Commercial rating?

Changing a tire on an airplane requires removal of the brake
assembly, perhaps splitting the wheel halves and installing
the new tire on the old wheel and properly torquring the
wheel bolts. Then the wheel must be installed after packing
the cleaned and inspected wheel bearing.

Changing a tire on an airplane is more like changing the
front hub on a car.

The FAA assumes that all work allowed under the term,
"preventative maintenance" by a private pilot will be done
using the tools, techniques and procedures as a licensed A&P
would use. On my car, I can do just as most oil change
shops do, get under the vehicle, remove the drain plug,
remove the old oil filter, reinstall the drain plug, install
a new oil filter, then pour 4 or 5 quarts of oil in the
engine. An aircraft oil change requires the additional
steps of cleaning oil screens and inspecting for metal and
cutting the old oil filter open and examining the paper for
metal.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm
See http://www.fija.org/ more about your rights and duties.


"Matt Barrow" wrote in message
...
|
| "Jim Macklin" wrote
in message
| news:JktPf.116461$QW2.88175@dukeread08...
| The FAA lawyers make the rules. For instance, a brand
new
| private pilot may change a tire, but cannot work on the
| brakes on the same wheel.
|
| My wife and daughter can change a tire on the car, but
neither of them could
| do a brake job on those cars.
|
|
|
|

Robert M. Gary wrote:

(be ready to answer the output
of the alternator in amps and the capacity of the battery)

How do DEs know details like this for each aircraft? Are they truly that
experienced, or do they grab the POH (or equivalent) first? I'm especially
curious with respect to our older aircraft in the fleet, many of which have
nontrivial customizations since production.

- Andrew

If you are not interested in an instructor certificate, I can't think
of any reason why you would want to get a commercial. You can only do a
few things, like sight seeing flights, pipeline patrol, banner towing
(not sure if that is still legal after 9-11). All of these are pretty
meaningless for a person who is gainfully employed elsewhere.

However, the commercial training is a lot of fun.



Paul Tomblin wrote:
So I've got my instrument rating, complex endorsement and 450 hours PIC.
So I've starting thinking about the commercial rating. But I've got some
questions:

- I understand there isn't much airwork involved and that it's mostly
about knowing aircraft systems. Is that correct?
- The requirements state I have to have made a 300nm solo flight. Does a
flight with a non-pilot count, or do I really have to have been alone?
- What can I do with it? Can I offer to fly people somewhere for money?
If I want to take pictures from the air to sell, do I need a commercial
rating?
- How different is the second class medical from the third?
- If I add on a seaplane rating later, will it automatically be commercial
or is there a separate checkride for seaplane commercial?
- Is adding a commercial rating one of the things that non-citizens need
Homeland Security/TSA approval for?

--
Paul Tomblin http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
Reliability went through the floor, tunnelled its way to the centre of
the Earth, and perished in the magma.
-- Saundo

"Andrew Sarangan" wrote in message
oups.com...
If you are not interested in an instructor certificate, I can't think
of any reason why you would want to get a commercial. You can only do a
few things, like sight seeing flights, pipeline patrol, banner towing
(not sure if that is still legal after 9-11). All of these are pretty
meaningless for a person who is gainfully employed elsewhere.


Having a 61.75 Private certificate and the hours and experience requirements
for the commercial it seemed to make more sense to do the commercial and get
that in my own right than spend the same money and get the private.

Chris

"Jim Macklin" wrote in message
news:wLDPf.116565$QW2.26150@dukeread08...
Changing a tire on an airplane requires removal of the brake
assembly, perhaps splitting the wheel halves and installing
the new tire on the old wheel and properly torquring the
wheel bolts. Then the wheel must be installed after packing
the cleaned and inspected wheel bearing.

Changing a tire on an airplane is more like changing the
front hub on a car.

Okay...now describe the steps and skills involved in doing a brake job.

"Matt Barrow" wrote in message
...
|
| "Jim Macklin" wrote
in message
| news:JktPf.116461$QW2.88175@dukeread08...
| The FAA lawyers make the rules. For instance, a brand
new
| private pilot may change a tire, but cannot work on the
| brakes on the same wheel.
|
| My wife and daughter can change a tire on the car, but
neither of them could
| do a brake job on those cars.
|
|
|
|

"Matt Barrow" wrote in message
...

"Jim Macklin" wrote in message
news:wLDPf.116565$QW2.26150@dukeread08...
[...]
Changing a tire on an airplane is more like changing the
front hub on a car.

Okay...now describe the steps and skills involved in doing a brake job.

Why should he?

