Pilot Owner Maintenance

What is pilot-owner maintenance?

Pilot Owner Maintenance is a process detailed within Part ML (the maintenance rules applicable to Part 21 sailplanes) within which pilot owners are entitled to carry out and release (i.e. certify) limited maintenance tasks on their aircraft. The maintenance rules (Part ML), assume that a qualified pilot has sufficient technical knowledge to perform and certify certain maintenance tasks and in doing so, further develops their competency in maintenance. Providing that a pilot-owner understands what they are permitted to do and is aware of their own technical ability, any qualified pilot can carry out limited maintenance.

But what about gliders owned by the club?

If a qualified pilot is a voting member of a gliding club that is listed on the aircraft registration document as owner or operator, provided the club authorises it, the pilot can carry out pilot-owner maintenance on club gliders.

What about the paperwork?

For pilot-owner maintenance, a certificate of release to service is entered in the glider logbook including basic details of the maintenance carried out, the maintenance data used (e.g. the maintenance manual), the date on which the maintenance was completed, as well as the pilot-owner name, signature, and pilot licence (or equivalent) number.

Can a pilot-owner complete the formal annual maintenance?

Not quite. A maintenance task cannot be released by the pilot-owner if it is part of an annual check. A pilot-owner can do most of the work, for example removing seats and panels, cleaning, inspecting, lubricating, measuring and testing. They can even help by checking for any type-specific technical instructions. However, a BGA inspector is responsible for certifying that the annual maintenance has been carried out.

The law

The legal requirement is detailed here in Part ML MLA.803.

The limitation detail is described here in Part ML Appendix II.

The tasks that may not be certified by a pilot owner are described here in Part ML Appendix III.

The tasks that may be certified by a pilot owner are described in Part M AMC to Appendix VIII here and reproduced below:.

Code: SP = Sailplane SSPS = Self sustaining powered sailplane SLPS / TM = Self launching powered sailplane / TMG

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Refer also to CS-STAN, which describes several change certification standards that may not require release by an inspector. If in doubt, please refer to an experienced BGA inspector.