IA Special Airworthiness Certificates & Major Alterations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a Special Airworthiness Certificate - Experimental (EAB) and what limitation does it carry?
- It allows any pilot to fly the aircraft commercially for compensation
- It is issued for amateur-built aircraft and limits operations to non-commercial purposes (Correct answer)
- It is a temporary certificate valid for 90 days pending standard certification
- It allows the aircraft to exceed its standard category gross weight by 10%
Correct answer: It is issued for amateur-built aircraft and limits operations to non-commercial purposes
An Experimental Amateur-Built (EAB) certificate is issued to amateur-constructed aircraft and prohibits commercial carriage of persons or property for compensation.
Question 2: Can an IA perform an annual inspection on an experimental amateur-built aircraft?
- Yes, with no restrictions
- No, only the builder or an FAA inspector may inspect experimental aircraft
- Only if the aircraft was built in the last 10 years
- An IA may perform the inspection if the owner cannot, or the owner may perform their own condition inspection (Correct answer)
Correct answer: An IA may perform the inspection if the owner cannot, or the owner may perform their own condition inspection
For experimental amateur-built aircraft, the builder (owner) is typically authorized to perform their own condition inspection, but an IA may also be used if the owner chooses not to or is not available.
Question 3: What is the correct term for the inspection required annually on an experimental amateur-built aircraft instead of a formal 'annual inspection'?
- Annual inspection
- Condition inspection (Correct answer)
- Owner maintenance inspection
- Continuing airworthiness inspection
Correct answer: Condition inspection
Experimental aircraft require a 'condition inspection' rather than an annual inspection, performed in accordance with the FAA-accepted inspection procedures.
Question 4: What is a field approval, and under what circumstance would an IA seek one?
- An approval granted by the airport manager for hangar maintenance
- An FAA approval, via the FSDO, for a repair or alteration for which no approved data exists (Correct answer)
- An automatic approval given when the maintenance is done per AC 43.13-1B
- An oral approval from an FAA inspector that does not require written documentation
Correct answer: An FAA approval, via the FSDO, for a repair or alteration for which no approved data exists
A field approval is obtained from the FSDO when an IA needs to perform a major repair or alteration and there is no existing STC, manufacturer data, or other approved data to use.
Question 5: When approving a major repair on an aircraft using data from AC 43.13-1B, what must the IA determine first?
- That the AC is current and not superseded by a newer AC
- That the manufacturer has not issued contrary data that would take precedence over the AC (Correct answer)
- That the repair cost does not exceed the aircraft's current market value
- That the aircraft owner has given written consent for major repairs
Correct answer: That the manufacturer has not issued contrary data that would take precedence over the AC
AC 43.13-1B is acceptable only when no manufacturer repair data exists; if the manufacturer has issued repair instructions or limitations, those take precedence.
Question 6: What is the IA's responsibility when an aircraft has a major alteration that was not recorded on FAA Form 337?
- Approve the aircraft with a note that the alteration pre-dates Form 337 requirements
- Disapprove the aircraft for return to service until the alteration is properly documented or removed (Correct answer)
- Estimate the alteration date and create a backdated Form 337
- Continue the inspection and defer the paperwork issue to the next annual
Correct answer: Disapprove the aircraft for return to service until the alteration is properly documented or removed
An unrecorded major alteration means the aircraft lacks required documentation; the IA must disapprove return to service until the alteration is documented with proper FAA approval or reversed.
IA Special Airworthiness Certificates & Major Alterations 2
What is a Special Airworthiness Certificate - Experimental (EAB) and what limitation does it carry?