14 CFR 91.409 — Inspections
Requires annual inspections within the preceding 12 calendar months and 100-hour inspections for aircraft used for hire or flight instruction.
Regulation Text
No person may operate an aircraft unless, within the preceding 12 calendar months, it has had an annual inspection and been approved for return to service. No person may operate an aircraft carrying any person for hire, or give flight instruction for hire, unless within the preceding 100 hours of time in service the aircraft has received an inspection and been approved for return to service.
Note: This is an excerpt. Refer to the full regulation in eCFR for the complete text.
Plain-English Explanation
Every aircraft needs an annual inspection every 12 calendar months — no exceptions. Aircraft used for hire (charter, instruction-for-hire) also need a 100-hour inspection. The annual must be performed by an IA (Inspection Authorization) holder, while the 100-hour can be done by any A&P mechanic. You can exceed the 100-hour limit by up to 10 hours to fly to a place where the inspection can be done, but those extra hours count against the next 100-hour period. The annual and 100-hour inspections are identical in scope.
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Related Regulations
14 CFR 91.403 — General Maintenance Requirements
The owner or operator is primarily responsible for maintaining the aircraft in an airworthy condition, including compliance with ADs.
§91.40714 CFR 91.407 — Operation After Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance, Rebuilding, or Alteration
Aircraft may not be operated after maintenance unless approved for return to service and a maintenance record entry is made.
§91.41714 CFR 91.417 — Maintenance Records
Requires maintenance records be kept for each aircraft, engine, and propeller, including total time, current status of inspections, ADs, and major alterations.
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