Chapter 2
Regulations, Maintenance Forms, Records, & Publications
- Scope
- Referenced Documents
- Terminology
- Significance and Use
- Aircraft Maintenance Manual
- Line Maintenance, Repairs, and Alterations
- Heavy Maintenance, Repairs, and Alterations
- Overhaul
- Major Repairs and Alterations
- Task-Specific Training
- Safety Directives
- Keywords
The scope of that document is basically twofold:
- To provide guidelines for the qualification necessary to accomplish various levels of maintenance on LSA.
- To provide the content and structure of maintenance manuals for aircraft and their components that are operated as LSAs.
Some additional definitions from section 3, Terminology, that help to better explain the LSA concepts are:
- Annual condition inspection—defined as a detailed inspection accomplished once a year in accordance with instructions provided in the maintenance manual supplied with the LSA. The purpose of this inspection is to look for any wear, corrosion, or damage that would cause the LSA not to be in condition for safe operation.
- Heavy maintenance—any maintenance, inspection, repair, or alteration a manufacturer has designated that requires specialized training, equipment, or facilities.
- Line maintenance—any repair, maintenance, scheduled checks, servicing, inspections, or alterations not considered heavy maintenance that are approved by the manufacturer and is specified in the manufacturer’s maintenance manual.
- LSA repairman–inspection—a U.S. FAA-certified LSA repairman with an inspection rating per 14 CFR part 65. This person is authorized to perform the 100-hour/annual inspection of the aircraft that they own.
- LSA repairman–maintenance—a U.S. FAA-certified LSA repairman with a maintenance rating per 14 CFR part 65. This person is allowed to perform the required maintenance and can also accomplish the 100-hour/annual inspection.
- Major repair, alteration, or maintenance—any repair, alteration, or maintenance where instructions to complete the task are excluded from the maintenance manual.
- Minor repair, alteration, or maintenance—any repair, alteration, or maintenance where instructions to complete the task are included in the maintenance manual.
The 100-hour inspection is the same as the annual inspection, except for the interval of time. The requirements for whether or not the 100-hour inspection is applicable are exactly the same as the criteria for the standard 100-hour/annual required of non-LSA aircraft.
Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM)
Although these manuals do not require any FAA approval, the regulations do require that the manual be developed in accordance with industry standards. This ASTM sets that standard by requiring:
- General specifications to be listed, include capacities, servicing, lubrication, and ground handling
- An inspection checklist for the annual condition or 100-hour inspection
- A description of and the instructions for the maintenance, repair, and overhaul of the LSA engine
- A description of and the instructions for the maintenance, repair, and alteration of the aircraft’s primary structure
Other items that maintenance procedures must be provided for are:
- Fuel systems
- Propeller
- Utility system
- Instruments and avionics
- Electrical system
- Structural repair
- Painting and coatings
The Inspection, Repair, and Alterations section must specifically list any special tools and parts needed to complete the task, as well as the type of maintenance action (line, heavy, or overhaul) necessary to accomplish the activity. Directly associated with that information is the requirement to specify the level of certification needed to do the job (i.e., LSA repairman, A&P, or repair station). The manual may refer to existing FAA ACs.
Line Maintenance, Repairs, & Alterations
The minimum level of certification necessary to accomplish line maintenance is LSA inspection. Some typical tasks considered to be line maintenance are:
- 100-hour/annual condition inspection
- Servicing of fluids
- Removing and replacing components when instructions to do so are provided in the maintenance manual
- Batteries
- Fuel pump
- Exhaust
- Spark plugs and wires
- Floats and skis
- Repair or alteration of components when specific instructions are provided in the maintenance manual
- Patching a hole in the fabric
- Installation of a strobe light kit
Heavy maintenance, repairs, and alterations must be accomplished by either a certified mechanic (A or P or A&P) or an LSA repairman—maintenance who has received additional “task specific” training. Some examples of this would be the removal and replacement of complete engine, cylinder, piston and valve assemblies; primary flight controls; and landing gear.
Heavy repair of components or structure can be accomplished when instructions are provided in the maintenance manual or other service directed instructions. A few examples of this activity are:
- Repainting of control surfaces