Can I Legally Work on My Own Plane? What You Need to Know

As an aircraft owner or operator, you may be wondering if you can legally work on your own plane. The short answer is yes, but there are some important caveats and limitations to be aware of. Let’s dive into the details of what aircraft maintenance you can and cannot do yourself.

What Maintenance Can I Perform on My Own Plane?

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations, as a certificated pilot under Part 61 (private, sport, or higher), you are allowed to perform certain types of preventative maintenance on any aircraft you own or operate. This includes tasks such as:

Removing, installing, and repairing landing gear tires
Servicing landing gear wheel bearings (cleaning and greasing)
Servicing landing gear shock struts
Replacing defective safety wire or cotter keys
Lubricating items not requiring disassembly
Replenishing hydraulic fluid
Applying preservative or protective material to components
Making small simple repairs to fairings, cowlings, and patches
Replacing side windows, safety belts, and seat parts
Troubleshooting and repairing broken circuits in landing light wiring
Replacing bulbs, reflectors, and lenses of position and landing lights
Replacing or cleaning spark plugs and setting gap clearance
Replacing any hose connection, except hydraulic connections
Replacing prefabricated fuel lines
Cleaning or replacing fuel and oil strainers or filter elements
Replacing and servicing batteries
Making simple fabric patches on the aircraft envelope

Working Under Supervision

It’s important to note that the FAA also allows anyone to perform aircraft maintenance work, as long as they are under the proper supervision of an authorized mechanic. So if you don’t have the necessary skills or experience, you can still work on your plane by having a certified A&P mechanic oversee and sign off on your work.
This provides a great opportunity for aircraft owners to get hands-on experience and save on maintenance costs, while still ensuring the work is done safely and in accordance with regulations.

Limitations and Restrictions

There are a few key limitations to be aware of when it comes to performing your own aircraft maintenance:

The maintenance cannot involve complex assembly operations.
It cannot be done on aircraft used for commercial operations under Parts 121, 127, 129, or 135.
You must properly log all maintenance work performed in the aircraft’s logbooks.

So in summary, yes you can legally work on your own plane as a certificated pilot, but there are specific tasks you’re allowed to perform and important guidelines to follow. Working under the supervision of a certified mechanic is also an option if you don’t have the necessary skills. Just be sure to stay within the FAA’s preventative maintenance regulations.