765 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 91.409 

§ 91.409

Inspections. 

(a) Except as provided in paragraph 

(c) of this section, no person may oper-
ate an aircraft unless, within the pre-
ceding 12 calendar months, it has had— 

(1) An annual inspection in accord-

ance with part 43 of this chapter and 
has been approved for return to service 
by a person authorized by § 43.7 of this 
chapter; or 

(2) An inspection for the issuance of 

an airworthiness certificate in accord-
ance with part 21 of this chapter. 

No inspection performed under para-
graph (b) of this section may be sub-
stituted for any inspection required by 
this paragraph unless it is performed 
by a person authorized to perform an-
nual inspections and is entered as an 
‘‘annual’’ inspection in the required 
maintenance records. 

(b) Except as provided in paragraph 

(c) of this section, no person may oper-
ate an aircraft carrying any person 
(other than a crewmember) for hire, 
and no person may give flight instruc-
tion for hire in an aircraft which that 
person provides, unless within the pre-
ceding 100 hours of time in service the 
aircraft has received an annual or 100- 
hour inspection and been approved for 
return to service in accordance with 
part 43 of this chapter or has received 
an inspection for the issuance of an air-
worthiness certificate in accordance 
with part 21 of this chapter. The 100- 
hour limitation may be exceeded by 
not more than 10 hours while en route 
to reach a place where the inspection 
can be done. The excess time used to 
reach a place where the inspection can 
be done must be included in computing 
the next 100 hours of time in service. 

(c) Paragraphs (a) and (b) of this sec-

tion do not apply to— 

(1) An aircraft that carries a special 

flight permit, a current experimental 
certificate, or a light-sport or provi-
sional airworthiness certificate; 

(2) An aircraft inspected in accord-

ance with an approved aircraft inspec-
tion program under part 125 or 135 of 
this chapter and so identified by the 
registration number in the operations 
specifications of the certificate holder 
having the approved inspection pro-
gram; 

(3) An aircraft subject to the require-

ments of paragraph (d) or (e) of this 
section; or 

(4) Turbine-powered rotorcraft when 

the operator elects to inspect that 
rotorcraft in accordance with para-
graph (e) of this section. 

(d) 

Progressive inspection. 

Each reg-

istered owner or operator of an aircraft 
desiring to use a progressive inspection 
program must submit a written request 
to the responsible Flight Standards of-
fice, and shall provide— 

(1) A certificated mechanic holding 

an inspection authorization, a certifi-
cated airframe repair station, or the 
manufacturer of the aircraft to super-
vise or conduct the progressive inspec-
tion; 

(2) A current inspection procedures 

manual available and readily under-
standable to pilot and maintenance 
personnel containing, in detail— 

(i) An explanation of the progressive 

inspection, including the continuity of 
inspection responsibility, the making 
of reports, and the keeping of records 
and technical reference material; 

(ii) An inspection schedule, speci-

fying the intervals in hours or days 
when routine and detailed inspections 
will be performed and including in-
structions for exceeding an inspection 
interval by not more than 10 hours 
while en route and for changing an in-
spection interval because of service ex-
perience; 

(iii) Sample routine and detailed in-

spection forms and instructions for 
their use; and 

(iv) Sample reports and records and 

instructions for their use; 

(3) Enough housing and equipment 

for necessary disassembly and proper 
inspection of the aircraft; and 

(4) Appropriate current technical in-

formation for the aircraft. 

The frequency and detail of the pro-
gressive inspection shall provide for 
the complete inspection of the aircraft 
within each 12 calendar months and be 
consistent with the manufacturer’s 
recommendations, field service experi-
ence, and the kind of operation in 
which the aircraft is engaged. The pro-
gressive inspection schedule must en-
sure that the aircraft, at all times, will 
be airworthy and will conform to all 
applicable FAA aircraft specifications, 

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