OWNER-PERFORMED MAINTENANCE

I've always been fond of pointing out one of the most dangerous things in personal aviation is a private pilot with a #2 Phillips screwdriver. That's because I've occasionally come across the aftermath of an owner who tried but failed to accomplish a simple inspection or maintenance task without the proper knowledge, tools or training. Too often, the results demanded a "real" mechanic to come in and fix the mess. And, while I've tried to do as much preventive maintenance on my airplane as I can, I've often gotten in over my head and needed some professional assistance, too.

Thankfully, the FAA still allows certificated pilots to work on their aircraft, performing some relatively mundane tasks. At the same time, the relevant regulations are broadly written and can cost the unsuspecting pilot/owner more in the long run than if a professional, certificated mechanic is allowed to do the work. Let's explore some of the ways we can get in over our head, and how to avoid it.

The aforementioned #2 Phillips screwdriver is a common tool, both around the house and the hangar. And a lot of work -- especially removing inspection covers or landing light lenses, for example -- easily can be accomplished with one. But when it comes to reassembling the airplane -- or even dealing with a stuck fastener, that simple screwdriver isn't going to be enough, and actually may be a liability.

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PODCAST: NTSB CITES GA ACCIDENT RATE
The NTSB this week released its annual list of most-wanted safety improvements, and for the second year in a row general-aviation safety made the top 10. AVweb's Mary Grady spoke with Earl Weener, a member of the safety board with extensive experience in the aviation industry, to provide a deeper look into the NTSB's process and their plans for improving GA safety. More...

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: HOW SAFE DO YOU FEEL?
The NTSB says GA has a lot of work to do to reach acceptable levels of safety. What do you think?

Plus: Last week, we asked AVweb readers about their use of new flight-planning technologies; click through to see a breakdown of the answers. More...

PODCAST: AEROBRIDGE HELPS IN SUPERSTORM RECOVERY
Andy Staats, spokesman for Aerobridge, left Phoenix early this week headed for New Jersey with a truckload of donated items (the overflow from a Citation X) to help people recovering from Hurricane Sandy. He pulled off the road in New Mexico to talk with AVweb's Mary Grady about how Aerobridge leverages the GA response to disasters -- and how you can help. More...

MEET THE AVWEBFLASH TEAM

AVwebFlash is a twice-weekly summary of the latest news, articles, products, features, and events featured on AVweb, the world's premier independent aviation news resource.

The AVwebFlash team is:

Publisher
Tom Bliss

Editorial Director, Aviation Publications
Paul Bertorelli

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Russ Niles

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Scott Simmons

Contributing Editors
Mary Grady
Glenn Pew

Contributors
Kevin Lane-Cummings

Ad Coordinator
Karen Lund

Avionics Editor
Larry Anglisano

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