Last week we asked, what inspections are required for airworthiness?
     >> Regulations - Inspections (Q) | Training Blog
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Here’s the cleanest working memory tool:

✈️ AVIATES
This acronym can be found in the preflight section of all GCAC aircraft in-flight guides.
In-flight guide hard copies are located in each aircraft, as well as in CrewChief Systems and here on our website.

Visit our GCAC Airplane pages for their in-flight guide

A — Annual Inspection (FAR 91.409)
Required every 12 calendar months for most GA aircraft.

V — VOR Check (FAR 91.171)
Required every 30 days — but only if flying IFR using VOR navigation.

I — 100-Hour Inspection (FAR 91.409)
Required if aircraft is used for hire or certain flight instruction operations.
Must occur every 100 hours time in service.

GCAC Context:
Our GCAC member-owned aircraft are not for public hire and not subject to this requirement.

A — Airworthiness Directives (FAR 91.403)
If an AD applies, compliance is mandatory.
No compliance = not airworthy.
ADs can be:

• One time
• Recurring
• Conditional

T — Transponder (FAR 91.413)
Required every 24 calendar months if operating where a transponder is required.

E — ELT (FAR 91.207)
Required every 12 calendar months.
Also, battery replacement rules apply based on use and lifespan.

S — Static System / Altimeter (FAR 91.411)
Required every 24 calendar months if operating IFR.

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🧩 The Big Operational Truth
To be airworthy:

1️⃣ Conforms to type design
2️⃣ Safe for operation
3️⃣ Required inspections and ADs are current

The annual inspection is just one piece of the puzzle.

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🔎 GCAC Operations — Where to Verify
Inspection status for Club aircraft is tracked in CrewChief Systems.

Visit our CrewChief Systems page at GreenCastleAeroClub.com

Use it to verify:

• Inspection due dates
• AD compliance
• Time-limited components
• Upcoming maintenance windows

Think of it as the “preflight for paperwork.”
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⚠️ Most Common Real-World Misses
Across GA operations:

• Assuming the Annual = fully legal for all ops
• Missing ELT inspection timing
• Forgetting VOR check currency before IFR flights
• Not tracking recurring AD intervals

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🧠 Scenario Debrief

Scenario 1
If your annual is current but pitot-static is expired:
You’re fine for VFR — not for IFR.

Scenario 2
If your annual is current but transponder is expired:
You may still be airworthy — but not legal where a transponder is required.

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🗓 Looking Ahead
Next topic coming soon: Plane & Pilot – Theories of Lift

Airworthiness is more than “it flew fine last time.”
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Every aircraft must meet regulatory inspection requirements — and those requirements change depending on:

• How the aircraft is used
• What equipment is installed
• Whether you’re flying IFR
• Whether Airworthiness Directives apply

Federal regulations require, at minimum, an Annual Inspection every 12 calendar months for most GA aircraft, plus additional inspections depending on operation and equipment.

But the Annual alone does not make an aircraft automatically legal for every type of operation.

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⚠️ Why This Matters (Owner + Student Reality)
The FAA places responsibility for determining airworthiness directly on the pilot in command and operator — not the mechanic, not the last person who flew it.

In real life, inspection compliance issues usually show up as:

• Expired equipment inspections discovered during IFR clearance
• Missing AD compliance discovered during annual prep
• Logbook entries that don’t actually approve return to service

And yes — DPEs love this topic for a reason.

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🧠 Scenarios

Scenario 1
The Annual was completed last month.
You plan to fly IFR next week.
Are you automatically legal?

Scenario 2
You’re doing a preflight and see that the Annual is current.
Transponder shows 25 months since last test.
Can you legally fly into Class C airspace?

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💬 Discussion
Before next week:
👉 Which inspections apply to every airplane?
👉 Which only apply if flying IFR?
👉 Which depend on how the aircraft is used?
👉 Which inspections do pilots most commonly forget to verify?

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🗓 Next Week
We’ll reveal:

• A simple memory tool
• The full inspection list
• GCAC-specific operational context
• The most common real-world misses