Page 15 - Volume 17 Number 4

South Carolina takeoff crash of a nearly-new Learjet 60 some years ago was that a tire failure occurred near V1, rendering the aborted takeoff impossible to execute. To guard against the danger of underinflation, an airworthiness directive was issued by the FAA, requiring Learjet 60 pilots to check tire pressure before flight and take a training course on the subject. A small matter, but potentially life-threatening due to the stresses on heavily-loaded landing gear. In this case, more than a simple glance during walkaround was needed.Complying with a mandated safety bulletin requires a sign-off, as well as the stipulated action. One of the aircraft in our fleet has a periodic-compliance directive on a simple map light. I once ran afoul of a federal inspector who couldn’t find an entry in the paperwork attesting to the required inspection of said light. That the light was obviously operational and not hazardous was not his point; there was no signature bearing witness to meeting the provisions of the directive. Thus, the airplane wasn’t airworthy. We quickly produced the missing entry.Maintenance records also constitute part of the airworthiness check. An overdue inspection, required by regulation or continued-airworthiness standards, grounds the aircraft as solidly as a flat tire. Managing the maintenance schedule, along with booking trips and keeping crews available, isn’t easy, but it’s necessary to avoid operating illegally. A log of compliance with recurring requirements is as important for airworthiness as turning the wrench; if it isn’t documented, it isn’t done.Is the maintenance tech the one responsible for keeping the aircraft airworthy? Not entirely. The aircraft’s owner or operator is ultimately the one bearing responsibility; authority can be delegated, but responsibility cannot. Yes, a shop supervisor should catch an out-of-compliance item and obtain authorization to fix it, but even if he doesn’t, the owner or operator is still responsible. Hire reputable maintenance; airworthiness isn’t assured without it.As part of the continuing airworthiness program, any replacement parts installed must conform to the original item, or be certified as an improved, approved version. That means documentation must accompany the part, attesting to its authenticity and fitness for use. The volume and weight of this paperwork often exceeds that of the part it certifies. Terms like “bogus” or “suspected unapproved” applied to a part installed on your airplane negates the airworthiness of the whole aircraft. If it hasn’t got the paperwork, you can’t use it.Does all of this sound like an insurmountable task? For one person flying a highly-complex aircraft, it might very well be, but that’s the reason first-rate operations have a Director of Maintenance to assist their pilots in having an “airworthy” aircraft to fly, in every sense•of the word. Never assume it’s still airworthy just because it flew in from the last trip without incident or writeups. T&TAPRIL 2013TWIN & TURBINE • 13