Difference between Pre-Flight Inspection & Pre-Flight Maintenance

Difference between Pre-Flight Inspection & Pre-Flight Maintenance

‘Pre-flight Inspection’ means the inspection carried out before flight to ensure that the aircraft is fit for the intended flight.

So before each intended flight which the flight can be for any purpose, the responsible person is the Pilot, so the Pilot is the person who ensures that the aircraft is fit for the flight. Therefore Pilot carryout the Pre-flight Inspection.

The required training for The pilot is given during the aircraft type training. Also in the AFM set the requirements for the Pre-Flight Inspection.

‘Maintenance’ means any one or combination of overhaul, repair, inspection, replacement, modification or defect rectification of an aircraft or component, with the exception of pre-flight inspection.

So the Pre-flight Inspection is not a maintenance task. So Pre-flight Inspection doesn’t need the CRS.

Then Pre-flight Inspection is an operational requirement. And should be done by the PIC.

Ref Part-M, Subpart-B ACCOUNTABILITY, M.A. 201 RESPONSIBILITIES (d) The pilot-in-command or, in the case of commercial air transport, the operator shall be responsible for the satisfactory accomplishment of the pre-flight inspection. This inspection must be carried out by the pilot or another qualified person but need not be carried out by an approved maintenance organisation or by IS-66 certifying staff.

The Pilot is already qualified to carry out the Pre-flight Inspection. And also note it not need to be carried out by an AMO or by IS-66 Certifying Staff, ie because it does not need a CRS.

So any person, even IS-66 Certifying Staff who required to carry out the Pre-flight Inspection should be qualified for the Pre-flight Inspection.

Now who will define the qualification criteria?

It is the CAMO.

Ref Part-M, Subpart-C CONTINUING AIRWORTHINESS, M.A. 301 CONTINUING AIRWORTHINESS TASKS (1) The accomplishment of Pre-flight Inspection.

So the first Continuing AW task is the accomplishment of the Pre-flight Inspection.

But shall they carryout the Pre-flight Inspection?

No, refer sentence above in the regulation “The aircraft continuing airworthiness and the serviceability of both operational and emergency equipment shall be ensured by”.

So the CAMO’s responsibility is to will ensure that the Pre-flight Inspection is carried out. CAMO has to set Criteria for the Pre-flight Inspection.

Referring AMC M.A.301 -1 Continuing Airworthiness Tasks, the guidelines are given.  Also under (3) it stated that in the case of CAT, an operator should publish guidance to maintenance and flight personnel and any other personnel performing Pre-flight Inspection tasks, as appropriate, defining responsibilities for these actions and, where tasks are contracted to other organisations, how their accomplishment is subject to the quality system of M.A. 712

Where should it mentioned;

Ie the CAME. The training standard for personnel performing the Pre-flight Inspection should be described in the operator’s continuing airworthiness management exposition.

So if it somebody else other than the pilot, the qualifications, responsibilities and training standard should be mentioned in the CAME.

So how the recording of the carrying out of the Pre-flight Inspection?

Referring to AMC M.A.306 (A) OPERATORS TECHNICAL LOG SYSTEM, the Tech Log should need to have 5 Sections. In Section 3, it is required to have the Pre-flight Inspection signature.

When CAMO approving the Tech Log, it should be in align to these requirements stated in AMC M.A.306 (A).

So this is the Pre-flight Inspection.

Now misunderstanding again, that there is another Pre-flight in Part-M. I.e. Pre-flight Maintenance tasks.

Under Part-M, APPENDIX I TO AMC M.A. 302 Content of the Maintenance Programme, 1.1.9 Details of Pre-flight Maintenance tasks that are accomplished by the maintenance staff.

So it is a maintenance task which has its interval in every pre-flight. This must be in the AMP and must be carried out by a certifying staff and need a CRS since this is a maintenance task. So this comes under Part-145.

These requirements can be from an ADs, SBs and reliability programme.

Now the qualification Requirements for the Pre-flight Maintenance tasks.

If a Pilot needs to carry out the Pre-flight Maintenance tasks ref 145.A.30 PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS (J) (3) For a repetitive pre-flight airworthiness directive which specifically states that the flight crew may carry out such airworthiness directive, the organisation may issue a limited certification authorisation to the aircraft commander and/or the flight engineer on the basis of the flight crew licence held. However, the organisation shall ensure that sufficient practical training has been carried out to ensure that such aircraft commander or flight engineer can accomplish the airworthiness directive to the required standard.

Also, Part-145 should issue an authorization for the Pilot. Refer AMC 145.A.30 (j)(4) PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS, Limited Certification Authorization.

But the Pilot cannot do any maintenance tasks, the pilot only can do maintenance tasks what the maintenance data of that maintenance tasks specify that these tasks can be done by the pilot or flight crew.

It is not them to decide as a Part-145, it is the maintenance data will decide.

This is Pre-flight Maintenance tasks.