(4) The assembly and disassembly of propellers to the extent necessary to permit:

(i) Assembly of propellers partially disassembled for shipment and not requiring the use of balancing equipment;

(ii) The accomplishment of routine servicing and inspection;

(iii) Replacement of parts other than those which normally require the use of skilled techniques, special tools and test equipment. (Reference see § 18.30-1 (a).)

(5) Balancing of fixed pitch and ground adjustable propellers.

(6) Refinishing of wood propellers.

(d) Appliance minor repairs. Any repair to an appliance which would not be defined as a major appliance repair under § 18.1-1 (d) or preventive maintenance under § 18.1-6 is considered to be a minor appliance repair.

[Supp. 1, 18 F. R. 7388, Nov. 21, 1953, as amended by Supp. 3, 19 F. R. 4185, July 9, 1954]

§ 18.1-6 Preventive maintenance (FAA interpretations which apply to § 18.1).

The following are considered to be typical preventive maintenance operations:

Removal, installation, and repair of landing gear tires.

Replacing of elastic shock absorber cords on landing gear.

Servicing landing gear shock struts by adding oil and/or air.

Servicing landing gear wheel bearings, such as cleaning and greasing.

Replacing defective safety wiring or cotter keys.

Any lubrication not requiring disassembly other than removal of nonstructural cover plates, cowlings, fairings, etc. Making simple fabric patches not requiring

rib stitching or the removal of structural parts or control surfaces.

Replenishing hydraulic fluid in hydraulic reservoir.

Refinishing decorative coating of fuselage, wings, and tail group surfaces (excluding balanced control surfaces), fairings, cowling, landing gear, cabin or cockpit interior not requiring removal or disassembly of any primary structure or operation system such as hydraulic or fuel system. Applying preservative or protective material to components where no disassembly of primary structure or operation systems is involved, such as seaplane preservation (paralkatone to control cables, etc.), anticorrosive paint to structures or components where such coating is not prohibited or is not contrary to good practices.

Cabin or cockpit interior work (repairing upholstery and decorative furnishings) which does not require disassembly of any primary structure or operation system or interfere with an operating system or affect primary structure of the aircraft. Small simple repairs to fairings, nonstructural cover plates, cowlings, such as drilling stop holes (section 18.30), small patches and reinforcements not making any change to contour where such change would interfere with proper air flow. Replacing of side windows where such work does not interfere with structure or any operating system such as controls, electrical equipment, etc. Replacing of safety belts.

Replacing of seats or seat parts wth replacement parts approved for the aircraft, not involving disassembly of any primary structure or operating system.

Trouble shooting and repairing broken circuits in landing light wiring circuits. Replacing of bulbs, reflectors, and lenses of position and landing lights. Replacing of wheels and skis where no weight and balance computation is involved. Replacing of any cowling not requiring removal of the propeller or any disconnecting of flight controls.

Replacing or cleaning and setting of spark plug gap clearance.

Replacing of any hose connection except hydraulic connections.

Replacing prefabricated fuel lines.
Cleaning fuel and oil strainers.
Replacing of batteries and checking fluid
level and specific gravity.

The removal and installation of glider wings and tail surfaces which are specifically designed for quick removal and installation when such removal and installation can be accomplished by the pilot.

[Supp. 1, 18 F.R. 7389, Nov. 21, 1953, as amended by Supp. 10, 23 F.R. 5378, July 16, 1958]

GENERAL

§ 18.10 Persons authorized to perform maintenance, preventive maintenance, repairs, and alterations.

No person shall perform maintenance, preventive maintenance, repairs, or alterations on certificated aircraft coming within the applicability of this part or on any component thereof, except as provided as follows:

NOTE: The Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Federal Communications Commission require that all transmitter adjustments or tests during or coincident with the installation, servicing, or maintenance of a radio station licensed by the Federal Communications Commission which may affect the proper operation of such station shall be made by or under the immediate supervision and responsibility of a person holding a

first or second-class radio operator license issued by the Federal Communications Commission, either radiotelephone or radiotelegraph as may be appropriate for the class of station concerned, who shall be responsible for the proper functioning of the station equipment.

(a) A certificated mechanic or a person who works under the direct supervision of such mechanic may perform maintenance, repairs, and alterations on aircraft or aircraft components including related appliances, appropriate to his rating, but excluding major repairs and alterations to propellers and all repairs and alterations to instruments.

