CIVIL AIR REGULATIONS CIVIL AERONAUTICS BOARD

——————
PART 18—
— MAINTENANCE, REPAIR,
AND ALTERATION OF
AIRFRAMES, POWERPLANTS,
PROPELLERS, AND APPLIANCES

As amended to July 17, 1956

WASHINGTON, D.C.

TITLE 14 — CIVIL AVIATION 18.11 Persons authorized to approve maintenance,

Chapter 1—Civil Aeronautics Board repairs, and alterations.
Subchapter A — Civil Air Regulations 18.12 Persons authorized to perform and approve
Part 18 — Maintenance, Repair, and Alteration of one-hundred-hour, periodic, and progressive
Airframes, Powerplants, Propellers, and Appliances inspections.
Revision of Part 18.13 Aircraft operating limitations.
Because of the number of outstanding amendments to MAINTENANCE, REPAIR, AND ALTERATION RECORDS
Part 18, it has been decided to issue a revision of this part 18.20 Required records and entries.
incorporating all amendments thereto in effect on July 17, 18.21 Content of repair and alteration records.
1956. Attention is called also to the following minor 18.22 Form and disposition of major repair or major
changes which have been made: alteration records.
(1) All definitions in § 18.1 have been arranged 18.23 Form and disposition of periodic and
alphabetically, without subsection numbers. Also, minor progressive inspection records.
editorial changes have been made in some of the definitions 18.24 Provisions for air carrier records.
for the purpose of obtaining uniformity in language or P ERFORMANCE RULES
clarification of intent.
18.30 Standard of performance; general.
(2) All footnotes have been changed to notes and AUTHORITY: §§ 18.0 to 18.30 issued under sec. 205,
follow the sections to which they apply. 52 Stat. 984; 49 U. S. C. 425. Interpret or apply sec. 601,
Since the changes effected by this revision are minor in 52 Stat. 1007, as amended, sec. 605, 52 Stat. 1010; 49
nature and impose no additional burden on any person, U.S.C. 551, 554.
notice and public procedure hereon are unnecessary and the APPLICABILITY AND DEFINITIONS
revised part may be made effective on less than 30 days’
notice. § 18.0 Applicability of this part. This part
establishes rules for the performance of maintenance, repair,
In consideration of the foregoing, the Civil Aeronautics and alteration of aircraft for which airworthiness certificates
Board hereby revises Part 18 of the Civil Air Regulations have been issued by the Administrator, or any component
(14 CFR Part 18, as amended) as attached hereto, effective thereof.
on July 17, 1956.
Note: The Administrator publishes Civil Aeronautics
By the Civil Aeronautics Board. Manual 18 which lists operations considered to be
[SEAL] M. C. Mulligan, maintenance, preventive maintenance, minor and major
Secretary repairs and alterations, and progressive and 100-hour
APPLICABILITY AND DEFINITIONS inspections, and sets forth acceptable procedures, methods,
and practices under the provisions of this part. This
Sec.
manual may be obtained from the Superintendent of
18.0 Applicability of this part.
Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington 25,
18.1 Definitions.
D.C.
GENERAL
§ 18.1 Definitions. As used in this part terms are
18.10 Persons authorized to perform maintenance,
defined as follows:
preventive maintenance, repairs and
alterations. Aircraft. An aircraft is any contrivance now known or
hereafter invented, used, or designed for navigation of or
flight in the air, including airframe, powerplant, propeller, appliances, holding a valid repair station certificate with
and appliances. appropriate ratings issued by the Administrator.
Aircraft engine. An aircraft engine is an engine used, Certificated repairman. A certificated repairman is
or intended to be used, for propulsion of aircraft, and an individual holding a valid repairman certificate issued in
includes all parts, appurtenances, and accessories thereof accordance with Subpart B of Part 24 of this subchapter.
other than propellers.
Component. A component is a constituent part of an
Airframe. Airframe means any and all kinds of aircraft.
fuselages, booms, nacelles, cowlings, fairings, empennages,
Instrument. An instrument is a device utilizing
airfoil surfaces, and landing gear, and all parts, accessories,
internal mechanism to indicate visually or aurally the
or controls, of whatever description, appertaining thereto,
