Aviation mechanic who may perform maintenance and approve return to service practice questions
20 free practice questions from 14 CFR 43.1, 43.3, 43.5 and 43.7. Each answer is explained and linked to the rule it comes from.
Aviation mechanic who may perform maintenance and approve return to service
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Where Part 43 applies
1. A U.S. aircraft has only ever been issued an experimental airworthiness certificate. What does 43.1(b) say about Part 43 for this aircraft?
- A. Part 43 applies to it in full
- B. Part 43 does not apply to it
- C. Part 43 applies only to major repairs on it
- D. Part 43 applies only when it carries mail
Show answer
Answer: B. Part 43 does not apply to it
43.1(b) says "This part does not apply to" any aircraft with an experimental airworthiness certificate, "unless the FAA has previously issued a different kind of airworthiness certificate for that aircraft."
Source: eCFR: 14 CFR 43.1, Applicability (as of Nov 4, 2026)
2. Under 43.1(a), which foreign-registered civil aircraft are covered by Part 43?
- A. Any that land at a U.S. airport
- B. Any that are maintained at a U.S. repair station
- C. Any that are flown by a U.S. pilot
- D. Those used in common carriage or carriage of mail under the provisions of Part 121 or 135
Show answer
Answer: D. Those used in common carriage or carriage of mail under the provisions of Part 121 or 135
Part 43 covers "Foreign-registered civil aircraft used in common carriage or carriage of mail under the provisions of Part 121 or 135 of this chapter."
Source: eCFR: 14 CFR 43.1, Applicability (as of Nov 4, 2026)
3. A light-sport category aircraft was not produced under an FAA approval. What does 43.1(d) say about the repair or alteration form specified in §§ 43.5(b) and 43.9(d) for it?
- A. It is not required to be completed
- B. It must be completed by an inspection authorization holder
- C. It must be completed before each flight
- D. It must be completed in triplicate
Show answer
Answer: A. It is not required to be completed
Under 43.1(d)(1), "The repair or alteration form specified in §§ 43.5(b) and 43.9(d) is not required to be completed for products not produced under an FAA approval."
Source: eCFR: 14 CFR 43.1, Applicability (as of Nov 4, 2026)
Who may perform maintenance
4. A shop helper holds no FAA certificate and wants to perform alterations under 43.3(d). Whose supervision does that paragraph accept?
- A. A holder of a private pilot certificate who owns the aircraft
- B. The aircraft owner, whatever certificates the owner holds
- C. A holder of a mechanic or repairman certificate
- D. A flight instructor who signs the helper's logbook
Show answer
Answer: C. A holder of a mechanic or repairman certificate
43.3(d) applies to "A person working under the supervision of a holder of a mechanic or repairman certificate", who "may perform the maintenance, preventive maintenance, and alterations that his supervisor is authorized to perform" when the supervision conditions are met.
5. A certificated mechanic supervises an uncertificated helper, meeting the supervision conditions of 43.3(d). What work does 43.3(d) let the helper perform?
- A. Any maintenance the helper has been trained to perform
- B. Any work the aircraft owner authorizes in writing
- C. The maintenance, preventive maintenance, and alterations that the supervisor is authorized to perform
- D. Only preventive maintenance, whatever else the supervisor is authorized to perform
Show answer
Answer: C. The maintenance, preventive maintenance, and alterations that the supervisor is authorized to perform
Under 43.3(d), the supervised person "may perform the maintenance, preventive maintenance, and alterations that his supervisor is authorized to perform", so the helper's work is bounded by the supervisor's own authorization.
6. Under 43.3(a), on what basis may a person maintain, rebuild, alter, or perform preventive maintenance on an aircraft to which Part 43 applies?
- A. Only as provided in 43.3 and § 43.17
- B. Ownership of the aircraft
- C. Possession of the manufacturer's maintenance manual
- D. Employment by the FAA
Show answer
Answer: A. Only as provided in 43.3 and § 43.17
43.3(a) states: "Except as provided in this section and § 43.17, no person may maintain, rebuild, alter, or perform preventive maintenance" on such an aircraft.