(b) An appropriately rated repair station may perform maintenance, repairs, and alterations on aircraft or aircraft components, including propellers and appliances, as provided in Part 52 of this subchapter.

(c) A certificated pilot may perform, on aircraft owned or operated by him, except aircraft used in air carrier service, such preventive maintenance as may be authorized by the Administrator.

(d) A manufacturer shall be subject to the requirements of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, except that he may rebuild or alter:

(1) Any product manufactured by him under a type or production certificate, or

(2) Any product manufactured by him and approved under the terms of a Technical Standard Order or Product and Process Specification issued by the Administrator.

(e) An appropriately certificated air carrier may perform maintenance, repairs, and alterations on aircraft or aircraft components, including propellers and appliances, as provided for in its continuous airworthiness maintenance and inspection program and its maintenance manual. It may also perform maintenance, repairs, and alterations on any aircraft or aircraft components, including propellers and appliances, owned or operated by another air carrier as provided for in the applicable continuous airworthiness maintenance and inspection program and maintenance manual of such other air carrier.

(f) A certificated commercial operator may perform maintenance, repairs, and alterations on its own aircraft or aircraft components, including propellers and appliances, as provided for in its continuous airworthiness mainte

nance and inspection program and its maintenance manual.

[21 F.R. 4863, June 30, 1956, as amended by Amdt. 18-1, 22 F.R. 1631, Mar. 14, 1957]

§ 18.10-1

Persons authorized to perform maintenance, repairs, and alterations (FAA interpretations which apply to § 18.10(a)).

Direct supervision means that the supervising mechanic personally maintains such observation of the work being performed as is necessary to insure that the work is being performed properly, and the supervising mechanic is readily available in person for consultation with the person performing the work. [Supp. 1, 18 F.R. 7389, Nov. 21, 1953] § 18.11

Persons authorized to approve maintenance, repairs, and alterations.

NOTE: Section 43.21 of this subchapter requires that when an aircraft has undergone any repair or alteration which may have appreciably changed its flight characteristics or substantially affected its operation in flight, such aircraft, prior to carrying passengers, shall be test flown.

(a) Maintenance, minor repairs, and minor alterations. Except for preventive maintenance performed as authorized in § 18.10 (c), which shall not require approval, no airframe, powerplant, propeller, or appliance which has undergone maintenance, minor repair, or minor alteration may be approved and returned to service except by one of the following: (1) An appropriately rated certificated mechanic; or

(2) An appropriately rated certificated repair station; or

(3) An appropriately certificated air carrier; or

(4) A manufacturer, if the product has been rebuilt or altered by the manufacturer under the provisions of § 18.10 (d); or

(5) A certificated commercial operator.

(b) Major repairs and major alterations. No airframe, powerplant, propeller, or appliance, which has undergone any major repair or major alteration shall be returned to service until such repair or alteration has been examined, inspected, and approved as airworthy by one of the following:

NOTE: A major repair or major alteration whose design has not previously been approved by the Administrator may require the

submittal of technical data and/or flight tests in order to establish compliance with the applicable airworthiness provisions. Examples of such major alterations for which it would be desirable to contact a representative of the Administrator prior to accomplishment of the alteration are given in Civil Aeronautics Manual 18. See also § 1.25 of this subchapter.

(1) An authorized representative of the Administrator; or

(2) An appropriately rated certificated repair station, if the work has been performed by such repair station in accordance with a manual, specification, or other technical data approved by the Administrator; or

(3) A manufacturer, if the product has been rebuilt or altered by the manufacturer under the provisions of § 18.10 (d) and in accordance with a manual, specification, or other technical data approved by the Administrator; or

(4) An appropriately certificated air carrier, if the work has been performed by such air carrier in accordance with a manual, specification, or other technical data approved by the Administrator; or

(5) An appropriately rated certificated repair station, a manufacturer, or an appropriately certificated air carrier, if the product has been approved under the terms of a Technical Standard Order and the work is performed in accordance with data furnished by the product manufacturer which he asserts meet the terms of the Technical Standard Order;

or

(6) A certificated commercial operator, if the work has been performed on aircraft listed in the operating certificate of that operator and has been performed in accordance with a manual, specification, or other technical data approved by the Administrator; or

(7) A certificated mechanic holding both airframe and powerplant ratings when authorized by the Administrator in accordance with the provisions of Part 24 of this subchapter, if the work has been performed in accordance with a manual, specification, or other technical data approved by the Administrator.

