Light aircraft test flights?

[Kengineer-130]

Ok,
Just a burning question really, when companies do light aircraft maintainance, do they carry out post maintainance test flights afterwards, and what licence does the test flying engineer/pilot have to hold? I am thinking CPL, but I might be wrong? Or is it down to the owner/ operator to test fly?

[ericferret]

If it was a c of a airtest then the pilot had to have a one time briefing from the CAA flight test department. A ppl could hold this (my wife does!!!!).

Any other flying e.g helicopter tracking and balancing or a test for fault finding purpose could be conducted by any rated pilot.

[421]

I used to work at a light aircraft mainenance facility. The Chief Engineer had PPL, IMC, Night and Twin ratings and conducted test flights himself, including C of A renewals from a C150 through to a shakedown flight on a Kingair 200 after heavy maintenance.

[cessnarepairman]

Most of the time after maintenance there should be no need to carry out a flight test. All the aircraft systems (with a few exceptions) can be tested on the ground with test equipment. Engine ground runs should be able to snag any problems there. There are some things which cannot be tested on the ground, like does the aeroplane fly straight after control rerigging.

[Kengineer-130]

and would the maintainance company be allowed to collect and deliver the aircraft for maintainance, only snag I can see is that as a PPL you are not allowed to do it for £££, so you could not charge for transit time?

[ericferret]

You are correct about the delivery issue.

Most people have little problem getting a ppl to deliver or collect an aircraft for free!!!!!.

A friend of mine ran up about 20 hours ferrying an R22 helicopter back and forth for a guy undergoing PPL training.

In total she made about 400 hours R22 in maintenance and ferrying activities.

[Kengineer-130]

Interesting, thanks for the replys so far :ok:. What is the general feeling about GA maintainance ? Do they generally get well looked after, or is it normally essential jobs only? Do most owners dislike Engineers like they don't like getting thier car MOT'd, or is it seen as a trustworthy industry?

I am looking into going into self employed GA maintainance, but not sure if it is a viable option.

[wigglyamp]

Suggest you research EASA Part M subpart F and G before you commit to self-employment as you may face considerable approval costs from September next year, unless you're just going to look after annex 2 aircraft (old British Tigermoth/Bulldog/Chipmunk etc and ex military).

[richatom]

Most of the pilots employed at Diamond aircraft in Austria who do the first five or six hours shakedown on each new aircraft off the production line just have a PPL. They are employed as engineers or administrators within the company so they do not require CPL.