SportPilot and preventative maintenance.

[Nefj40]

Ryan's thread finally got me to the point of asking this question.

How do you legally take care of, and fly a Taylorcraft on a SportPilot cert. when you don't have a A&P? Rules are rules. The way I've read everything, you better not get caught airing up a tire or changing the oil.

S-LSA and E-LSA have their own program, as does a PP with a aircraft with a Standard Airworthiness Certificate. Have I missed a Reg. somewhere?

[M Towsley]

Re: SportPilot and preventative maintenance.

It is absolutely stupid and needs to be changed. I know ATP's who are lucky to know the pointy end goes forward yet they can do preventative maintenance on their planes. Sport pilots cannot. I hope this gets changed someday. It is like learning to fly on less hours, which really isn't the case, makes you unable to maintain your airplane.

I have heard of sport pilots who change their oil, etc., and just have a trusted A&P check the work and sign the book. May not help you, though.

I plan on petitioning EAA and AOPA to address this.

[Nefj40]

Re: SportPilot and preventative maintenance.

It is absolutely stupid and needs to be changed. I know ATP's who are lucky to know the pointy end goes forward yet they can do preventative maintenance on their planes. Sport pilots cannot. I hope this gets changed someday. It is like learning to fly on less hours, which really isn't the case, makes you unable to maintain your airplane.

I have heard of sport pilots who change their oil, etc., and just have a trusted A&P check the work and sign the book. May not help you, though.

I plan on petitioning EAA and AOPA to address this.

Was it done on purpose, or are our Overlords really that stupid? That seams to be one heck of a brain fart. How many retirees, or soon to be, let their PP medical lapse and fly champs, t-crafts, cubs..etc. I bet it's hundreds if not thousands. I also bet most think they still operate on a PP for maintenance, when by the rules, that don't matter.

[Guest]

Re: SportPilot and preventative maintenance.

Where is an oil change defined as preventative maintance?

I have never seen that, can someone show where that is?

I bet not.

Dave

[M Towsley]

Re: SportPilot and preventative maintenance.

Not sure about PP acting as a Sport Pilot. They seem to have different requirements when stepping 'down' to Sport Pilot.

[M Towsley]

Re: SportPilot and preventative maintenance.

Just posting the pertinent info, not arguing on the oil change though it is covered about oil strainers/filters under preventative maintenance.

FAR 43.3 (g) Except for holders of a sport pilot certificate, the holder of a pilot certificate issued under part 61 may perform preventive maintenance on any aircraft owned or operated by that pilot which is not used under part 121, 129, or 135 of this chapter. The holder of a sport pilot certificate may perform preventive maintenance on an aircraft owned or operated by that pilot and issued a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category.

So, if you fly a legacy aircraft like Taylorcraft, Cub, Aeronca, etc., that can be flown under Sport Pilot you cannot perform preventative maintenance. But if you own a new-build light sport airplane you can. Make sense???

[stearman3]

Re: SportPilot and preventative maintenance.

Check the appendix to FAR 43, that covers Preventive Maint. I'm pretty sure it's there.

Where is an oil change defined as preventative maintance?

I have never seen that, can someone show where that is?

I bet not.

Dave

[Pearson]

Re: SportPilot and preventative maintenance.

....I know ATP's who are lucky to know the pointy end goes forward yet they can do preventative maintenance on their planes....

Hey, hey, hey......., there are some ATP's on this forum. Hopefully, they know a little more than that the pointy end goes forward. But you bring up a good point. The rule needs to be changed.

[M Towsley]

Re: SportPilot and preventative maintenance.

Hey Richard, I'm not kidding. I know one guy in particular whose total knowledge of firewall forward is that when he turns the key the engine should start. Just scary. Yet I, who has been wrenching on all sorts of vehicles since I was in my early teens, cannot do P/M on my plane.

Remember, some ATP's look at it like "They have people for that",(maintenance that is).

[Guest]

Re: SportPilot and preventative maintenance.

Check the appendix to FAR 43, that covers Preventive Maint. I'm pretty sure it's there.

Its not.

[Guest]

Re: SportPilot and preventative maintenance.

Just posting the pertinent info, not arguing on the oil change though it is covered about oil strainers/filters under preventative maintenance.

FAR 43.3 (g) Except for holders of a sport pilot certificate, the holder of a pilot certificate issued under part 61 may perform preventive maintenance on any aircraft owned or operated by that pilot which is not used under part 121, 129, or 135 of this chapter. The holder of a sport pilot certificate may perform preventive maintenance on an aircraft owned or operated by that pilot and issued a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category.

So, if you fly a legacy aircraft like Taylorcraft, Cub, Aeronca, etc., that can be flown under Sport Pilot you cannot perform preventative maintenance. But if you own a new-build light sport airplane you can. Make sense???

Good reference and good to know. I confess that I never paid attention to that. Thanks Marty.

[Pearson]

Re: SportPilot and preventative maintenance.

Remember, some ATP's look at it like "They have people for that",(maintenance that is).

Hey Marty, just having a little fun with you. I guess it depends on who is paying for the maintenance. If you are using your ATP to make a living, you do have "people for that", and you have to use them. But when it comes to my Taylorcraft, I like to be the one that does as much as possible. I agree with you that the reg needs to be changed when it comes to doing maintenance on your own bird.

[Nefj40]

Re: SportPilot and preventative maintenance.

I wasn't pointing out the specifics of what can and can't be done, I was pointing out the fact that you aren't allowed to touch anything on your aircraft when operating with a sport pilot cert. With all the bad information being passed around since the LSA/SP rules came into effect, there has got to be a lot of people operating legacy aircraft outside of the regulations. I personally know of a couple, and they're totally unaware of it. I know I was, until a post I found when using the search function in here made me question everything I had been told (even by an Instructor at a College.) That's when I found what Marty posted above. The fore mentioned Instructor had the same revelation I did when I sat him down in front of the computer and showed him.

Just to make it clear why this is such big deal to me, there are no mechanics at my airport. I have to pay a A&P to drive 60 miles round-trip to replace that missing cotter pin on the upper pilots side door hinge bolt. (that's hourly plus mileage)

[cvavon]

Re: SportPilot and preventative maintenance.

#6 in Preventive Maintenance says, Lubrication not requiring disassembly other then removal of nonstructural items such as cover plates,cowlings and fairings. # 23 Cleaning or replacing fuel and OIL strainers or filter elements. Now in my simple mind Lubrication is oil in a engine and strainers and filters are also part of a OIL CHANGE so in my FAR BOOK that is a oil change NO I/A NECESSARY.

[M Towsley]

Re: SportPilot and preventative maintenance.

Hey Richard, I know! It does amaze me how many regular 'ole pilots are out there who really are not aware of what makes their airplane tick, and not just the engine.

I am lucky in that I can do a lot of the work and I have an A&P/IA right across the field who will monitor my work. I buy him lunch, etc., and that is good enough for him. Plus it helps I am good friends with his employer. He is a great guy who likes airplanes. But, this P/M thing needs to get changed.