Airworthiness Requirements

Objective

Upon completion of this lesson, the student will demonstrate knowledge of helicopter airworthiness requirements per FAA-S-ACS-15 PH.I.B by:

• Locating and describing required aircraft certificates and their expiration dates
• Explaining required inspections and logbook documentation requirements
• Identifying Airworthiness Directives and Special Airworthiness Information Bulletins
• Describing procedures for obtaining special flight permits
• Explaining owner/operator and pilot-in-command responsibilities
• Identifying pilot-performed preventive maintenance items
• Determining equipment requirements for day and night VFR flight
• Applying procedures for operating with inoperative equipment using MEL/KOEL
• Evaluating airworthiness in given scenarios

Content

Required Aircraft Certificates and Documentation (14 CFR 91.203)

Every helicopter must have four required documents aboard during flight, remembered by the acronym “ARROW”:

• Airworthiness Certificate (never expires unless revoked)
• Registration Certificate (expires every 3 years)
• Radio Station License (if operating internationally)
• Operator’s Manual/Flight Manual
• Weight and Balance Data

The airworthiness certificate must be displayed in the aircraft where it’s visible to passengers and crew. Registration certificates issued after October 1, 2010, expire 3 years from the last day of the month they were issued.

Required Inspections and Logbook Documentation (14 CFR 91.409)

Helicopters operated under Part 91 must receive:

• Annual Inspection (every 12 calendar months) per 14 CFR 91.409(a)
• 100-hour Inspection if used for flight instruction or rental per 14 CFR 91.409(b)

The 100-hour inspection may be exceeded by up to 10 hours for positioning flights to reach a maintenance facility. However, this overage reduces the next inspection interval.

Required logbook entries must include:

• Date of inspection
• Aircraft total time in service
• Signature, certificate number, and kind of certificate held by person performing inspection
• Statement that aircraft was inspected IAW 14 CFR Part 43, Appendix D

Airworthiness Directives and Special Airworthiness Information Bulletins

Airworthiness Directives (ADs) are regulatory mandates issued by the FAA to address unsafe conditions. They are:

• Legally enforceable under 14 CFR 39.3
• Must be complied with before further flight unless otherwise specified
• Recorded in aircraft logbooks with compliance method and date
• Available through the Federal Register and FAA website

Special Airworthiness Information Bulletins (SAIBs) are advisory in nature and provide information about unsafe conditions that may exist or develop.

Special Flight Permits (14 CFR 21.197)

Special flight permits allow aircraft that don’t meet airworthiness requirements to fly for specific purposes:

• Flying to a base where maintenance will be performed
• Delivering or exporting aircraft
• Production flight testing
• Evacuating aircraft from danger areas

Applications are made to the local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) with proposed flight itinerary and purpose.

Owner/Operator and Pilot-in-Command Responsibilities

Owner/Operator responsibilities (14 CFR 91.403):

• Ensure aircraft is maintained in airworthy condition
• Have required inspections performed
• Ensure compliance with all ADs
• Maintain aircraft records

Pilot-in-Command responsibilities (14 CFR 91.7, 91.9, 91.103):

• Determine aircraft airworthiness before flight
• Ensure required documents are aboard
• Comply with operating limitations
• Be familiar with all available information concerning the flight

Pilot-Performed Preventive Maintenance (14 CFR 43.3, Appendix A)

Private pilots holding appropriate certificates may perform limited preventive maintenance including:

• Servicing landing gear wheel bearings
• Replacing defective safety wiring or cotter keys
• Lubrication not requiring disassembly
• Replenishing hydraulic fluid in shock struts
• Refinishing decorative coating when removal is not required

All work must be recorded in aircraft logbooks per 14 CFR 43.9.

Equipment Requirements for Day and Night VFR Flight

Day VFR Equipment (14 CFR 91.205(b)):

• Airspeed indicator
• Altimeter
• Magnetic direction indicator
• Tachometer for each engine
• Oil pressure gauge for each reciprocating engine
• Temperature gauge for each liquid-cooled engine
• Oil temperature gauge for each air-cooled engine
• Manifold pressure gauge for each altitude engine
• Fuel gauge indicating quantity in each tank
• Landing gear position indicator
• Anti-collision light system
• Safety belts

Night VFR Additional Equipment (14 CFR 91.205(c)):

• Position lights
• Anti-collision lights
• Landing light (if operated for hire)
• Adequate source of electrical energy
• Spare fuses if accessible in flight

Operating with Inoperative Equipment

When equipment becomes inoperative, pilots must determine if flight can continue legally using this hierarchy:

1. Required by 14 CFR 91.205 - Flight cannot continue
2. Required by Airworthiness Directives - Flight cannot continue
3. Required by Type Certificate Data Sheet or Supplements - Check MEL/KOEL
4. Required by equipment list in aircraft manual - Check MEL/KOEL

Minimum Equipment List (MEL) is an FAA-approved document specific to an aircraft that allows operation with certain equipment inoperative under specified conditions.