attitude, altitude, performance, or operation of an aircraft or
but not including powerplants and propellers.
any component thereof, and shall include electronic
Alteration. An alteration means any appreciable instrumentation and devices for the automatic control of
change in the design of an airframe, powerplant, propeller, navigation of the aircraft in flight.
or appliance.
Maintenance. Maintenance, which includes
Appliances. Appliances are instruments, equipment, preventive maintenance, is the inspection, overhaul, repair
apparatus, parts, appurtenances, or accessories, of upkeep, and preservation of airframes, powerplants,
whatever description, which are used, or are capable of propellers, and appliances, including the replacement of
being or intended to be used, in the navigation, operation, or parts.
control of aircraft in flight (including communication
Major alteration. A major alteration of an aircraft or
equipment, electronic devices, and any other mechanism or
any component thereof is:
mechanisms installed in or attached to aircraft during flight,
but excluding parachutes), and which are not a part or parts (a) An alteration which might cause an appreciable
of airframes, powerplants, or propellers. change in its weight, balance, structural strength,
performance, powerplant operation, flight characteristics,
Appropriately certificated air carrier. An
or other qualities affecting airworthiness, or
appropriately certificated air carrier is an air carrier holding
an air carrier operating certificate, and which is required, (b) An alteration which is not accomplished in
either by its operating certificate or by operations accordance with accepted practices or cannot be performed
specifications approved by the Administrator, to provide by means of elementary operations.
for a continuous airworthiness maintenance and inspection
Major repair. A major repair to an aircraft or any
program to be performed by the air carrier in accordance
component thereof is:
with its maintenance manual.
(a) A repair which, if improperly accomplished,
Approved. Approved, when used either alone or as
would adversely affect the structural strength, performance,
modifying such words as aircraft, airframe, powerplant,
flight characteristics, powerplant operation, or other
propeller, appliance, method, or technique, means approved
qualities affecting airworthiness, or
by the Administrator of Civil Aeronautics in accordance
with the applicable requirements of this subchapter. (b) A repair which is not accomplished in accordance
with accepted practices or cannot be performed by means
Authorized representative of the Administrator.
of elementary operations.
An authorized representative of the Administrator is any
employee of the Civil Aeronautics Administrator or any Manufacturer. A manufacturer is any person who:
private person, authorized by the Administrator to perform
particular duties of the Administrator under the provisions
of this part.
Certificated commercial operator. A certificated
commercial operator is any person holding a commercial
operator certificate as required by the provisions of Part 45
of this subchapter.
Certificated mechanic. A certificated mechanic is an
individual holding a valid mechanic certificate with
appropriate ratings issued by the Administrator.
Certificated repair station. A certificated repair
station is a facility for the maintenance, repair, and
alteration of airframes, powerplants, propellers, or
2
 (a) Holds a type or production certificate, for and rotorcraft or to maneuver a rotorcraft about one or more of
manufactures an aircraft, aircraft engine, propeller, or its three principal axes.
appliance, or Repair. Repair means the restoration of an airframe,
(b) Manufacturers an approved appliance in powerplant, propeller, or appliance to a condition for safe
accordance with a specification issued by the operation after damage or deterioration.
Administrator. Time in service. Time in service, as used in
Minor alteration. A minor alteration of an aircraft or computing maintenance and inspection time records, is the
any component thereof is an alteration other than a major time from the moment an aircraft leaves the ground until it
alteration. touches the ground at the end of a flight.

