Airframe Mechanic Certification Airframe Inspection Procedures 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is a condition that would require an Airworthiness Directive (AD) to be complied with before flight?
- An expired ELT battery (Correct answer)
- An inoperative cabin reading light in a Part 91 aircraft
- A placard that has faded but is still legible
- A non-functioning ADF receiver with no MEL
Correct answer: An expired ELT battery
An expired ELT battery is typically addressed by an AD requiring compliance; ADs are mandatory and must be complied with to maintain airworthiness.
Question 2: When performing an inspection using a borescope, what is the primary advantage over direct visual inspection?
- It provides ultraviolet fluorescence for crack detection
- It allows internal inspection of areas inaccessible without disassembly (Correct answer)
- It measures exact crack depths electronically
- It replaces the need for radiographic inspection in all cases
Correct answer: It allows internal inspection of areas inaccessible without disassembly
A borescope allows visual examination of enclosed or inaccessible spaces such as fuel tanks, wing interiors, and structural tubes without disassembly.
Question 3: What is the significance of an asterisk (*) notation on an FAA-approved aircraft weight and balance report?
- It indicates the item is optional equipment
- It denotes items that are included in the licensed empty weight (Correct answer)
- It indicates a discrepancy requiring immediate maintenance action
- It marks fuel quantities that are unusable
Correct answer: It denotes items that are included in the licensed empty weight
Items marked with an asterisk on a weight and balance report are typically included in the licensed empty weight calculation.
Question 4: During an annual inspection, a mechanic finds that a required placard is missing from the cockpit. What action must be taken before returning the aircraft to service?
- Note it in the logbook and advise the owner to order a replacement
- The aircraft may fly until the next 100-hour inspection
- Replace or reproduce the placard with the correct information per the TCDS or AFM (Correct answer)
- Apply a temporary written note in the same location
Correct answer: Replace or reproduce the placard with the correct information per the TCDS or AFM
Required placards are part of the type design; a missing placard must be replaced with one that meets the approved data before returning the aircraft to service.
Question 5: An inspection reveals that a wing attachment bolt has been replaced with one of the same diameter but made of a lower-grade material. This condition represents:
- A minor alteration requiring Form 337 only
- Acceptable if the bolt fits properly and passes torque
- A major structural discrepancy and a type design non-conformity (Correct answer)
- An acceptable substitution if the bolt is AN standard
Correct answer: A major structural discrepancy and a type design non-conformity
Using a lower-grade bolt in a structural joint deviates from the approved type design and compromises structural integrity, constituting a major discrepancy.
Question 6: When inspecting a pressurized fuselage for fatigue cracks, which location is considered highest risk and should receive the most attention?
- The area adjacent to the nose baggage door
- Around window and door cutouts and skin lap joints (Correct answer)
- Along the lower fuselage belly skin only
- At the tailcone attachment ring
Correct answer: Around window and door cutouts and skin lap joints
Stress concentrations at window frames, door cutouts, and skin lap joints make these areas the most fatigue-critical zones in a pressurized fuselage.
Question 7: A mechanic discovers an Airworthiness Directive that applies to the aircraft being inspected but has never been complied with. The AD has a compliance time that has already passed. What must happen?
- The aircraft may continue flying until the next scheduled maintenance
- Compliance must be accomplished before the aircraft is returned to service (Correct answer)
- The owner must apply for an exemption within 30 days
- The mechanic signs off the inspection and notes the overdue AD as a squawk
Correct answer: Compliance must be accomplished before the aircraft is returned to service
An overdue mandatory AD means the aircraft is not airworthy; compliance must be completed before the aircraft is approved for return to service.
Airframe Mechanic Certification Airframe Inspection Procedures 5
Which of the following is a condition that would require an Airworthiness Directive (AD) to be complied with before flight?