Kinds of Operations Equipment List (KOEL) in the manufacturer’s manual specifies equipment required for different types of operations.

When no MEL exists and equipment not required by regulation fails, it may be inoperative if:

• Deactivated or removed per 14 CFR 43.9
• Placarded “Inoperative”
• Maintenance recorded per 14 CFR 43.9

Risk Management: Inoperative Equipment Discovered Prior to Flight

Discovering inoperative equipment creates risks requiring assessment:

• Operational Impact: How does the failure affect flight safety and capability?
• Legal Compliance: Can the flight be conducted legally?
• Weather Considerations: Does the failure limit weather minimums or capabilities?
• Mission Completion: Can the flight purpose be accomplished safely?
• Chain of Events: Could the failure lead to additional complications?

The pilot must make a go/no-go decision based on regulatory compliance, safety margins, and mission requirements. When in doubt, consult maintenance personnel or the Flight Standards District Office.

Schedule

Equipment

• Sample helicopter (Robinson R22, R44, or similar)
• Current aircraft logbooks and maintenance records
• FAA-H-8083-21B Helicopter Flying Handbook
• 14 CFR Parts 21, 39, 43, 61, 91
• Current Airworthiness Directives database printout
• Sample MEL (if available for aircraft type)
• Aircraft Flight Manual/Pilot’s Operating Handbook
• Maintenance discrepancy log
• Placarding materials and examples
• Whiteboard or flip chart for diagrams

Instructor Actions

1. Introduce lesson objectives and explain the critical relationship between airworthiness and flight safety
2. Guide student to aircraft and demonstrate location of required ARROW documents
3. Show student how to verify certificate expiration dates and explain consequences of expired documents
4. Review aircraft logbooks and point out annual/100-hour inspection entries
5. Demonstrate how to calculate inspection due dates and explain 10-hour grace period limitations
6. Show student how to research Airworthiness Directives using FAA database
7. Point out AD compliance entries in aircraft logbooks and explain recurring vs. one-time ADs
8. Explain difference between ADs (mandatory) and SAIBs (advisory) using real examples
9. Describe special flight permit application process and provide FSDO contact information
10. Contrast owner/operator responsibilities with pilot-in-command duties using specific scenarios
11. Review list of pilot-performed preventive maintenance items and show sample logbook entries
12. Walk through aircraft pointing out required day VFR equipment per 14 CFR 91.205(b)
13. Explain additional night VFR equipment requirements and show lighting systems
14. Demonstrate MEL/KOEL usage if available, or explain concept using aircraft manual
15. Show proper placarding procedure for inoperative equipment
16. Present scenario with discovered inoperative equipment and guide decision-making process
17. Emphasize risk assessment factors when equipment becomes inoperative before flight
18. Practice airworthiness determination scenarios with student making decisions
19. Review common airworthiness discrepancies and their solutions
20. Assess student knowledge through questioning and scenario evaluation

Student Actions

• Locate and identify all required aircraft documents
• Verify certificate expiration dates and explain consequences of expired documents
• Calculate inspection due dates from logbook entries
• Research sample Airworthiness Directive and explain compliance requirements
• Distinguish between mandatory ADs and advisory SAIBs
• Explain when special flight permits would be required
• Describe owner/operator vs. pilot-in-command responsibilities
• Identify allowable pilot preventive maintenance tasks
• Locate and identify all required day VFR equipment on aircraft
• Identify additional night VFR equipment requirements
• Apply MEL/KOEL procedures to inoperative equipment scenarios
• Demonstrate proper placarding procedure for inoperative equipment
• Analyze inoperative equipment scenarios and make go/no-go decisions
• Assess risks associated with discovered equipment failures
• Evaluate overall aircraft airworthiness in given scenarios

Completion Standards

The student demonstrates satisfactory performance when they can:

• PH.I.B.S1: Locate and describe helicopter airworthiness and registration information including all ARROW documents, their purposes, and expiration requirements per 14 CFR 91.203
• PH.I.B.S2: Determine the helicopter is airworthy in scenarios by verifying required inspections are current, all ADs are complied with, required equipment is operational or properly placarded, and aircraft is within operating limitations
• PH.I.B.S3: Apply appropriate procedures for operating with inoperative equipment by correctly using MEL/KOEL procedures, determining legal flight requirements per 14 CFR 91.205, and applying proper placarding and documentation requirements per 14 CFR 43.9
• Explain annual and 100-hour inspection requirements and calculate due dates within ±1 day
• Identify at least 5 pilot-performed preventive maintenance items per 14 CFR 43, Appendix A
• List all required day VFR equipment per 14 CFR 91.205(b) and additional night VFR requirements per 14 CFR 91.205(c)
• Demonstrate risk assessment procedures for inoperative equipment scenarios
• Make appropriate go/no-go decisions based on regulatory compliance and safety considerations

Performance meets standards of FAA-S-ACS-15 PH.I.B with no omissions or errors in regulatory interpretation or practical application.