Minor repair. A minor repair is any repair other than Type. Type is a specific classification of aircraft
a major repair. having the same basic design including all modifications
thereto except those modifications which result in a change
One-hundred-hour inspection. A 100-hour in handling or flight characteristics.
inspection is an inspection of an aircraft required within
each 100 hours of time in service and is a complete GENERAL
airworthiness inspection of such aircraft and its various § 18.10 Persons authorized to perform
components and systems in accordance with procedures maintenance, preventive maintenance, repairs, and
prescribed by the Administrator. alterations. No person shall perform maintenance,
Periodic inspection. A periodic inspection is an preventive maintenance, repairs, or alterations on civil
inspection of an aircraft required once each 12 calendar aircraft of United States registry except as provided as
months and is a complete airworthiness inspection of such follows:
aircraft and its various components and systems in NOTE: The Communications Act of 1934, as
accordance with procedures prescribed by the amended, and the rules and regulations of the Federal
Administrator. Communications Commission require that all transmitter
Person. Person means any individual, firm, adjustments or tests during or coincident with the
copartnership, corporation, company, association, joint- installation, servicing, or maintenance of a radio station
stock association, or body politic; and includes any trustee, licensed by the Federal Communications Commission
receiver, assignee, or other similar representative thereof. which may affect the proper operation of such station shall
be made by or under the immediate supervision and
Powerplant. A powerplant is an aircraft engine and responsibility of a person holding a first- or second-class
its component parts, and other parts necessary to properly radio operator license issued by the Federal
install such engine in an aircraft, but not the propeller (if Communications Commission, either radiotelephone or
used). radiotelegraph as may be appropriate for the class of
Preventive maintenance. Preventive maintenance station concerned, who shall be responsible for the proper
means simple or minor preservation operations and the functioning of the station equipment.
replacement of small standard parts not involving complex (a) A certificated mechanic or a person who works
assembly operations. under the direct supervision of such mechanic may perform
NOTE: The Administrator publishes, as part of Civil maintenance, repairs, and alterations on aircraft or aircraft
Aeronautics Manual 18, the various operations constituting components including related appliances, appropriate to his
preventive maintenance of the several types of aircraft. rating, but excluding major repairs and alterations to
propellers and all repairs and alterations to instruments.
Progressive inspection. A progressive inspection is
a continuing airworthiness inspection of an aircraft and its (b) An appropriately rated repair station may
various components and systems at scheduled intervals in perform maintenance, repairs, and alterations on
accordance with procedures prescribed by the
Administrator.
Propeller. A propeller is a device for propelling an
aircraft through the air, having blades mounted on a power-
driven shaft, which when rotated produces by its action on
the air a thrust approximately parallel to the longitudinal
axis of the aircraft, and also includes control components
normally supplied by the manufacturer of the propeller. It
also includes a system of rotating airfoils which serve either
to counteract the effect of the main rotor torque of a
aircraft or aircraft components, including propellers and (5) A certificated commercial operator.
appliances, as provided in Part 52 of this subchapter. (b) Major repairs and major alterations. No
(c) A certificated pilot may perform, on aircraft airframe, powerplant, propeller, or appliance, which has
owned or operated by him, except aircraft used in air carrier undergone any major repair or major alteration shall be
service, such preventive maintenance as may be authorized returned to service until such repair or alteration has been
by the Administrator. examined, inspected, and approved as airworthy by one of
the following:
(d) A manufacturer shall be subject to the
requirements of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, NOTE: A major repair or major alteration whose
except that may rebuild or alter: design has not previously been approved by the
Administrator may require the submittal of technical data
(1) Any product manufactured by him under a type and/or flight tests in order to establish compliance with the
or production certificate, or applicable airworthiness provisions. Examples of such
(2) Any product manufactured by him and approved major alterations for which it would be desirable to contact
under the terms of a Technical Standard Order or Product a representative of the Administrator prior to
and Process Specification issued by the Administrator. accomplishment of the alteration are given in Civil
Aeronautics Manual 18. See also § 1.25 of the subchapter.
(e) An appropriately certificated air carrier may
perform maintenance, repairs, and alterations on aircraft or (1) An authorized representative of the
aircraft components, including propellers and appliances, as Administrator; or
provided for in its continuous airworthiness maintenance (2) An appropriately rated certificated repair station,
and inspection program and its maintenance manual. It may if the work has been performed by such repair station in
also perform maintenance, repairs, and alterations on any accordance with a manual, specification, or other technical
aircraft or aircraft components, including propellers and data approved by the Administrator; or
appliances, owned or operated by another air carrier as
provided for in the applicable continuous airworthiness (3) A manufacturer, if the product has been rebuilt or
maintenance and inspection program and maintenance altered by the manufacturer under the provisions of § 18.10
manual of such other air carrier. (d) and in accordance with a manual, specification, or other
technical data approved by the Administrator; or
(f) A certificated commercial operator may perform
maintenance, repairs, and alterations on its own aircraft or (4) An appropriately certificated air carrier, if the
aircraft components, including propellers and appliances, as work has been performed by such air carrier in accordance
provided for in its continuous airworthiness maintenance with a manual, specification, or other technical data
and inspection program and its maintenance manual. approved by the Administrator; or

