When you take a passenger plane to visit your family or attend a convention, you’ll take pride in knowing that the airline has made sure their aircraft is in pristine condition. However, have you ever thought about what a typical aircraft inspection entails, or how often they are carried out? In the following guide, you can learn about the extensive checks that planes undergo.

How Often Planes Are Inspected?

All planes—whether they’re private two-seaters or commercial jets—are subject to inspection schedules, though planes that are used for hire or compensation are accompanied by stricter guidelines. This is partly because aircraft inspections are scheduled based on flight hours: how much time the plane spends in the air. Since commercial aircrafts spend much more time flying than private jets, they are inspected more often.

There are four main types of aircraft inspections, or “checks.” A- and B-checks are straightforward and simple and may occur every night. C-checks take place every two years, and D-checks are scheduled once a decade.

What Does the Aircraft Inspection Entail?

During the A- and B-checks, aircraft inspectors perform thorough, yet brief, visual assessments of the planes. They’ll look over the control surfaces, landing gear, and engines before performing preventive maintenance services, like fluid refills. They may also look over important safety gear, such as the flotation devices and slides.

A C-check can take several weeks to conduct, which requires the plane to be moved to hangar at a maintenance base and rendered temporarily out of service. During this period, the transponder system will be inspected, as will the altimeter, and the emergency locator transmitter.

A D-check can take months, and involves the disassembly, inspection, and reassembly of the plane’s most crucial parts, such as the engine and electronic components. It may also include repairs and part replacements.

Since 1978, AVMATS has been performing comprehensive aircraft inspections in O’Fallon, MO. They are proud to remain a family-owned and -operated company, and they have the skills to maintain, repair, and overhaul your planes. With four locations and 42,000 square feet of workspace, you can trust their team will leave no stone unturned. To learn more about their services, visit the website or call (636) 812-3224 at any time of day.