Owner-Performed Preventive Maintenance for Cessna Aircraft (FAR 43 Guide)

Note: this is part of a series of articles for owners to learn a lot more about what they can do on their aircraft. Doing your own maintenance to the most considerable extent possible as an owner. It will save you a lot of money, and you will learn a lot about your aircraft. Also, you will be far more likely to quickly identify maintenance issues when you are familiar with the aircraft’s mechanical systems.

Aircraft maintenance and repairs are one of the most expensive parts of aircraft ownership. It has been this way for many years, and as our aircraft continue to get older, it will remain a relatively high cost threshold. 

Also, there is a second angle: general aviation mechanics are becoming increasingly scarce. It is hard to lure either prospective A&Ps or freshly minted ones to the county airport, and the experience corps are retiring off or have retired. 

When you combine cost and the scarcity of GA mechanics, it becomes all but mandatory for aircraft owners to perform the maintenance that they can perform on their own aircraft. 

Why Preventive Maintenance Matters for Cessna Owners

Preventive maintenance is the key to keeping your aircraft in peak operating condition. It is also the very best way to find mechanical problems early, before they become show-stoppers. It is much easier to take care of corrosion when it is minimal than when it has spread all over the airframe. You can prevent a lot of damage by finding metal shavings in an engine right when it starts, rather than when it is too late and the engine stops. 

The FAA allows pilots to perform approved preventive tasks, all of which are outlined in FAR 43, which we will go through in a little bit. The FARs apply broadly to all aircraft, not just Cessna piston singles, so the rules are always the same.

For a detailed look at the FARs, check out our article: “All About FAR 43: Cessna Owner Maintenance By the Book.”

FAA Rules for Owner Maintenance: The Quick Version

As long as the aircraft is not operated in accordance with commercial standards (Parts 121, 127, 129, or 135), the FAA permits pilots and aircraft owners to perform a defined list of preventive maintenance tasks on their own aircraft under FAR Part 43. On aircraft they own or control, private pilots are permitted to carry out these authorized duties; however, only the tasks specified in Part 43’s Appendix A are considered preventive maintenance. 

Anything more than that, namely major repairs or alterations, must be handled by a certified technician or repair facility.

It is your responsibility to perform preventive maintenance correctly, following the manufacturer’s maintenance handbook or other FAA-approved guidance. You must adhere to recognized aviation maintenance standards and use the appropriate equipment. You cannot “improvise” because the FAA demands the same degree of professionalism as an authorized maintenance facility.

After it’s finished, you need to properly record the work you completed, the date, your name, and your signature in the maintenance logbook. Your consent to return to service is shown by that entry. It is strictly forbidden to falsify or alter aircraft maintenance data, as this may result in the suspension or revocation of the certificate.

What Cessna Owners May Do Under FAR 43 (Overview)

This is a very broad overview of what owners are allowed to do on their own aircraft. Here is our breakdown of what you can do, assuming you are not an A&P holder:

What Cessna Owners May NOT Do

What you can do is basically preventative maintenance and light maintenance. Anything beyond what is listed above should be attempted, and if you have any questions at all, STOP immediately and give your A&P a call. 

Also, it is important to understand that you can be substantially more involved in the repair process if you work with your A&P under his or her tutelage, as a shadow or just a helper. You will learn a lot, and you can also save some money on man-hours spent. 

So:

• No major repairs or alterations

• No structural work

• No flight control system disassembly/adjustment

• Stop and consult an A&P when unsure

Documentation & Logging Requirements

Every single time you perform maintenance on your aircraft, it must be logged. The FAA requires it to be clear and accurate, in accordance with FAR 43.9, which details exactly what it must include.

When you perform any maintenance, rebuilding, or alteration on the aircraft, and any component of it (engines, propellors, etc), the person performing the maintenance is responsible for making the logbook entry that includes:

1. A description of the work performed — or a reference to data that’s FAA-approved (like the manufacturer’s manual or service bulletin).
2. The date the work was completed.
3. Your name is the person who performed the work.
4. Your signature, pilot certificate number, and type of certificate — this signature is your official approval for return to service for that specific work.

Tools & Supplies Overview

We aren’t going to get too far in the weeds on this topic because there will be a full article later in this series on the tools that all Cessna owners should have.

However, here are the basics:

1. Get a decent mechanic’s tool set. All of the Big Box hardware/DIY stores (Home Depot, Lowe’s, etc.) will sell a mechanic’s set that usually includes a full set of sockets and ratchets in both ¼” and ?” drive, screwdrivers, and box-end wrenches. Harbor Freight and Walmart also carry these, and their quality has improved dramatically over the past few years.
2. You will want a battery-powered drill, and I recommend an impact driver, too. These are regularly sold as sets, and don’t overthink it on brand recognition; Harbor Freight has several decent options, and frankly, even the in-house Walmart brand power tools are pretty good now and are very affordable. These are not for drilling holes; these are for quickly depaneling your aircraft for inspection.
3. Safety wire pliers. Don’t skimp here because you will use them all the time. Along with this, get a good pair of diagonal cutters. I bought a pair of DeWalt side cutters (okay, maybe it was 3 or 4 pairs) from Home Depot during their Black Friday sale for a few bucks each. 
4. A really good flashlight. These have gotten so good for so cheap that you can get great flashlights at all DIY stores, hardware stores, Walmart, Harbor Freight, and Amazon. I buy flashlights for every brand of power tool batteries I use (Ryobi, Ridgid, Skil) because these are all incredibly bright. 
5. Grease gun. A cheap manual one from Tractor Supply works fine, although my Ridgid battery-powered grease gun is phenomenal.
6. A good rubber mallet and possibly a plastic dead-blow hammer.
7. A multimeter. Digital ones are so cheap now, don’t even bother with analog. 

Again, the comprehensive article on tools for the DIY Cessna owner (which should be all of you) will be forthcoming. 

Final Thoughts

One of the biggest challenges we are seeing in the field today is the lack of GA mechanics in general. The herd is thinning all the time, and there just are not many interested parties wanting to do GA maintenance straight out of school.

We can’t do anything about that, but we can equip you with the tools to succeed as an owner. By learning about your aircraft and what you can legally do with it, you are empowering yourself to be a more knowledgeable and competent owner. 

Ready to learn more than you ever thought you could about your Cessna single? Become a member today! With access to our full archive of tech notes, thousands of conversations in our owner forums, and much more, you will get to know your aircraft inside and out.