Ive always been fond of pointing out one of the most dangerous things in personal aviation is a private pilot with a #2 Phillips screwdriver. Thats because Ive occasionally come across the aftermath of an owner who tried but failed to accomplish a simple inspection or maintenance task without the proper knowledge, tools or training. Too often, the results demanded a “real” mechanic to come in and 288
Owner-Performed Maintenance
Ive always been fond of pointing out one of the most dangerous things in personal aviation is a private pilot with a #2 Phillips screwdriver. Thats because Ive occasionally come across the aftermath of an owner who tried but failed to accomplish a simple inspection or maintenance task without the proper knowledge, tools or training. Too often, the results demanded a "real" mechanic to come in and fix the mess. And, while Ive tried to do as much preventive maintenance on my airplane as I can, Ive often gotten in over my head and needed some professional assistance, too.Thankfully, the FAA still allows certificated pilots to work on their aircraft, performing some relatively mundane tasks.
Key Takeaways:
- Pilots attempting aircraft maintenance without adequate knowledge, proper tools, or specific training risk causing damage and creating bigger problems than they solve.
- Safe and effective owner-performed preventive maintenance critically relies on using the correct specialized tools, current manufacturer's maintenance manuals, FAA Advisory Circulars, and adherence to proper torque specifications.
- Gaining hands-on experience and training, ideally through owner-assisted annual inspections with a certified A&P mechanic, is invaluable for pilots to correctly perform allowed maintenance tasks, understand their aircraft, ensure safety, and potentially reduce ownership costs.
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