The point is not how complex the task is. It's whether it's allowed under
FAR 43.17(c). Tires changes are. Brake work is not.

Now, that said...a tire change is only permitted "provided it does not
involve complex assembly operations". Jim's description of a tire change is
accurate for many aircraft, but such a tire change may be precluded by the
prohibition against "complex assembly operations". It depends on how the
FAA (i.e. your local inspector) interprets the word "complex".

Jim certainly makes the process *sound* "complex".

I've never heard of a pilot being cited for replacing a tire, but there's
certainly room for equivocation in the regulation.

Pete

On a car or an airplane? Drum brakes, expansion tubes,
mechanical, floating disk (Goodyear) or floating caliper
(Cleveland), multi-disk (King Air or jets)? You must be
specific.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P



--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm
See http://www.fija.org/ more about your rights and duties.


"Matt Barrow" wrote in message
...
|
| "Jim Macklin" wrote
in message
| news:wLDPf.116565$QW2.26150@dukeread08...
| Changing a tire on an airplane requires removal of the
brake
| assembly, perhaps splitting the wheel halves and
installing
| the new tire on the old wheel and properly torquring the
| wheel bolts. Then the wheel must be installed after
packing
| the cleaned and inspected wheel bearing.
|
| Changing a tire on an airplane is more like changing the
| front hub on a car.
|
| Okay...now describe the steps and skills involved in doing
a brake job.
|
| "Matt Barrow" wrote in
message
| ...
| |
| | "Jim Macklin"
wrote
| in message
| | news:JktPf.116461$QW2.88175@dukeread08...
| | The FAA lawyers make the rules. For instance, a
brand
| new
| | private pilot may change a tire, but cannot work on
the
| | brakes on the same wheel.
| |
| | My wife and daughter can change a tire on the car, but
| neither of them could
| | do a brake job on those cars.
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
|
|

I really wanted to point out the need for following the
rules, procedures and techniques for any preventative
maintenance. It takes 2,000 hours of training in the
classroom and shop to qualify for an FAA A&P and that is
really just an entry level. A private pilot requires 40
hours in the airplane flying and the other training
generally just introduces such terms as "magneto, piston,
safety wire."

Each airplane is different and each person doing maintenance
on that airplane is required to follow the manufacturer's
manuals. So to do a "tire change" or replace a battery, you
need to have the manual and any supplementary manuals, the
tools and follow the procedures.

Bottom-line, a pilot who wants to work on "his" airplane
needs instruction. There are training classes available.
--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm
See http://www.fija.org/ more about your rights and duties.


"Peter Duniho" wrote in
message ...
| "Matt Barrow" wrote in message
| ...
|
| "Jim Macklin"
wrote in message
| news:wLDPf.116565$QW2.26150@dukeread08...
| [...]
| Changing a tire on an airplane is more like changing
the
| front hub on a car.
|
| Okay...now describe the steps and skills involved in
doing a brake job.
|
| Why should he?
|
| The point is not how complex the task is. It's whether
it's allowed under
| FAR 43.17(c). Tires changes are. Brake work is not.
|
| Now, that said...a tire change is only permitted "provided
it does not
| involve complex assembly operations". Jim's description
of a tire change is
| accurate for many aircraft, but such a tire change may be
precluded by the
| prohibition against "complex assembly operations". It
depends on how the
| FAA (i.e. your local inspector) interprets the word
"complex".
|
| Jim certainly makes the process *sound* "complex".
|
| I've never heard of a pilot being cited for replacing a
tire, but there's
| certainly room for equivocation in the regulation.
|
| Pete
|
|

On Thu, 9 Mar 2006 14:25:39 -0600, "Jim Macklin"
wrote in
1c0Qf.116696$QW2.86247@dukeread08::

Bottom-line, a pilot who wants to work on "his" airplane
needs instruction.

Actually, he can do it without instruction if it is done under the
supervision of the holder of an A&P certificate.

Any A&P who is supervising a pilot working on an airplane
without providing instruction, advice and tools is not doing
the job. That A&P should have the manuals and provide them
to the pilot, will watch the pilot as he does the work and
inspect the work as it is done and before it is signed off
for return to service.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm
See http://www.fija.org/ more about your rights and duties.


"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
| On Thu, 9 Mar 2006 14:25:39 -0600, "Jim Macklin"
| wrote in
| 1c0Qf.116696$QW2.86247@dukeread08::
|
| Bottom-line, a pilot who wants to work on "his" airplane
| needs instruction.
|
| Actually, he can do it without instruction if it is done
under the
| supervision of the holder of an A&P certificate.
|