Pilots: preventive maintenance and part 135 approvals
7. Under 43.3(h)(2), what must a pilot of a part 135 rotorcraft operator in a remote area have before performing an approved item of preventive maintenance?
- A. A verbal go-ahead from the chief pilot for the day's flights
- B. A certificated mechanic's countersignature on each item
- C. A copy of the manufacturer's maintenance manual on board
- D. Satisfactory completion of an approved training program and written authorization by the certificate holder for each item
Show answer
Answer: D. Satisfactory completion of an approved training program and written authorization by the certificate holder for each item
43.3(h)(2) requires that "The pilot has satisfactorily completed an approved training program and is authorized in writing by the certificate holder for each item of preventive maintenance that the pilot is authorized to perform."
8. Under an approval issued to a part 135 certificate holder (43.3(i)), a pilot may remove and reinstall approved aircraft cabin seats. For what aircraft does 43.3(i) allow this?
- A. An aircraft type-certificated for 10 to 19 passenger seats
- B. An aircraft type-certificated for 9 or fewer passenger seats, excluding any pilot seat
- C. An aircraft type-certificated for 20 to 30 passenger seats
- D. An aircraft type-certificated for 31 or more passenger seats
Show answer
Answer: B. An aircraft type-certificated for 9 or fewer passenger seats, excluding any pilot seat
43.3(i) applies to "a pilot of an aircraft type-certificated for 9 or fewer passenger seats, excluding any pilot seat," who may perform "the removal and reinstallation of approved aircraft cabin seats."
9. Under an approval for a part 135 rotorcraft operator in a remote area (43.3(h)), which condition must be met before a pilot performs the preventive maintenance items?
- A. There is no certificated mechanic available to perform preventive maintenance
- B. The pilot also holds a repairman certificate
- C. The pilot holds an inspection authorization
- D. The work is reported to the FAA by telephone
Show answer
Answer: A. There is no certificated mechanic available to perform preventive maintenance
One of the 43.3(h) conditions is that "There is no certificated mechanic available to perform preventive maintenance."
10. Under 43.3(h)(1), the preventive maintenance items a part 135 remote-area rotorcraft pilot is allowed to perform must be a result of what?
- A. A scheduled inspection interval coming due
- B. A passenger's request
- C. A known or suspected mechanical difficulty or malfunction that occurred en route to or in a remote area
- D. A manufacturer's change to the flight manual
Show answer
Answer: C. A known or suspected mechanical difficulty or malfunction that occurred en route to or in a remote area
43.3(h)(1) requires that "The items of preventive maintenance are a result of a known or suspected mechanical difficulty or malfunction that occurred en route to or in a remote area."
11. Under 43.3(i), when may an approved part 135 pilot remove and reinstall approved cabin-mounted medical oxygen bottles?
- A. When a mechanic is on site
- B. When the aircraft has been on the ground for less than one hour
- C. When the bottles are empty
- D. When no tools are required
Show answer
Answer: D. When no tools are required
The pilot may remove and reinstall seats, stretchers, "and when no tools are required, approved cabin-mounted medical oxygen bottles."
Avionics database updates
12. Under 43.3(k), for a database update in installed avionics to be not considered maintenance, from where must the upload be initiated?
- A. From a repair station's workbench
- B. From the flight deck
- C. From the avionics bay with the unit removed
- D. From the manufacturer's ground station
Show answer
Answer: B. From the flight deck
43.3(k)(1) requires that the database upload is "Initiated from the flight deck," "Performed without disassembling the avionics unit," and "Performed without the use of tools and/or special equipment."
Manufacturers
13. Under 43.7(d), a manufacturer approves for return to service an engine it worked on under § 43.3(j). Except for minor alterations, in accordance with what must the work have been done?
- A. Technical data approved by the Administrator
- B. The owner's written instructions
- C. Practices the manufacturer's mechanics choose
- D. Any data a repair station supplies
Show answer
Answer: A. Technical data approved by the Administrator
43.7(d) says that "except for minor alterations, the work must have been done in accordance with technical data approved by the Administrator."
