AET AET Regulatory Compliance and Certification 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which FAA regulation requires that all avionics work performed on air carrier aircraft be inspected by a qualified inspector before return to service?
- 14 CFR Part 91.409
- 14 CFR Part 121.369 (Correct answer)
- 14 CFR Part 43.9
- 14 CFR Part 65.81
Correct answer: 14 CFR Part 121.369
14 CFR Part 121.369 requires air carriers to have an approved inspection program ensuring all maintenance, including avionics, is inspected before return to service.
Question 2: A Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for a new avionics installation specifies a specific antenna placement. A technician installs the antenna 2 inches from the approved location. This action constitutes a:
- Minor alteration requiring only logbook entry
- Major alteration requiring FAA Form 337 (Correct answer)
- Deviation acceptable within manufacturing tolerances
- No violation if the system passes bench testing
Correct answer: Major alteration requiring FAA Form 337
Deviating from STC installation instructions constitutes a major alteration requiring FAA Form 337, as the STC defines the approved data for the installation.
Question 3: Under 14 CFR Part 39, an Airworthiness Directive (AD) is legally classified as:
- A recommendation that operators should follow
- A Federal Regulation with the force of law (Correct answer)
- An advisory from the manufacturer only
- An optional upgrade program
Correct answer: A Federal Regulation with the force of law
Airworthiness Directives issued under 14 CFR Part 39 are Federal Regulations and must be complied with; non-compliance renders the aircraft unairworthy.
Question 4: When an avionics technician working for a Part 145 repair station signs off a completed repair, the Return to Service entry must include which of the following?
- The technician's A&P certificate number and expiration date
- The repair station certificate number and the name of the certifying technician (Correct answer)
- Only the repair station's certificate number
- The manufacturer's part number and the technician's employee ID
Correct answer: The repair station certificate number and the name of the certifying technician
14 CFR Part 43.9 requires the Return to Service entry to include the repair station's certificate number and the name of the person approving the work.
Question 5: Which RTCA standard is most commonly referenced for avionic software development and assurance in FAA-certificated aircraft?
- DO-160
- DO-178 (Correct answer)
- DO-254
- DO-297
Correct answer: DO-178
RTCA DO-178 (Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification) is the primary standard for developing and certifying airborne software.
Question 6: An FAA-certificated avionics technician may legally perform a major alteration on a certificated aircraft only if the work is performed in accordance with:
- Manufacturer's service manual only
- FAA-approved data such as an STC, AD, or FAA-approved engineering order (Correct answer)
- The technician's best professional judgment
- Any published aviation industry standard
Correct answer: FAA-approved data such as an STC, AD, or FAA-approved engineering order
Major alterations must be performed in accordance with FAA-approved data, which includes STCs, ADs, FAA-approved engineering orders, or other data acceptable to the FAA.
Question 7: Under 14 CFR Part 91.411, altimeter systems and altitude reporting equipment used in controlled airspace must be tested and inspected within the preceding:
- 6 calendar months
- 12 calendar months
- 24 calendar months (Correct answer)
- 36 calendar months
Correct answer: 24 calendar months
14 CFR Part 91.411 requires that altimeter systems and altitude reporting equipment be inspected and tested within the preceding 24 calendar months.
AET AET Regulatory Compliance and Certification 5
Which FAA regulation requires that all avionics work performed on air carrier aircraft be inspected by a qualified inspector before return to service?