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Annual Inspections

DickB

Member
I have always performed annual inspections on my RV12, and will continue to do so. However, out of curiosity, I was looking at the FAR's for any specific guidance, and as I read it, (91.409, paragraph (c)), it is not required for experimental light sport. Am I interpreting this correctly? Or, is it required by the manufacturer (Van's) for continued airworthiness (43.16) in the operating limitations? Or, should I go to the hanger and look at the operating limitations for guidance.
 
Copied from the EAA website

What is a Condition Inspection?
A condition inspection is the equivalent of an "annual" for a type certificated aircraft. Although FAR Part 43 specifically states that it does not apply to experimental airworthiness certificates, the operating limitations on your homebuilt will include the following (or something similar):

No person shall operate this aircraft unless within the preceding 12 calendar months it has had a condition inspection performed in accordance with the scope and detail of appendix D to part 43, or other FAA-approved programs, and found to be in a condition for safe operation. This inspection will be recorded in the aircraft maintenance records. Condition inspections shall be recorded in the aircraft maintenance records showing the following or a similarly worded statement: "I certify that this aircraft has been inspected on (insert date) in accordance with the scope and detail of appendix D to part 43 and found to be in a condition for safe operation." The entry will include the aircraft total time in service, and the name, signature, certificate number, and type of certificate held by the
person performing the inspection.

Who can perform a Condition Inspection?
The inspection can be performed by any licensed A&P mechanic, an FAA Approved Repair Station, or by the builder of the airplane provided the builder obtains a "Repairman's Certificate" from the FAA. Note that unlike an annual for a type certificated aircraft, the A&P mechanic does NOT have to have his/her "Inspection Authorization".

Who can maintain a Homebuilt?
FAR Part 43 specifically states that the rules of that part do not apply to amateur-built airplanes. Therefore, any maintenance on an experimental airplane can be performed virtually by anyone regardless of credentials. (This does not apply to the condition inspection previously discussed). Let common sense be your guide as to what maintenance you conduct yourself.

When does the condition inspection expire on my homebuilt?
The answer depends on the wording of your aircraft's operating limitations. In the vast majority of the cases, the operating limitations require that a condition inspection have been completed and recorded in the aircraft records within the preceding 12 calendar months. The word "calendar" is key, as this means that the condition inspection runs through the end of the 12th month. For example, a condition inspection was completed and recorded in the aircraft records on 06/15/2014 would be in force through 06/30/2015 (i.e. through the end of June).

In rare cases, the operating limitations require the condition inspection to have been completed within the preceding 12 months. The absence of the word "calendar" means that the condition inspection would expire at the end of exactly 12 months (i.e., on the date of the previous inspection), rather than at the end of the 12th month. This situation is not common, but does exist. Homebuilt aircraft owners should check their operating limitations to verify the condition inspection requirements.
 
OK, thanks for the explanation Keldog. I always thought it was required, but was confused by what I read in Part 91. I have to say that I haven't read my operating limitations recently, but will look at them again.
 
Note post 2 refers to aircraft certified as EAB. Light Sport has different rules, I?m not up to date on them but you can find them.
 
However, out of curiosity, I was looking at the FAR's for any specific guidance, and as I read it, (91.409, paragraph (c)), it is not required for experimental light sport.

The actual text for 91.409 is

do not apply to -

(1) An aircraft that carries a special flight permit, a current experimental certificate, or a light-sport or provisional airworthiness certificate


I am pretty sure that in this case the light-sport is talking about SLSA (note it doesn't say experimental light-sport)

ELSA is experimental and falls under the current experimental certificate.
This FAR (and the fact that FAR 43 doesn't apply to experimental) is the reason that the inspection requirement is written back in via an aircraft's operating limitations.
So, yes, your operating limitations are the guidance for your aircraft.
 
In regards to :

"Who can perform a Condition Inspection?
The inspection can be performed by any licensed A&P mechanic, an FAA Approved Repair Station, or by the builder of the airplane provided the builder obtains a "Repairman's Certificate" from the FAA. Note that unlike an annual for a type certificated aircraft, the A&P mechanic does NOT have to have his/her "Inspection Authorization"."

I don't think is correct for ELSA aircraft. As far as I know, the FAA will not grant a repairman certificate for aircraft certified under ELSA rules. You either have to be a licensed A&P or have passed the 16 hour course to inspect your ELSA.

