've to move your plane to another airport for inspection outside the said time frame
- 100-House Inspection: This type of aircraft inspection is required for any airplane that carries flight instructors offering flight instructions to a potential hire
- Progressive Inspection: This kind of aircraft inspection can be used as an alternative to the annual review which allows an overnight inspection of specific segments of annual inspection
Following Manufacturer's Manual For Basic Inspections
One of the most significant features of the inspection procedure is the usage of different publications to inform and provide guidance about the entire inspection process. The manual provided by the aircraft manufacturer often consists of fundamental instructions on how to perform the inspection procedure.
Checking Out Aviation Authority's Updates
You must also pay close attention to periodic releases and updates from your concerned aviation authority to stay up-to-date on all the latest aircraft inspection requirements.
Documentation Is Key To The Inspection Process
Checklists and logbooks are also practical tools that can be utilized in the inspection process to ensure that each inspection is carried out on a timely basis and that each inspection step is well-documented. Both pilots and technicians should make full use of these logbooks to record all inspections, parts replacements, maintenance tasks, and expected repairs.
Performing Special Inspections For Specific Equipment
Besides conducting annual and routine inspections, there are specific aircraft systems that may need special attention. For example, the altimeter mechanism that displays an airplane's altitude above sea level should be inspected no less than two years. Also, the transponder should also be inspected every two years to check for overall efficiency and possible data errors.
Acorn Welding is a professional aircraft maintenance company and crucial aircraft parts manufacturer based in Canada. Visit our website to explore a range of our expert products and services or contact us for personalized care.
