Chapter 10: Service Difficulty Program
Plane Sense
Chapter 10: Service Difficulty Program
Plane Sense
Aircraft owners, pilots, and mechanics are urged to
report all service problems promptly, using FAA
Form 8010-4 or any other form or format. You may
obtain a copy of the form from any FSDO. No postage
is required.
FAA Form 8010-4 is also available in a fillable
PDF format on the FAA website at
http://forms.faa.gov/forms/faa8010-4.pdf
for mailing, or it can be submitted electronically
on the FAA website at www.faa.gov. Figure 10-1
at the end of this chapter is a sample FAA
Form 8010-4.
maintenance Alerts
The FAA publishes AC 43-16 (as revised), Aviation
Maintenance Alerts, monthly on its website to
provide the aviation community with a means for
interchanging service difficulty information and
sharing information on aviation service experiences.
Background
The Maintenance Alert program leads to improved
aeronautical product durability, reliability, and safety.
The articles contained in the Maintenance Alerts are
derived from the Malfunction or Defect Reports sub-
mitted by aircraft owners, pilots, mechanics, repair
stations, and air taxi operators.
Maintenance specialists review the reports and select
pertinent items for publication in the Maintenance
Alerts. The information is brief and advisory and
compliance is not mandatory. However, the informa-
tion is intended to alert you to service experience,
and, when applicable, direct your attention to the
manufacturer’s recommended corrective action.
Accessing Maintenance Alerts
You can access current and back issues of this
publication on the FAA website at http://www.faa.
gov/aircraft/safety/alerts/aviation_maintenance/,
which allows free access to each month’s Main-
tenance Alerts.
Contact Information
You can contact the FAA Aviation Systems Data
Branch (AFS-620) regarding the Maintenance Alert
Program. AFS-620 contact information is available
in the FAA Contact Information appendix on pages
A1–A2 of this handbook.
Chapter 10: Service Difficulty Program
Plane Sense
Chapter 10: Service Difficulty Program
Plane Sense
Figure 10-1. FAA Form 8010-4, Malfunction or Defect Report. You can obtain instructions for completing
FAA Form 8010-4 on the FAA website at www.faa.gov or from your local FSDO.
During a local flight, a fuel odor was
apparent. Flight was terminated at the
local airport with a normal landing.
After engine shutdown and exiting the
aircraft the pilot observed fuel leaking
from the lower engine cowl. Investiga-
tion revealed an aluminum fuel pressure
gauge line cracked at the B nut where
it attached to a carburetor fitting (see
attached drawing). Line appears to be
original (40+ yrs.). A combination of age
and vibration may have caused the crack.
Recommend checking line every 100 hrs.
and replacing as necessary.
N404DH
D-3311Beechcraft C-35
Continental E-225 30904
Hartzell HCA2U20 AK-710
4A1
Tube-fuel 35-924126 N/A B-nut pressure
Carb end
N/A
David Waterski
405 555 4316 N/A N/A N/A
N/A4100 4-28-05Cracked
SAMPLE
Chapter 10: Service Difficulty Program
Plane Sense
Chapter 10: Service Difficulty Program
Plane Sense
here are several ways to obtain various Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
publications. The easiest way to locate a particular FAA document and/or
Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part is on the FAA website at
www.faa.gov. In addition, you can order some FAA publications directly from the
FAA or from the Government Printing Office (GPO). The FAA Records Checklist in
Figure 11-1 at the end of this chapter is a list of addresses to assist you in obtaining
the publications and records discussed in this chapter.
FAA publications and supporting regulatory guidance material fall into several
specific categories, which are explained in this chapter. If you cannot find the
information you are seeking, refer to the FAA website, which contains a great deal
of useful information for aircraft owners and operators.
Advisory Circulars
The FAA issues an Advisory Circular (AC) to inform the aviation public, in a
systematic way, of nonregulatory material of interest. The content of an AC is not
binding on the public unless it is incorporated into a regulation by reference.
AC 00-2 (as revised) , Advisory Circular Checklist, contains a list of current FAA ACs
and provides detailed instructions on obtaining copies. It also contains a list of
U.S. GPO bookstores throughout the United States that stock many Government
publications. This AC may be accessed on the FAA website at www.faa.gov by
selecting “Regulations & Policies” from the main menu bar.
Airworthiness directives
The FAA uses an Airworthiness Directive (AD) to notify aircraft owners and other
interested persons of unsafe conditions and to specify the conditions under which the
product may continue to be operated. You can access ADs on the FAA website at
www.faa.gov by selecting “Regulations & Policies” from the main menu bar.
You can subscribe to ADs at the FAA Regulatory & Guidance Library (RGL) website,
http://rgl.faa.gov. Current and historical ADs are also available on the RGL website.
obtaining FAA Publications and records
Plane Sense
Plane Sense
temporary Flight restrictions
A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is a geographi-
cally limited, short term, airspace restriction, typically
in the United States. TFRs often encompass major
sporting events, natural disaster areas, air shows,
space launches, and Presidential movements. You
can access current TFRs on the FAA website at
www.faa.gov by selecting “Regulations & Policies”
from the main menu bar.
m CAUTION: You should check the current TFRs
every time you fly.
notice to Airmen
You can obtain the most recent Notice to Airmen
(NOTAMs) from the FAA website at www.faa.gov
by selecting “Regulations & Policies” from the main
menu bar. Current NOTAMs are also available from
Flight Service Stations at 1-800-WX-BRIEF
(1-800-992-7433).