If it is an SLSA, you would need the same as above, plus the 120 hour course, if you want to do maintenance, since it isn't experimental.
 
After taking the 16 hr course the certificate that is issued is called a Light Sport Repairman - Inspector certificate
 
The SLSA repairman course is 120 hours. The ELSA course is 16 hours. You still have to apply to the FAA for the certificate based on the course completion.
 
Is this for SLSA and ELSA? I would think that if you built a ELSA you could get a repairmans certificate.

The 16 hr course gets you a Light Sport Repairman - Inspector certificate to use for inspecting an ELSA that you own.
A 120 hr course gets you a Light Sport Repairman-Maintenance certificate. That allows doing any work beyond the general items allowed for an owner and condition inspections on SLSA's.
 
So, regard less of whether he built or bought this LSA, if he didn't take the course required, his inspections aren't valid and the plane is unairworthy?
 
So, regard less of whether he built or bought this LSA, if he didn't take the course required, his inspections aren't valid and the plane is unairworthy?

Every aircraft that holds a special airworthiness certificate (including all experimental and SLSA aircraft) will have operating limitations as a part of the airworthiness certificate. Those operating limitations will contain the requirement for inspections and who is authorized to perform such inspections. Typically, the inspection interval will be 12 calendar months. But as has been mentioned previously, this is not universal so you must read your operating limitations to verify the requirements.

Now, for amateur-built and ELSA, the operating limitations will contain the ability for a person holding the appropriate repairman certificate to perform the condition inspection. Who is eligible for these repairman certificates will vary between amateur-built and ELSA.

For amateur-built, only the "original primary builder" is eligible for the repairman certificate for that aircraft. Who can qualify as the "original primary builder" is the subject for a different discussion. The point here is that there's no way for anyone other than the original primary builder to gain the repairman certificate for that aircraft. If you're not the original primary builder, the common choice is to have an A&P mechanic perform the inspection.

For ELSA, a person who is the "OWNER" of the aircraft must attend and successfully complete a 16 hour course of instruction in order to gain the appropriate repairman certificate. This is true whether you are the builder of the ELSA or not. Even if you built it, you must successfully complete the course in order to gain the repairman certificate. The benefit here is that subsequent owners of the aircraft are also eligible for a repairman certificate for that aircraft after completion of the course. So an ELSA is attractive for a second or subsequent owner from this perspective.

In any case, if someone is performing condition inspections on an experimental aircraft without the appropriate repairman (or A&P) certificate, the inspections are not valid and the aircraft is not legal to fly.
 
Just to clarify - if you build or buy an RV-12 ELSA, you may do any and all maintenance on your plane. You may not however sign off the annual condition inspection unless you have taken the 16 hour course and obtained a LSRI certificate from the FAA.

If you do not want to do this, then you will need to get an A&P or a LSRM to perform the condition inspection.
 
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As an owner of a RV-12, then if you are the 2nd or later owner of an E-AB build, then, unless you already HAVE your A&P, or the 120 hr course, you will be paying annually for someone else with a valid A&P to do your annual inspections.

Any idea how many hours an A&P will spend doing an annual and what it would cost a potential owner considering buying a used E-AB RV-12? Concerned more about how much it adds to the cost of annual operations for budgeting purposes.
 
Regardless of any education or courses taken, the person signing the
logbook for the condition inspection of any E-AB or E-LSA aircraft must hold a
repairman's certificate or A&P certificate. The certificate is issued by the FAA
and looks similar to a pilot's license.
Anyone may work on or maintain an E-AB or E-LSA aircraft, even a young
teenager whose only experience is using a cell phone.
 
Regardless of any education or courses taken, the person signing the
logbook for the condition inspection of any E-AB or E-LSA aircraft must hold a
repairman's certificate or A&P certificate. The certificate is issued by the FAA
and looks similar to a pilot's license.
Anyone may work on or maintain an E-AB or E-LSA aircraft, even a young
teenager whose only experience is using a cell phone.

Security is a little tight at the airports I frequent, the teenagers getting into the hangar areas is a unheard of nowadays since 9-11, compared to the 1970's and 1980's where you could hang out at an airfield and learn a lot.
 
As an owner of a RV-12, then if you are the 2nd or later owner of an E-AB build, then, unless you already HAVE your A&P, or the 120 hr course, you will be paying annually for someone else with a valid A&P to do your annual inspections.