§ 18.11 Persons authorized to approve (5) An appropriately rated certificated repair station,
maintenance, repairs, and alterations. a manufacturer, or an appropriately certificated air carrier, if
the product has been approved under the terms of a
NOTE: Section 43.21 of this subchapter requires that Technical Standard Order and the work is performed in
when an aircraft has undergone any repair or alteration accordance with data furnished by the product
which may have appreciably changed its flight manufacturer which he asserts meets the terms of the
characteristics or substantially affected its operation in Technical Standard Order; or
flight, such aircraft, prior to carrying passengers, shall be
test flown. (6) A certificated commercial operator, if the work
has been performed on aircraft listed in the operating
(a) Maintenance, minor repairs, and minor certificate of that operator and has been performed in
alterations. No airframe, powerplant, propeller, or accordance with a manual, specification, or other technical
appliance which has undergone maintenance, minor repair, data approved by the Administrator; or
or minor alteration may be approved and returned to service
except by one of the following:
(1) An appropriately rated certificated mechanic; or
(2) An appropriately rated certificated repair station;
or
(3) An appropriately certificated air carrier; or
(4) A manufacturer, if the product has been rebuilt or
altered by the manufacturer under the provisions of § 18.10
(d); or
 (7) A certificated mechanic holding both airframe and § 18.13 Aircraft operating limitations. When a
powerplant ratings when authorized by the Administrator major repair or major alteration results in any change in the
in accordance with the provisions of Part 24 of this aircraft operating limitations or data contained in the
subchapter, if the work has been performed in accordance approved airplane flight manual, appropriate amendments
with a manual, specification, or other technical data to the aircraft operating limitations shall be made in the
approved by the Administrator. form and manner approved by the Administrator.