[21 F.R. 4863, June 30, 1956, as amended by Amdt. 18-1, 22 F.R. 1631, Mar. 14, 1957] § 18.11-1 Return to service (FAA interpretations which apply to § 18.11).

An airframe, powerplant, propeller, or appliance which has undergone mainte

nance, repair or alteration is considered returned to service when it has been determined airworthy by a person authorized to approve maintenance, repairs or alterations under § 18.11, and:

(a) Appropriate aircraft record entries have been made and approved by a person authorized under § 18.11 (a).

(b) The repair and alteration form authorized or furnished by the Administrator has been properly executed and approved by a person authorized under § 18.11 (b).

[Supp. 1, 18 F. R. 7389, Nov. 21, 1953] § 18.11-2 Contacting FAA_representative prior to alteration (FAA policies which apply to § 18.11).

Before the following major alterations are undertaken, they should be discussed with a representative of the Administrator who is authorized to approve them.

(a) Major changes to the basic design of the wings or control surfaces.

(b) Changes which may affect the aerodynamic characteristics, flight behavior, or control of the aircraft.

(c) Major alterations of any primary structure that require structural substantiation.

(d) Installation of a fuel tank in a wing which was not designed to contain a fuel tank.

(e) Replacing of fabric covering with metal or impregnated glass cloth (see § 18.30-3 (f) and (g)).

(f) Installation of an engine other than listed in the aircraft specifications.

(g) Installation of a propeller model not listed on the pertinent FAA aircraft specification.

(h) Converting from landing gear with tail wheel to a tricycle-type landing gear, such installation not listed on the FAA aircraft specification.

(1) Previously unapproved changes to engine adjustments and settings having an effect on power output, such as changes in carburetor settings and ignition timing.

(j) Changes to air intake, airscoop, or carburetor heat valve, or carburetor heat air system which may alter intake air flow, affect fuel metering, or change mixture distribution pattern.

(k) Changes to exhaust system which may increase back pressure and thereby

decrease power output or reduce reliability.

(1) Changes reducing strength of power-plant components, such as adding openings in cowl or engine mount structure, cutting down edge distances on mounting flanges, increasing exhaust system overhang on exhaust parts, etc. (m) Change in location or direction of motion of powerplant controls.

(n) Changes which might adversely influence the aerodynamic effect of the powerplant, such as adding or changing cowl flaps, increasing size of air inlets or outlets, or change in shape of cowling protuberances, etc.

(0) Powerplant changes which result in a change in c. g. range.

(p) Changes affecting cooling of engine, such as baffle changes, addition of holes in cowling and baffle parts, placing of obstructions in air flow path, or restricting air inlet or outlet openings. Exhaust system changes which cause an increase in back pressure usually have an adverse effect on engine cooling.

(q) Changes adversely affecting fuel flow to the engine, such as adding restrictions in the form of fittings, longer or smaller lines, finer mesh screens, or valve substitutions; altering flow characteristics by changes in fuel system components.

(r) Major alterations to radio equipment approved under type certification or the TSO system which are not performed in accordance with a manual, specification, or other data approved by the Administrator, or with alteration data furnished by the manufacturer of an item under the TSO system.

[Supp. 1, 18 F. R. 7390, Nov. 21, 1953, as amended by Supp. 3, 19 F. R. 4185, July 9, 1954; Supp. 5, 20 F.R. 7535, Oct. 8, 1955; Supp. 7, 22 F.R. 600, Jan. 30, 1957]

§ 18.12 Persons authorized to perform and approve one-hundred-hour, periodic, and progressive inspections. (a) One hundred-hour inspection. No person shall perform and approve 100hour inspections except one of the following:

(1) Certificated mechanics who together hold airframe and powerplant ratings, or a certificated mechanic holding both such ratings; or

(2) An appropriately rated certificated repair station; or

(3) The manufacturer holding the type certificate for the aircraft and who is operating under an approved production inspection system or a production certificate.

(b) Periodic inspection. No person shall perform and approve periodic inspections except one of the following:

(1) A certificated mechanic holding both airframe and powerplant ratings when authorized by the Administrator in accordance with Part 24 of this subchapter; or

(2) An appropriately rated certificated repair station; or

(3) The manufacturer holding the type certificate for the aircraft and who is operating under an approved production inspection system or a production certificate.

(c) Progressive inspection. No person shall perform or supervise and approve progressive inspections except one of the following:

(1) A certificated mechanic holding both airframe and powerplant ratings when authorized by the Administrator in accordance with Part 24 of this subchapter; or

(2) An appropriately rated certificated repair station; or

(3) The manufacturer holding the type certificate for the aircraft and who is operating under an approved production inspection system or a production certificate.

