Owner Maintenance

[mulwyk]

My understanding of the Canadian Owner Manintenance Category follows. If I have this wrong, please correct me.

1. The Canadians objective was to allow vintage aircraft to be restored and maintained similar to experimental aircraft.
2. This in response to owners concerns about "spiraling cost and lack of availablility of certified parts and expertise"
3. Owners (who have a pilots license) can:
# maintain their aircraft and sign the logs
# do annual inspections and sign for return to service
# overhaul, refurbish, or rebuild any part of the aircraft
# install uncertified parts
# do the work himself or hire someone
4. Major repairs and alterations must cite "acceptable data"
* manufacturers drawings and methods
* STC's for that type or other types
* AC43.13
* industry standards, accepted practice, or recognized authorities
5. The owner cannot:
> change to a turbocharged or turboprop engine, or retractable gear
> modify the aircraft to more than 4 seats
> increase the gross weight
6. Owners may install non-certified floats designed for the homebuilt market and may sign off seasonal conversion from wheels to floats

Comments, please

Bob Gustafson

[Grant S. Bailey]

Re: Owner Maintenance

Bob,

You have summed it up quite accurately. A few other points to note:

An owner maintenance aircraft operates under a Special Certificate of Airworthiness. Data plates have to be permanently marked with an X following the model number and serial numbers. Converting an owner maintenance aircraft back to certified is very difficult. The aircraft engine, propeller, and primary flight instruments have to be overhauled by an approved maintenance organization. The aircraft systems and equipment must be inspected for conformity to type design, and a maintenance release has to be signed by an appropriately rated engineer.

Most owners who convert think the decision through carefully and are willing to live with the above. However one big drawback is that the category is not recognized in countries other than Canada. In other words, owner maintenance aircraft are not allowed to fly out of the country. This is one limitation many owners find hard to accept when experimental aircraft are recognized and can be flown into the USA!

[mulwyk]

Re: Owner Maintenance

Grant:
Thanks for the feedback.
It sounds like we will be getting some sort of owner maintenance category here in the USA sometime soon. It makes sense to have vintage aircraft at least on an equal footing with the experimentals!

Bob Gustafson