Get FinancingAAI: FAA Requirements For Aircraft Component Maintenance
This post is courtesy of Aircraft Accessories International.
If you’re an aircraft owner, in a flight club, or even a shared partner in an aircraft in the United States, understanding maintenance requirements is critical to ensuring safety and regulatory compliance. Aircraft owners should pay attention to TBO (Time Between Overhaul) recommendations from manufacturers. These guidelines help decide which aircraft parts need overhauling. This is important for keeping the aircraft reliable and safe to fly.
In this article, we’ll discuss the different regulations required of part 135 operators and part 91 operators (general aviation). Some operators are not required to comply with the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance programs and have more flexibility with TBO, but there are best practices to keep in mind.
Part 135 Operator Aircraft Component Maintenance Requirements
In the United States, part 135 operators are required to comply with the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance programs, including TBO recommendations. This means they must adhere to the manufacturer’s specified intervals for engine and component overhauls.
Part 91 Operator Aircraft Component Maintenance Requirements
Part 91 operators (general aviation) are not mandated to adhere to TBOs in the same way as part 135 operators. While manufacturers provide TBO recommendations, part 91 operators have more flexibility in maintenance scheduling and can choose to exceed TBO if they choose to do so, as long as the aircraft remains airworthy.
Part 135 operators are bound by the manufacturer’s TBO recommendations, whereas part 91 operators have more discretion in following them.
Here is the list of required maintenance for part 91 operators according to the Code of Federal Regulations:
- The aircraft must have an annual inspection (and 100-hour inspections if required).
- All airworthiness directives must be complied with.
- The Airworthiness Limitation Section of a manufacturer’s manual or Instructions for Continued Airworthiness must be complied with.
- The aircraft must be maintained in an airworthy condition.
Learn more about overhaul requirements under part 91 from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Aircraft Part Maintenance for Beechcraft Bonanza and Baron Aircraft
For operators of Beechcraft Bonanza and Baron planes, failing to keep your plane properly maintained can cause safety issues and more costs down the line. You might not be required to adhere to all the regulations that a commercial aircraft is, but just because you’re not required to follow manufacturer’s recommendations for component overhauls doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do so.
In chapter 5 of Beechcraft’s maintenance manual, you can find a detailed overhaul and replacement schedule for its components. Beechcraft has time limits and events where critical overhaul and replacement is required and has less critical parts listed as “on condition,” which basically means “as needed.”
How AAI Can Help with Aircraft Component Maintenance for Beechcraft Planes
AAI can perform overhaul and maintenance services for several different components:
Aircraft Part |
Requirement |
|---|---|
Landing Gear Actuators (White) |
Overhaul or replace every 4,000 hours |
Landing Gear Actuators (Gray or Green) | Overhaul or replace every 2,000 hours |
Retract Motor | Overhaul or replace every 2,000 hours |
Starter | Inspect at engine overhaul, overhaul or replace on condition |
Magneto | Inspect every 500 hours and overhaul at engine overhaul or every 4 years |
Flap Actuator | Overhaul or replace every 2,000 hours |
Flap Flexible Shafts | Overhaul or replace every 2,000 hours |
Fuel Selector Valve | Overhaul or replace every 10 years |
AAI Provides FAA Certified Repairs and Inspections on Beechcraft Bonanza and Baron Aircraft
No task is insignificant when maintaining your aircraft components in a condition fit for flight.
Detailed, thorough, and expert work is required to get the job done the right way. At AAI, we know your ultimate goal is to get your plane fixed so you can fly. That’s why we go above and beyond to help you avoid extra costs by creating repairs and manufacturing the parts on your aircraft that are prone to corrosion and wear, like landing gear components.
Beechcraft component repair and overhaul requires quick turnaround times. You don’t want a hangar full of planes propped up on jacks, creating a traffic jam for everyone trying to maneuver around them. AAI completes landing gear inspections and repairs in-house so that parts get turned around quickly and you can return your aircraft to normal operation.
Do you have questions about AAI’s process or available parts? Contact us for more information and be sure to sign up for our Frequent Flyers Email Newsletter to get our articles, updates about industry events, and links to our favorite online content delivered right to your inbox every month.