Flight Manuals and Other Documents

hours for the purpose of traveling to a location at which the An expiration date for replacing (or recharging) the battery required inspection can be performed. Any excess time used must be legibly marked on the outside of the transmitter for this purpose must be included in computing the next 100 and entered in the aircraft maintenance record. This does hours of time in service. not apply to batteries that are essentially unaffected during storage intervals, such as water-activated batteries. Other Inspection Programs The annual and 100-hour inspection requirements do not Preflight Inspections apply to large (over 12,500 pounds) airplanes, turbojets, or The preflight inspection is a thorough and systematic means turbopropeller-powered multi-engine airplanes or to aircraft by which a pilot determines if an aircraft is airworthy and in for which the owner complies with a progressive inspection condition for safe operation. POHs and owner/information program. Details of these requirements may be determined manuals contain a section devoted to a systematic method by referencing 14 CFR, part 43, section 43.11 and 14 CFR of performing a preflight inspection. part 91, subpart E, or by inquiring at a local FSDO. Minimum Equipment Lists (MEL) and Altimeter System Inspection Operations With Inoperative Equipment Under 14 CFR, part 91, section 91.411, requires that the Under 14 CFR, all aircraft instruments and installed equipment altimeter, encoding altimeter, and related system must be are required to be operative prior to each departure. When the tested and inspected within the 24 months prior to operating in FAA adopted the minimum equipment list (MEL) concept for controlled airspace under instrument flight rules (IFR). This 14 CFR part 91 operations, it allowed aircraft to be operated applies to all aircraft being operated in controlled airspace. with inoperative equipment determined to be nonessential for safe flight. At the same time, it allowed part 91 operators, Transponder Inspection without an MEL, to defer repairs on nonessential equipment Title 14 CFR, part 91, section 91.413, requires that before within the guidelines of part 91. a transponder can be used under 14 CFR, part 91, section 91.215(a), it shall be tested and inspected within the 24 The FAA has two acceptable methods of deferring months prior to operation of the aircraft regardless of airspace maintenance on small rotorcraft, non-turbine powered restrictions. airplanes, gliders, or lighter-than-air aircraft operated under part 91. They are the deferral provision of 14 CFR, part 91, Emergency Locator Transmitter section 91.213(d) and an FAA-approved MEL. An emergency locator transmitter (ELT) is required by 14 CFR, part 91, section 91.207, and must be inspected within The deferral provision of 14 CFR, part 91, section 91.213(d) 12 calendar months after the last inspection for the following: is widely used by most pilot/operators. Its popularity is due • Proper installation to simplicity and minimal paperwork. When inoperative equipment is found during a preflight inspection or prior to • Battery corrosion departure, the decision should be to cancel the flight, obtain • Operation of the controls and crash sensor maintenance prior to flight, or to defer the item or equipment. • The presence of a sufficient signal radiated from its Maintenance deferrals are not used for inflight discrepancies. antenna The manufacturer’s AFM/POH procedures are to be used in those situations. The discussion that follows assumes that The ELT must be attached to the airplane in such a manner the pilot wishes to defer maintenance that would ordinarily that the probability of damage to the transmitter in the event be required prior to flight. of crash impact is minimized. Fixed and deployable automatic type transmitters must be attached to the airplane as far aft Using the deferral provision of 14 CFR, part 91, section as practicable. Batteries used in the ELTs must be replaced 91.213(d), the pilot determines whether the inoperative (or recharged, if the batteries are rechargeable): equipment is required by type design, 14 CFR, or ADs. If • When the transmitter has been in use for more than 1 the inoperative item is not required, and the aircraft can be cumulative hour safely operated without it, the deferral may be made. The inoperative item shall be deactivated or removed and an • When 50 percent of the battery useful life or, for INOPERATIVE placard placed near the appropriate switch, rechargeable batteries, 50 percent of useful life of the control, or indicator. If deactivation or removal involves charge has expired 9-9