ASI Aircraft Airworthiness Inspection 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under 14 CFR Part 39, what is an Airworthiness Directive (AD)?
- A voluntary service bulletin issued by the manufacturer to improve aircraft performance
- A legally enforceable regulation requiring correction of an unsafe condition in a type-certificated product (Correct answer)
- An FAA advisory circular recommending but not requiring specific maintenance actions
- A manufacturer's warranty requirement for maintaining aircraft in serviceable condition
Correct answer: A legally enforceable regulation requiring correction of an unsafe condition in a type-certificated product
Airworthiness Directives are legally enforceable regulations issued under 14 CFR Part 39 to correct unsafe conditions in type-certificated products.
Question 2: An ASI finds that a recurring AD on an aircraft engine was last complied with 400 hours ago, and the AD requires compliance every 300 hours. What is the aircraft's airworthiness status?
- Airworthy, as long as no mechanical problems are evident
- Not airworthy due to non-compliance with a mandatory Airworthiness Directive (Correct answer)
- Conditionally airworthy pending an engine borescope inspection
- Airworthy if the operator obtains an alternate means of compliance (AMOC)
Correct answer: Not airworthy due to non-compliance with a mandatory Airworthiness Directive
Failure to comply with a recurring AD within the specified interval renders the aircraft not airworthy, as ADs are mandatory federal regulations.
Question 3: When an ASI encounters a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB), what action is required of the aircraft operator?
- Immediate compliance is required as SAIBs carry the same legal force as ADs
- No mandatory action is required — SAIBs are informational and non-mandatory (Correct answer)
- Compliance must be documented on FAA Form 337 within 30 days
- The SAIB must be incorporated into the aircraft's approved maintenance program
Correct answer: No mandatory action is required — SAIBs are informational and non-mandatory
SAIBs are non-mandatory informational documents that provide safety-related information but do not require compliance unlike Airworthiness Directives.
Question 4: An aircraft owner requests a Special Flight Permit to fly an unairworthy aircraft to a maintenance facility. Under 14 CFR §21.197, which condition would disqualify the aircraft from receiving this permit?
- The aircraft has an expired annual inspection
- The aircraft presents a hazard to persons or property in flight or on the ground (Correct answer)
- The aircraft requires a part that will take more than 30 days to obtain
- The aircraft's airworthiness certificate has been suspended for more than 60 days
Correct answer: The aircraft presents a hazard to persons or property in flight or on the ground
14 CFR §21.197 specifies that a Special Flight Permit cannot be issued if the aircraft presents a hazard to persons or property, as the permit is only for aircraft that can still be safely operated for a specific limited purpose.
Question 5: During an inspection, an ASI discovers the aircraft's compass has not been swung (calibrated) after several avionics installations. What regulation governs compass calibration requirements?
- 14 CFR §91.205 — required instruments for VFR/IFR flight
- 14 CFR §43 Appendix D — scope and detail of annual inspections (Correct answer)
- 14 CFR §91.413 — ATC transponder tests and inspections
- 14 CFR §43.13 — performance rules for maintenance
Correct answer: 14 CFR §43 Appendix D — scope and detail of annual inspections
14 CFR Part 43, Appendix D specifies that the magnetic compass calibration (compass swing) is a required item in the scope of an annual inspection.
Question 6: An ASI finds that an aircraft has a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) modification installed, but the aircraft logbook shows the STC data package is missing. What is the most serious airworthiness concern?
- The STC holder's warranty is void without the data package on board
- The modification cannot be verified as properly approved and installed per the STC, potentially making the aircraft not airworthy (Correct answer)
- The aircraft loses its ability to operate under IFR until the data package is located
- Only the weight and balance data needs to be present, not the full STC package
Correct answer: The modification cannot be verified as properly approved and installed per the STC, potentially making the aircraft not airworthy
Without the STC data package, the ASI cannot verify the modification was installed in accordance with its approved data, which is a fundamental airworthiness concern.
Question 7: Which section of 14 CFR defines what constitutes a 'major repair' versus a 'minor repair' for aircraft?
- 14 CFR §43.1 — applicability
- 14 CFR Part 43, Appendix A — major alterations, major repairs, and preventive maintenance (Correct answer)
- 14 CFR §91.409 — inspection requirements
- 14 CFR §65.95 — privileges and limitations of inspection authorizations
Correct answer: 14 CFR Part 43, Appendix A — major alterations, major repairs, and preventive maintenance
14 CFR Part 43, Appendix A provides the list and criteria that distinguish major repairs and major alterations from minor ones.
ASI Aircraft Airworthiness Inspection 3
Under 14 CFR Part 39, what is an Airworthiness Directive (AD)?