14. Under 43.3(j)(3), on which aircraft may a manufacturer perform any inspection required by part 91 or part 125?
- A. Any aircraft of any make
- B. Any aircraft it has repaired
- C. Aircraft it manufactured under a type certificate, or currently manufactures under a production certificate
- D. Aircraft owned by its employees
Show answer
Answer: C. Aircraft it manufactured under a type certificate, or currently manufactures under a production certificate
A manufacturer may "Perform any inspection required by part 91 or part 125 of this chapter on aircraft it manufactured under a type certificate, or currently manufactures under a production certificate."
Conditions for return to service
15. A mechanic has finished a repair on an engine. Under 43.5(a), what must already have been done before anyone approves the engine for return to service?
- A. The aircraft owner has signed the work order
- B. The engine has been run for one hour of flight time
- C. The local FAA office has been notified
- D. The maintenance record entry required by § 43.9 or § 43.11, as appropriate, has been made
Show answer
Answer: D. The maintenance record entry required by § 43.9 or § 43.11, as appropriate, has been made
No person may approve for return to service unless "The maintenance record entry required by § 43.9 or § 43.11, as appropriate, has been made."
16. A repair changes the operating limitations in the approved aircraft flight manual. Under 43.5(c), what must be done before the aircraft is approved for return to service?
- A. The pilot must be told of the change before the next flight
- B. Those operating limitations must be appropriately revised and set forth as prescribed in § 91.9
- C. The aircraft must be test flown for 5 hours
- D. The airworthiness certificate must be reissued
Show answer
Answer: B. Those operating limitations must be appropriately revised and set forth as prescribed in § 91.9
If a repair or alteration changes the operating limitations or flight data, "those operating limitations or flight data are appropriately revised and set forth as prescribed in § 91.9 of this chapter."
Who may approve return to service
17. 43.7(a) bars approval for return to service after maintenance except as provided in 43.7 and § 43.17. Besides the persons those sections authorize, whom does 43.7(a) allow to approve?
- A. The Administrator
- B. The aircraft owner
- C. The pilot in command
- D. The aircraft's insurer
Show answer
Answer: A. The Administrator
43.7(a) states: "Except as provided in this section and § 43.17, no person, other than the Administrator, may approve" an aircraft or part "for return to service after it has undergone maintenance, preventive maintenance, rebuilding, or alteration."
18. A certificated repair station repairs a propeller. Which statement about approving the propeller for return to service matches 43.7?
- A. The aircraft owner may approve it, as provided in Part 91
- B. Only the propeller's manufacturer may approve it, as provided in § 43.3(j)
- C. Only the holder of an inspection authorization may approve it, as provided in Part 65
- D. The holder of the repair station certificate may approve it, as provided in Part 145
Show answer
Answer: D. The holder of the repair station certificate may approve it, as provided in Part 145
43.7(c) says "The holder of a repair station certificate may approve an aircraft, airframe, aircraft engine, propeller, appliance, or component part for return to service as provided in Part 145 of this chapter." The owner is not among the persons 43.7 authorizes, and a manufacturer may approve only what "that manufacturer has worked on under § 43.3(j)."
19. Under 43.7(g), which repairman certificate holder may approve a light-sport category aircraft for return to service, as provided in part 65?
- A. Any repairman employed by a repair station
- B. A repairman holding a powerplant rating
- C. The holder of a repairman certificate (light-sport aircraft) with a maintenance rating
- D. Any repairman who built the aircraft
Show answer
Answer: C. The holder of a repairman certificate (light-sport aircraft) with a maintenance rating
43.7(g): "The holder of a repairman certificate (light-sport aircraft) with a maintenance rating may approve an aircraft issued a special airworthiness certificate in light-sport category for return to service."
20. A sport pilot performs preventive maintenance under § 43.3(g) on a light-sport category aircraft. Under 43.7(h), which aircraft may that pilot approve for return to service?
- A. Any aircraft the pilot has flown in the last year
- B. An aircraft owned or operated by that pilot and issued a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category
- C. Any aircraft with a standard airworthiness certificate
- D. Any aircraft used under part 135
Show answer
Answer: B. An aircraft owned or operated by that pilot and issued a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category
43.7(h) covers "an aircraft owned or operated by that pilot and issued a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category."