We Specialize in Aging Aircraft Inspection per FAA Part 121.1105
To address aging aircraft concerns, Congress enacted Title IV of Public Law 102-143, the Aging Aircraft Safety Act of 1991 (the Act). This act was subsequently codified as § 44717 of Title 49 of the United States Code. The Act instructs the Administrator to prescribe regulations that ensure the continuing airworthiness of aging aircraft. The Act requires the Administrator to conduct inspections and review the maintenance and other records of each aircraft an air carrier uses to provide air transportation. The Act also requires the Administrator (FAA) to establish procedures for performing such inspections. These inspections and records reviews enable the Administrator to decide whether an aging aircraft is in a safe condition and maintained properly for operation in air transportation.
In addition to imposing obligations on the Administrator, the Act requires air carriers to demonstrate as part of these inspections that the maintenance of the aircraft’s structure, skin and other age-sensitive parts and components has been adequate and timely enough to ensure the highest degree of safety. The Act also requires air carriers to make their aircraft and aircraft records available for inspection and review.
AGING AIRPLANE INSPECTIONS AND RECORDS REVIEWS.
a. Aging Airplane Safety Rule Requirements. The Aging Airplane Safety Rule requires that after their 14th year in service (the calendar time elapsed since the FAA issued an airplane its first U.S. or first foreign airworthiness certificate), certain airplanes must undergo inspections and records reviews by the Administrator. This action ensures the maintenance of the airplanes’ age-sensitive parts and components has been adequate and timely. These airplanes include all those operated under part 121, all U.S.-registered multiengine airplanes operated under part 129, and all multiengine airplanes used in scheduled operations under part 135. To ensure the maintenance is adequate and timely, the FAA will conduct structural spot inspections and review applicable airplane records. To satisfy the intent of the rule, the FAA will sample the tasks and records for each airplane, and perform continued surveillance of an air carrier’s maintenance program.
b. Airplanes and Operations Affected. To determine which airplanes must undergo inspections and records reviews which the Aging Airplane Safety Rule requires, an affected operator should use Figure 1, Decision Logic—Applicability of Inspections and Records Review. If an air carrier operates an airplane under part 121, then § 121.1105 applies. Multiengine airplanes operated under part 129 and smaller multiengine airplanes operated under part 135 may also be subject to the Aging Airplane Safety Rule. If the airplanes are U.S.-registered and operate under part 129, then § 129.105 applies.
Multiengine airplanes with nine or fewer seats in scheduled operations under part 135 must comply with § 135.422. Airplanes not used to conduct operations under these parts of 14 CFR are not subject to aging airplane inspections and records reviews. The Aging Airplane Safety Rule also does not apply to an airplane operated between any point within the state of Alaska and any other point within the state of Alaska.