Maintenance: General

Required Information and Documentation

To do any maintenance, the FARs require that you have the manufacturer's current maintenance instructions. These would include the airframe maintenance manual, the illustrated parts catalog, and other service publications such as service bulletins, service letters, etc. However the airframe manufacturer didn't make all the parts that are on the plane. The engine manufacturer has their own set of manuals, as do many accessory manufacturers. Having the manual for the magneto or the brakes and wheels is just as important when working on those accessories as is having the engine or airframe manuals.

That is a lot of manuals to locate, but fortunately, some suppliers are now offering their manuals on CD or even on the internet. One such forward thinking company is Parker-Hannifin, the makers of Cleveland Wheels and Brakes. They offer manuals in print, on CD, and on the web for their Parts Catalog and their Maintenance Manual.

Logbooks and Recording

The minimum requirements for logging work done on an aircraft or accessory is detailed in FAR 43.9. A log entry must include a brief description of the work performed, the date the work was completed, the name of the person that performed the work -- if different than the one making the log entry, the name, certificate number and type of the person making the entry and of course the signature, which the FAA says constitutes the approval for return to service.

Although we all think in terms of those little books that say "Aircraft Log Book" on the cover, the FAA does not actually require that we keep the records of the maintenance in a "log book". They can be a stack of loose sheets in a file folder, or even an electronic record -- like many of the airlines and the military use to track their maintenance.

For light planes its just easier to use the traditional log book, so that is how most owners of light planes manage their records.