§ 18.12 Persons authorized to perform and MAINTENANCE, REPAIR, AND ALTERATION RECORDS
approve one-hundred-hour, periodic, and § 18.20 Required records and entries. A
progressive inspections—(a) One-hundred-hour permanent record of every maintenance (excepting
inspection. No person shall perform and approve 100- preventive maintenance), repair, rebuilding, or alteration of
hour inspections except one of the following: any airframe, powerplant, propeller, or appliance shall be
(1) Certificated mechanics who together hold airframe maintained by the owner (or in the case of an aircraft by the
and powerplant ratings, or a certificated mechanic holding registered owner) in a logbook or other permanent record
both such ratings; or satisfactory to the Administrator, which shall contain at
least the information specified in § 18.21. Entries in such
(2) An appropriately rated certificated repa
ir station; records shall be made or caused to be made by the
or individual, repair station, air carrier, or manufacturer
(3) The manufacturer holding the type certificate for performing the work.
the aircraft and who is operating under an approved § 18.21 Content of repair and alteration
production inspection system or a production certificate. records. The record of all maintenance, repair, rebuilding,
(b) Periodic inspection. No person shall perform and alteration of any airframe, powerplant, propeller, or
and approve periodic inspections except one of the appliance or the installation or removal of an appliance shall
following: contain the information set forth in paragraphs (a) through
(d) of this section:
(1) A certificated mechanic holding both airframe and
powerplant ratings when authorized by the Administrator (a) An adequate description of the work performed;
in accordance with Part 24 of this subchapter; or (b) The date of completion of the work performed;
(2) An appropriately rated certificated repair station; (c) The name of the individual, repair station,
or manufacturer, or air carrier performing the work; and
(3) The manufacturer holding the type certificate for (d) The signature, and if a certificated mechanic or
the aircraft and who is operating under an approved certificated repairman the certificate number, of the person
production inspection system or a production certificate. approving as airworthy the work performed and
(c) Progressive inspection. No person shall authorizing the return of the aircraft or component to
perform or supervise and approve progressive inspections service.
except one of the following: § 18.22 Form and disposition of major repair or
(1) A certificated mechanic holding both airframe and major alteration records. All major repairs and major
powerplant ratings when authorized by the Administrator alterations to an airframe, powerplant, propeller, or
in accordance with Part 24 of this subchapter; or appliance shall be entered on a form acceptable to the
Administrator. Such form shall be executed in duplicate and
(2) An appropriately rated certificated repair station; shall be disposed of in such manner as, from time to time,
or may be prescribed by the Administrator.
(3) The manufacturer holding the type certificate for
the aircraft and who is operating under an approved
production inspection system or a production certificate.
NOTE: This section does not apply to persons
engaged in the inspection and maintenance of aircraft
operated in accordance with Part 40 or Part 41 of this
subchapter or aircraft of more than 12,500 pounds
maximum certificated take-off weight operated in
accordance with the provisions of Part 42 of this
subchapter.
 § 18.23 Form and disposition of periodic and the Bureau of the Budget pursuant to the Federal Reports
progressive inspection records. A record of periodic Act of 1942.
and progressive inspections shall be entered on a form [F.R. Doc. 56-5230; Filed, June 29, 1956; 8:54a.m.]
prescribed by the Administrator. Such form shall be
completed and disposed of in a manner prescribed by the
Administrator.
§ 18.24 Provisions for air carrier records.
Required records and entries may be replaced, in the case of
maintenance, repairs, or alterations to appropriately
certificated air carrier aircraft, by a suitable system of
recording maintenance, repairs, alterations, and signatures of
responsible personnel: Provided, That the information
specified in § 18.21 is furnished.
P ERFORMANCE RULES

§ 18.30 Standard of performance; general. All

maintenance, repairs and alterations shall be accomplished
in accordance with methods, techniques, and practices
approved by or acceptable to the Administrator.
(a) Maintenance and repair. All maintenance and
repair shall be accomplished in such a manner and the
materials used shall be of such quality and strength that the
condition of the part of the aircraft on which such work has
been performed shall, with regard to aerodynamic and
mechanical function, structural strength, resistance to
vibration and deterioration, and other qualities affecting
airworthiness, be at least equivalent to its original or
properly altered condition.
(b) Alterations. All alterations shall be so designed
and accomplished that the altered airframe, powerplant,
propeller, or appliance will comply with the applicable
airworthiness requirements for the airframe, powerplant,
propeller, or appliance.
NOTE: The airworthiness requirements applicable to
an alteration are normally those with which the
manufacturer originally demonstrated compliance for the
issuance of a type certificate. The Aircraft Specification
includes a reference to that part of the Civil Air Regulations
and to the category under which the original type
certification was obtained. The individual parts of the
airworthiness regulations specify that the provisions in
effect on the date of application for approval of the
alteration may be made applicable. (See §§ 3.11, 4b.11,
5.11, 6.11, 13.11, or 14.11 of this subchapter, whichever
part is applicable.) More detailed information on the
requirements applicable at the time of type certification can
be obtained from the Civil Aeronautics Administration.
(c) Inspections. One-hundred-hour, periodic, and
progressive inspections shall be accomplished in accordance
with procedures prescribed by the Administrator.
NOTE: Specific record or reporting requirements
subsequently prescribed will be subject to the approval of