14 CFr
While aircraft owners and operators are responsible
for compliance with all applicable 14 CFR parts, you
may find the following parts most relevant to your
aircraft operations:
• 14 CFR Part 1, Definitions and Abbreviations
• 14 CFR Part 21, Certification Procedures for
Products and Parts
• 14 CFR Part 23, Airworthiness Standards:
Normal, Utility, Acrobatic, and Commuter
Category Airplanes
• 14 CFR Part 33, Airworthiness Standards: Aircraft
Engines
• 14 CFR Part 35, Airworthiness Standards:
Propellers
• 14 CFR Part 39, Airworthiness Directives
• 14 CFR Part 43, Maintenance, Preventive
Maintenance, Rebuilding, and Alteration
• 14 CFR Part 45, Identification and Registration
Marking
• 14 CFR Part 47, Aircraft Registration
• 14 CFR Part 49, Recording of Aircraft Titles and
Security Documents
• 14 CFR Part 61, Certification: Pilots, Flight
Instructors, and Ground Instructors
• 14 CFR Part 65, Certification: Airmen Other than
Flight Crewmembers
• 14 CFR Part 91, General Operating and Flight
Rules
AC 00-44 (as revised), Status of Federal Aviation
Regulations, contains the current status of the
14 CFR parts, including changes issued, price
list, and ordering instructions. This AC may be
obtained on the FAA website at www.faa.gov.
Handbooks and manuals
The FAA publishes a series of handbooks and
manuals designed for aircraft, general aviation en-
thusiasts, examiners, and inspectors. You can find
most of these handbooks and manuals, including
Plane Sense, on the FAA website at www.faa.gov
by selecting “Regulations & Policies” from the main
menu bar.
Aircraft records
The FAA Civil Aviation Registry Aircraft Registration
Branch (AFS-750) maintains registration records
on individual aircraft and serves as a warehouse for
airworthiness documents received from FAA field
offices. You can access information on requesting
aircraft records, as well as current fee information,
on the FAA website at www.faa.gov by selecting
“Licenses & Certificates” from the main menu bar.
Request Aircraft Records
You can mail or fax your request for aircraft records
to AFS-750, or submit your request online.
Written requests from outside the United States
must include a check or money order (in U.S. funds)
payable to the FAA to cover the projected fee. You
can obtain the correct fee by contacting AFS-750.
AFS-750 contact information is available at the end
of this chapter in Figure 11-1, FAA Records Checklist,
and in the FAA Contact Information appendix on
pages A1–A2 of this handbook.
Format
You can order paper copies or electronic copies (on
CD-ROM) of aircraft records. Each CD-ROM con-
tains one aircraft record. You can view the CD-ROM
files using Adobe Acrobat Reader. The FAA includes
a copy of the latest reader on the CD-ROM.
Most records for aircraft removed from the U.S.
Civil Aircraft Register before 1984 are in storage and
available only in paper format. You can ask the FAA
to retrieve these records.
Plane Sense
Chapter 11: Obtaining FAA Publications and Records
Plane Sense
Airman records
The FAA Civil Aviation Registry Airmen Certification
Branch (AFS-760) maintains airman records. You
can access information on requesting airman records,
as well as current fee information, on the FAA website
at www.faa.gov by selecting “Licenses & Certificates”
from the main menu bar.
There are two ways to obtain copies of your airman
records. You can mail the FAA Aeronautical Center
(AC) Form 8060-68, Request for Copies of My
Complete Airman File; or a signed, written request
stating your name, date of birth, and social security
number or certificate number. Figure 11-2 at the end
of this chapter is a sample FAA Form 8060-68.
You can also have copies of your airman records
released to a third party. Requests for airman records
can be mailed to AFS-760. AFS-760 contact infor-
mation is available at the end of this chapter in
Figure 11-1, FAA Records Checklist, and in the FAA
Contact Information appendix on pages A1–A2 of
this handbook.
When the FAA receives your request, they will notify
you of the total charges due and payment options.
For an airman or third party to obtain copies of
medical records or a duplicate medical certificate,
the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request
should be mailed to the FAA Civil Aerospace
Medical Certification Division, Medical Certification
Branch (AAM-331). AAM-331 contact information
is available at the end of this chapter in Figure 11-1,
FAA Records Checklist, and in the FAA Contact
Information appendix on pages A1–A2 of this
handbook.
Plane Sense
Plane Sense
FAA reCords CHeCKlist
stAtUs reCords ContACt inFormAtion
Aircraft Documents Federal Aviation Administration
Aircraft Registration Branch, AFS-750
P.O. Box 25504
Oklahoma City, OK 73125
(405) 954-3116
Airman Records (Replacement
Certificate)
Federal Aviation Administration
Airmen Certification Branch, AFS-760
P.O. Box 25082
Oklahoma City, OK 73125
(405) 954-3261
Airman Medical Records Federal Aviation Administration
Aeromedical Certification Branch, AAM-331
P.O. Box 26080
Oklahoma City, OK 73126-5063
(405) 954-4821
FOIA Desk (Third Party Request,
Duplicate Medical Certificate)
Federal Aviation Administration
Aeromedical Certification Branch, AAM-331
Attention: FOIA Desk
P.O. Box 26200
Oklahoma City, OK 73125-9914
Figure 11-1. FAA Records Checklist. The easiest way to locate information on obtaining records from the FAA
is on the FAA website at www.faa.gov. You can also use this checklist to determine which FAA branch to contact
regarding the records requested.
Plane Sense
Chapter 11: Obtaining FAA Publications and Records
Plane Sense
Figure 11-2. FAA Form 8060-68, Request for Copies of My Complete Airman File. You can obtain instructions
for completing FAA Form 8060-68 on the FAA website at www.faa.gov or from your local FSDO.
WILLIAM THOMAS WRIGHT
9-12-53 WICHITA, KANSAS
111-22-3333