Owner's right to maintenance records?

if the logbook says a 100hr inspection was completed IAW the maint manual..
then only what is in the maint manual for a 100hr inspection counts.. the
seals were not logged as replaced, so it did not happen...

if the 100hr inspection entry makes reference to a "work order number", then
a copy of that work order should be with the maint logs... if you as the
owner do not have a copy of the work order, from your receipt of payment for
services.. that is your problem.. as far a buyer or insurance rep would
say... if it is not in the log books , it did not happen and it would
devalue your aircraft.

BT

"Peter" wrote in message
...

"Denny" wrote

N registered aircraft are required to have all work recorded in the
airframe and powerplant logs, what you apparently call maintenance
records... I have no idea why you would think otherwise... My 1957
Apache came with an armload of logbooks going back to day one... In
this country a plane that does not have a complete set of logbooks
suffers a significant drop in the value of the aircraft...

Logbooks yes. I have the logbooks. But logbooks don't contain the
*details* of work done. They should contain references to other
documents. For example a logbook might say that a 100hr check was
done. What it won't say (unless the engineer felt like writing it in
there) is that the landing gear gas seals had to be replaced and two
instrument panel light had to be replaced, etc; that will be in a
separate file which is referenced in the logbook.

My question was whether *** under FAA rules *** the aircraft owner is
entitled to have a copy of these separate files. I have just been
advised by email from someone who I know should know that the
maintenance firm *is* required by the FAA to keep copies, so if they
do hand the originals over they are allowed to make a reasonable
charge for copying.

One of the problems with purchasing a second user aircraft is that
even if all the logbooks are present, there is no record of what might
have been a very long string of minor rectification work, especially
if some of the various maintenance firms involved have gone bust.


Peter.
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Peter wrote:
Hi All,

Does the owner of an N registered aircraft have the right to keep all
the maintenance records?

I just found out that the local A&P on our field is in the hospitol and
not doing well. A lot of people have their logs with him and he's done
a lot of annuals that he hasn't yet signed. If he doesn't do well, that
will hurt a lot of people. I NEVER leave my logs with any A&P other
than just a couple days during annual. I just ask for stickers. There
really isn't much reason for A&Ps to have your logs other than to check
for ADs during annual.
-Robert

Peter -- serial numbers must be verified against the device installed
in the aircraft. This is a conformity check. There is no guarantee
that the device has not been swapped out at some time for another one.
Which may or may not be an airworthy part....

Peter,

I would recommend that you demand a record of the work performed before
paying the bill. If they won't go along, then use another shop.

I recently questioned a shop about the amount of time they charged for an
annual. They told me that 2 hours was spent on the paper work. I figured
out that they could not have spent nearly that time much and their write up
wasn't even complete. They just lost a LOT of potential business.

Vote with your feet.

Peter wrote:

Logbooks yes. I have the logbooks. But logbooks don't contain the
*details* of work done. They should contain references to other
documents. For example a logbook might say that a 100hr check was
done. What it won't say (unless the engineer felt like writing it in
there) is that the landing gear gas seals had to be replaced and two
instrument panel light had to be replaced, etc; that will be in a
separate file which is referenced in the logbook.

My question was whether *** under FAA rules *** the aircraft owner is
entitled to have a copy of these separate files.

Under FAA rules, the logbooks themselves must contain the details of the work.

George Patterson
The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.

"Peter" wrote in message
...

"Denny" wrote

N registered aircraft are required to have all work recorded in the
airframe and powerplant logs, what you apparently call maintenance
records... I have no idea why you would think otherwise... My 1957
Apache came with an armload of logbooks going back to day one... In
this country a plane that does not have a complete set of logbooks
suffers a significant drop in the value of the aircraft...

Logbooks yes. I have the logbooks. But logbooks don't contain the
*details* of work done. They should contain references to other
documents. For example a logbook might say that a 100hr check was
done. What it won't say (unless the engineer felt like writing it in
there) is that the landing gear gas seals had to be replaced and two
instrument panel light had to be replaced, etc; that will be in a
separate file which is referenced in the logbook.

It sure should say that. In fact, very often light bulbs and other things
are replaced with no log entries, either at the FBO or anywhere else.
Sometimes the owner replaces light bulbs. There is usually no written entry
anywhere when someone adds a quart of oil, either, or if they put air in the
tires, or clean bugs off the prop.

At the very least, though, the logbooks should contain the same details as
any records kept by the FBO, such as they are. Mine do.