CFI-to-CFI Newsletter - Volume 10 Issue 3 - 17

CFI TIPS
I'VE FOUND THAT IN AVIATION, AND IN LIFE,
THE LESSONS THAT HAVE THE MOST LASTING
IMPRESSION ON ME ARE THE ONES IN WHICH I'VE
HAD AN ACTIVE ROLE (FOR BETTER OR WORSE!).

When I was in school, my favorite part of science
class was the lab work, where I could discover for
myself-through experiments-what the books
stated in theory.
That desire for hands-on learning followed
me to my flight training program. And that's
the reason why one of the only concerns I had
when becoming a pilot was the reliance on other
people to maintain the aircraft. Sure, I would
do thorough preflight inspections, but a deeper
understanding of the mechanics was missing.
And I don't identify as "mechanically inclined,"
so even knowing the right questions to ask
was sometimes far beyond my comfort zone. I
thought my only choice was to blindly trust the
mechanic. But I've since discovered that there is
another way-and it's just like in science class.
Get your hands dirty!
It's one thing to read or hear about a concept,
and another thing altogether to witness it or
participate in it. As CFIs, we teach the skills

and knowledge needed to safely fly an aircraft,
including how the systems of the aircraft
operate. The preflight inspection, if done
correctly and thoroughly, requires the pilot
or student to have a broad knowledge of the
machine she's examining. But the understanding
should go far beyond the preflight checklist. The
pilot in command is responsible for determining
the airworthiness of the aircraft she is going to
fly, so she must have a clear understanding of
the parameters in which the aircraft must be
maintained in order to be airworthy. But how
often do any of us perform the hands-on work
alongside our student and local A&P?
Per FAR 43.3(g), "the holder of a pilot
certificate...may perform preventive
maintenance on any aircraft owned or operated
by that pilot..." This is one of those valuable
teaching moments that, as CFIs, we should
excitedly seek out. The numerous lessons that
will be learned are going to benefit the student
not only on the ground when she's determining
whether the aircraft is safe to fly, but also in
the air. Although mechanical-related accidents
account for only 16 percent of all general aviation
accidents and 8 percent of fatal accidents-
AOPA Air Safety Institute's Joseph T. Nall

IT'S ONE THING TO READ OR HEAR ABOUT A CONCEPT, AND ANOTHER THING
ALTOGETHER TO WITNESS IT OR PARTICIPATE IN IT.

Report (airsafetyinstitute.org/nall)-a pilot
with a working knowledge of the aircraft's
mechanics will be better equipped to safely
manage a mechanical in-flight emergency.
FAR Part 43, Appendix A (http://bit.ly/
FARPart43) lists 31 maintenance tasks that
pilots may legally perform (look for section (c)-
Preventive Maintenance). Inspections aren't on
the list-that's limited to certificated mechanics,
with an IA authorization if performing an
annual-but there are items associated with
inspections and routine maintenance that pilots
can do to participate. The key is to understand
which tasks an owner/operator may perform, and
then teach that to your student. Ger her involved
with the maintenance being conducted on the
airplane she flies. Or any other airplane, for that
matter.
To be clear, I'm not suggesting that any of
this should be a surprise to your A&P. Make
arrangements with him in advance to gain his
permission and ensure you're in sync about the
goals of the lesson and what will be taught. It
would be ideal if the A&P is willing to answer
questions from your student while you work.
http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/nall http://www.bit.ly/FARPart43 http://www.bit.ly/FARPart43
CFI-to-CFI Newsletter - Volume 10 Issue 3

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