Any idea how many hours an A&P will spend doing an annual and what it would cost a potential owner considering buying a used E-AB RV-12? Concerned more about how much it adds to the cost of annual operations for budgeting purposes.

There is quite a difference between an E-AB RV-12 and an ELSA RV-12. Most RV-12s are ELSA. Is that what you mean?
 
Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe you need to take a 120 hr course to get your A&P Certificate? Someone here, set me straight.

The 120 hour course is for a Light Sport Repairman Certificate with a Maintenance rating. The A&P certificate requires far more training and experience.

The 120 hour repairman certificate course has nothing to do with amateur-built aircraft. It does not apply. It only relates to SLSA and ELSA aircraft.
 
There is quite a difference between an E-AB RV-12 and an ELSA RV-12. Most RV-12s are ELSA. Is that what you mean?

Most are built exactly to plan, and then certified for airworthiness. Which is my understanding what makes them Experimental Light Sport Aircraft.

Experiment Amateur Build, the builder can make all kinds of modifications in the build, such that the plane is a one off, or a custom build, that only the builder knows everything on what was put into it, changes made, modifications that occurred during the build, before the plane was certified.

The second owner might not know what to check during annuals if they buy an E-AB build, there aren't exactly blueprints for everything in the build, before it's certified.

You buy a E-LSA and if you get the blueprints that came with the plane, it should be exactly built to the plans. You get a known quantity with an E -LSA. You don't know everything you are getting with a E-AB build. Perhaps, that's why it takes a more experienced A&P to do your annuals on a E-AB.

I would think that talking with someone smart and knowledgeable at your local EAA chapter could help sort things out better on the differences.
 
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The 120 hour course is for a Light Sport Repairman Certificate with a Maintenance rating. The A&P certificate requires far more training and experience.

The 120 hour repairman certificate course has nothing to do with amateur-built aircraft. It does not apply. It only relates to SLSA and ELSA aircraft.

Thank you , Joe!
 
The often refered to 120 hr course is the course taken to get a Light Sport Repairman - Maintenenace certificate.
It is the minimum certification required for maintaining (other than the simple preventative maint. that owners are allowed to do) and inspecting (annual or 100 Hr condition inspections) an SLSA.

It is not the same as an A&P certificate for working on type certificated aircraft.
 
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You buy a E-LSA and if you get the blueprints that came with the plane, it should be exactly built to the plans. You get a known quantity with an E -LSA.

Not necessarily true........

Once an ELSA has received its airworthiness certificate, it can be legally modified... even extensively, as long as the modifications do not cause any changes that would make it no longer meet the qualifying requirements to be an LSA (higher stall speed or cruise speed than allowed, etc.)
 
Most are built exactly to plan, and then certified for airworthiness. Which is my understanding what makes them Experimental Light Sport Aircraft.

Not automatically. Even if the aircraft is built 100% in accordance with the instructions, the builder/applicant has the option of certificating the aircraft as either ELSA or amateur-built. There are pluses and minuses to each choice. True, a large percentage of the RV-12s built to the instructions get certificated as ELSA, but it is not automatic or required.
 
There is quite a difference between an E-AB RV-12 and an ELSA RV-12. Most RV-12s are ELSA. Is that what you mean?

When buying pre-owned RV-12 it is important to check Airworthiness Cert to see how it is registered with the FAA (EAB, E-LSA, or S-LSA). Don't take seller's word - need to check documentation.
 
The 16 hr course gets you a Light Sport Repairman - Inspector certificate to use for inspecting an ELSA that you own.
A 120 hr course gets you a Light Sport Repairman-Maintenance certificate. That allows doing any work beyond the general items allowed for an owner and condition inspections on SLSA's.
I built my RV12 ELSA. I went to the FAA office and after a short question and answer period received my "Repairman Light Sport Aircraft" "Certificate". No 16 hour course. I just reconfirmed with our local FAA-DAR this is all I need to complete my annual condition inspections.
 
I built my RV12 ELSA. I went to the FAA office and after a short question and answer period received my "Repairman Light Sport Aircraft" "Certificate". No 16 hour course. I just reconfirmed with our local FAA-DAR this is all I need to complete my annual condition inspections.

Then you experienced what is fairly common within the FAA... someone issued you the certificate without having a full understanding of what was required.

I suggest you look at it carefully and make sure it is a Light Sport Repairman - Inspector certificate
 
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