Avionics News September 2015 - 13

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
United States
Proving a negative
The following information is from the
Federal Aviation Regulations.

QUESTION:

My ASI has asked me to prove a negative. That is, they
want me to show them in the maintenance manual where
it says something isn't required to be done. Why?

ANSWER:

First, I must apologize to the member who submitted
the question. It is difficult to take this question seriously
and not snicker. Unfortunately, we are receiving this type
of question more often today than I really care to admit.
The professionals at the FAA (or any other authority)
should be able to word questions so that it doesn't appear
they are asking for the proving of a negative.
So let's take a look at what the regulations require.
The maintenance performance rule, or the rule your ASI
"should be challenging you to" are contained in 14 CFR
paragraph 43.13. The regulations require that "each person
performing maintenance, alteration or preventive maintenance on an aircraft, engine, propeller or appliance shall
use the methods, techniques and practices prescribed in the
current manufacturer's maintenance manual or instructions
for continued airworthiness prepared by its manufacturer,
or other methods, techniques and practices acceptable to
the administrator, except as noted in § 43.16."
14 CFR § 43.13 Performance rules (general).
(a) Each person performing maintenance, alteration or preventive maintenance on an aircraft,
engine, propeller or appliance shall use the methods, techniques and practices prescribed in the
current manufacturer's maintenance manual or
instructions for continued airworthiness prepared
by its manufacturer, or other methods, techniques
and practices acceptable to the administrator,
except as noted in § 43.16. He shall use the tools,
equipment and test apparatus necessary to assure
completion of the work in accordance with accepted industry practices. If special equipment or test

apparatus is recommended by the manufacturer
involved, he must use that equipment or apparatus
or its equivalent acceptable to the administrator.
(b) Each person maintaining or altering, or performing preventive maintenance, shall do that
work in such a manner and use materials of such a
quality, that the condition of the aircraft, airframe,
aircraft engine, propeller or appliance worked on
will be at least equal to its original or properly
altered condition (with regard to aerodynamic
function, structural strength, resistance to vibration and deterioration, and other qualities affecting airworthiness).
(c) Special provisions for holders of air carrier
operating certificates and operating certificates
issued under the provisions of Part 121 or 135
and Part 129 operators holding operations
specifications. Unless otherwise notified by the
administrator, the methods, techniques and practices contained in the maintenance manual or the
maintenance part of the manual of the holder of
an air carrier operating certificate or an operating certificate under Part 121 or 135 and Part 129
operators holding operations specifications (that
is required by its operating specifications to provide a continuous airworthiness maintenance and
inspection program) constitute acceptable means
of compliance with this section.
In simple English, what we do should be clearly documented in either the maintenance manual, ICA or some
advisory guidance. Our responsibility is to show what we
did, and that what we did was followed in the appropriate
maintenance data applicable to the maintenance task. It
is not our responsibly to show that the maintenance data
"does not require some obscure action."
Notwithstanding the above regulatory description, it is
our responsibility to make sure that processes and procedures are appropriate to the category and class of aircraft
and systems that we are working on. Many of the older
aircraft have mechanical systems for which our checklists
were developed. Today's aircraft have modern electronic
systems that often create gaps in the older forms, thereby
generating many of the seemingly negative questions.
If you are working on both legacy avionics systems
and modern electronic systems, you should review your
forms for accuracy and currency, and consider two separate forms. A form with blanks, errors or erroneous information only helps generate unnecessary questions.
Continued on following page

avionics news

*

september

2015

13



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News September 2015

Avionics News September 2015 - Intro
Avionics News September 2015 - Cover1
Avionics News September 2015 - Cover2
Avionics News September 2015 - 1
Avionics News September 2015 - 2
Avionics News September 2015 - 3
Avionics News September 2015 - 4
Avionics News September 2015 - 5
Avionics News September 2015 - 6
Avionics News September 2015 - 7
Avionics News September 2015 - 8
Avionics News September 2015 - 9
Avionics News September 2015 - 10
Avionics News September 2015 - 11
Avionics News September 2015 - 12
Avionics News September 2015 - 13
Avionics News September 2015 - 14
Avionics News September 2015 - 15
Avionics News September 2015 - 16
Avionics News September 2015 - 17
Avionics News September 2015 - 18
Avionics News September 2015 - 19
Avionics News September 2015 - 20
Avionics News September 2015 - 21
Avionics News September 2015 - 22
Avionics News September 2015 - 23
Avionics News September 2015 - 24
Avionics News September 2015 - 25
Avionics News September 2015 - 26
Avionics News September 2015 - 27
Avionics News September 2015 - 28
Avionics News September 2015 - 29
Avionics News September 2015 - 30
Avionics News September 2015 - 31
Avionics News September 2015 - 32
Avionics News September 2015 - 33
Avionics News September 2015 - 34
Avionics News September 2015 - 35
Avionics News September 2015 - 36
Avionics News September 2015 - 37
Avionics News September 2015 - 38
Avionics News September 2015 - 39
Avionics News September 2015 - 40
Avionics News September 2015 - 41
Avionics News September 2015 - 42
Avionics News September 2015 - 43
Avionics News September 2015 - 44
Avionics News September 2015 - 45
Avionics News September 2015 - 46
Avionics News September 2015 - 47
Avionics News September 2015 - 48
Avionics News September 2015 - 49
Avionics News September 2015 - 50
Avionics News September 2015 - 51
Avionics News September 2015 - 52
Avionics News September 2015 - 53
Avionics News September 2015 - 54
Avionics News September 2015 - 55
Avionics News September 2015 - 56
Avionics News September 2015 - 57
Avionics News September 2015 - 58
Avionics News September 2015 - 59
Avionics News September 2015 - 60
Avionics News September 2015 - 61
Avionics News September 2015 - 62
Avionics News September 2015 - 63
Avionics News September 2015 - 64
Avionics News September 2015 - 65
Avionics News September 2015 - 66
Avionics News September 2015 - 67
Avionics News September 2015 - 68
Avionics News September 2015 - 69
Avionics News September 2015 - 70
Avionics News September 2015 - 71
Avionics News September 2015 - 72
Avionics News September 2015 - 73
Avionics News September 2015 - 74
Avionics News September 2015 - 75
Avionics News September 2015 - 76
Avionics News September 2015 - 77
Avionics News September 2015 - 78
Avionics News September 2015 - 79
Avionics News September 2015 - 80
Avionics News September 2015 - Cover3
Avionics News September 2015 - Cover4
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