Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance, Rebuilding, and Alteration - Part 121 Recordkeeping

§43.7 Persons authorized to approve aircraft, airframes, aircraft engines, propellers,
appliances, or component parts for return to service after maintenance, preventive
maintenance, rebuilding, or alteration.
(a) Except as provided in this section and §43.17, no person, other than the Administrator, may
approve an aircraft, airframe, aircraft engine, propeller, appliance, or component part for return to
service after it has undergone maintenance, preventive maintenance, rebuilding, or alteration.
(b) The holder of a mechanic certificate or an inspection authorization may approve an aircraft,
airframe, aircraft engine, propeller, appliance, or component part for return to service as provided in
Part 65 of this chapter.
(c) 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.
(d) A manufacturer may approve for return to service any aircraft, airframe, aircraft engine,
propeller, appliance, or component part which that manufacturer has worked on under §43.3(j).
However, except for minor alterations, the work must have been done in accordance with technical
data approved by the Administrator.
(e) The holder of an air carrier operating certificate or an operating certificate issued under Part
121 or 135, may approve an aircraft, airframe, aircraft engine, propeller, appliance, or component
part for return to service as provided in Part 121 or 135 of this chapter, as applicable.
(f) A person holding at least a private pilot certificate may approve an aircraft for return to
service after performing preventive maintenance under the provisions of §43.3(g).
(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, as provided in part 65 of this chapter.
(h) The holder of at least a sport pilot certificate may approve an aircraft owned or operated by
that pilot and issued a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category for return to service
after performing preventive maintenance under the provisions of §43.3(g).

[Amdt. 43-23, 47 FR 41084, Sept. 16, 1982, as amended by Amdt. 43-36, 61 FR 19501,
May 1, 1996; Amdt. 43-37, 66 FR 21066, Apr. 27, 2001; Amdt. 43-39, 69 FR 44863,
July 27, 2004]