Published 8 Sep 2022
What is a 100 Hour Inspection?
A 100 hour inspection is a type of maintenance assessment for commercial aircrafts under 12,500 pounds. This is performed after every 100 hours of flight time by an FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) certified A&P (Airframe and/or Powerplant) mechanic or by the aircraft manufacturer. 100 hour inspections are compliance requirements under FAR’s (Federal Aviation regulations) 91.409 to ensure the safety and airworthiness of an aircraft.
Aircraft 100 Hour Inspection Checklist
A 100-hour inspection checklist is a tool guide in assessing an aircraft’s suitability and safety. Use this to strengthen compliance with FAA requirements and assure the airworthiness of your aircraft or airplane. This checklist is based on a CESSNA 172 100-hour inspection checklist and covers only the first set of operations required for CESSNA 172.
Inspectors can further customize this template according to specific inspection procedures and identify potential damages including cracks, corrosion, or loose parts by adding details of the following:
- Aircraft details such as registration number
- Aileron, elevator, and rudder stop checks
- Seat tracks and stop checks
- Wing surfaces, struts, and tips inspection
- Engine and engine control checks
- Induction system inspection
This article will discuss the following:
- annual inspection vs 100-hour inspection;
- performing the inspection with a digital checklist
- SafetyCulture (iAuditor) for aviation checklists
Annual Inspection VS 100 Hour Inspection
100 hour inspections and annual inspections are often mistaken for one another. Though their general scope may be similar, there are a number of differences that separate the two. Below are key differences that distinguish annual inspections from 100 hour inspections:
- WHO performs the inspection
Only certified A&P mechanics with an inspection authorization can perform an annual inspection. However, no special inspection authorizations are necessary to conduct a 100 hour inspection. - WHEN to perform
100 hour inspections are performed after every 100 hours of flight time which means it may be performed more than once per year. Annual inspections, however, are required to be conducted every 12 calendar months regardless of total flight time. - WHAT the inspection covers
Annual inspections and 100 hour inspections may have the same inspection scope and detail, but they differ in terms of regulatory requirements. Tasks such as inspecting components attached to the engine like propellers, magnetos and carburetor should be accomplished annually, while others like checking and adjusting fuel pressures and brakes are to be accomplished each 100 hours.
The goal of both annual inspections and 100 hour inspection is for aircrafts to fly safely and prevent any unwanted incidents that can endanger employees and customers.
Sustaining Airworthiness with a Digital Checklist
According to FAA 14 CFR 43.15(c)(1), checklists are required when performing 100 hour inspections. A good inspection checklist is essential to the evaluation of an aircraft’s airworthiness and ensure aviation safety. Make your aircraft inspections efficient and less time-consuming by replacing the traditional pen-and-paper checklist with a digital smart form.
SafetyCulture (iAuditor) for Aviation Checklists
SafetyCulture (formerly iAuditor) is a mobile inspection app that has helped general aviation and transportation companies like Edinburgh Airport to efficiently inspect aircraft vehicles, perform aircraft maintenance, and ensure aviation maintenance. Comply with FAA and sustain airworthiness with a mobile app that allows you to:
- Conduct detailed 100 hour inspections using efficient inspection templates you can create in minutes.
- Ensure all aircrafts consistently complete required inspection and maintenance tasks through in-app scheduling and monitoring
- Take and annotate photo evidence of notable issues to better communicate repair and maintenance needs
- Escalate issues identified during the inspection with collaborative actions. Assign corrective tasks to team members then set priority levels and due date to easily triage concerns
- Generate comprehensive inspection reports and automatically send to key stakeholders for streamlined data-sharing
- Keep your 100 hour inspection reports secure in one place. Inspection reports are saved and secured via unlimited cloud storage for easy documentation and access
SafetyCulture Content Specialist
Jai Andales