NOTE: This section does not apply to persons engaged in the inspection and maintenance of aircraft operated in accordance with Part 40 or Part 41 of this subchapter or aircraft of more than 12,500 pounds maximum certificated take-off weight operated in accordance with the provisions of Part 42 of this subchapter.

[21 F. R. 4864, June 30, 1956]

§ 18.12-1 Appropriately rated and certificated repair station (FAA interpretations which apply to § 18.12). An appropriately rated and certificated repair station is a repair station holding either Class Airframe or Limited Airframe ratings appropriate to the make and model of aircraft to be inspected. [21 F. R. 3180, May 15, 1956]

§ 18.13 Aircraft operating limitations.

When a major repair or major alteration results in any change in the aircraft operating limitations or data contained in the approved airplane flight manual,

appropriate amendments to the aircraft operating limitations shall be made in the form and manner approved by the Administrator.

[21 F. R. 4864, June 30, 1956]

§ 18.13-1

Aircraft operating limitations (FAA policies which apply to § 18.13).

(a) Aircraft operating limitations are prescribed or approved by the FAA for each aircraft as part of the airworthiness certificate. Major repairs or alterations to the aircraft may render all or some of the operating limitations inapplicable. It is the responsibility of the person or agency authorized by § 18.11 (b) to approve and return to service aircraft which have been repaired or altered, to determine whether any of the operating limitations have been affected.

(b) The FAA has incorporated in the appropriate aircraft specifications the prescribed operating limitations for many of the common major aircraft alterations. In event the repair or alteration is not covered by an applicable FAA specification, the required limitations will be prescribed at the time the repair or alteration is submitted for approval. (See § 18.11 (b) note.)

(c) Prior to returning the aircraft to service, it should carry or display current operating limitations as set forth in § 43.10-1 of this chapter.

[Supp. 1, 18 F. R. 7390, Nov. 21, 1953] MAINTENANCE, REPAIR, AND ALTERATION RECORDS

§ 18.20

Required records and entries.

A permanent record of every maintenance (excepting preventive maintenance), repair, rebuilding, or alteration of any airframe, powerplant, propeller, or appliance shall be maintained by the owner (or in the case of an aircraft by the registered owner) in a logbook or other permanent record satisfactory to the Administrator, which shall contain at least the information specified in § 18.21. Entries in such records shall be made or caused to be made by the individual, repair station, air carrier, or manufacturer performing the work. [21 F. R. 4864, June 30, 1956]

§ 18.20-1 Flight time in aircraft record (FAA interpretations which apply to § 18.20).

A certificated mechanic performing a periodic inspection must make an

entry of the inspection in the aircraft record. Such entry, to be complete, must reflect the flight time or tachometer reading at the time of the inspection.

[Supp. 1, 18 F. R. 7390, Nov. 21, 1953]

§ 18.21 Content of repair and alteration records.

The record of all maintenance, repair, rebuilding, and alteration of any airframe, powerplant, propeller, or appliance or the installation or removal of an appliance shall contain the information set forth in paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section:

(a) An adequate description of the work performed;

(b) The date of completion of the work performed;

(c) The name of the individual, repair station, manufacturer, or air carrier performing the work; and

(d) The signature, and if a certificated mechanic or certificated repairman the certificate number, of the person approving as airworthy the work performed and authorizing the return of the aircraft or component to service.

[21 F. R. 4864, June 30, 1956]

§ 18.21-1 Scope of repair and alteration records (FAA interpretations which apply to § 18.21 (a)).

(a) Section 18.21(a) requires that the repair and alteration records contain an adequate description of the work performed. In lieu of describing in detail the work performed, reference may be made to data previously approved by the Administrator. In all cases, the entry should identify the type of work performed and the component repaired or altered. An example of such an entry could be: "Spliced rear spar, left wing outboard of strut fitting in accordance with figure 2-3 of CAM 18."

(b) The replacement of components, except those described in § 18.1-6 (preventive maintenance), with new, rebuilt or repaired components of similar design is a minor repair. An entry of this replacement should be made in the permanent record referred to in § 18.20. When the component was rebuilt or repaired by a certificated repair station or the manufacturer of the component and installed by another person, the installing agency should include in the description required by § 18.21 (a) a statement identifying the repair station or manu