Airframe logbooks and lubrication

Fearless Tower

Fearless Tower

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Jan 1, 2010
Messages
16,569
Location
Norfolk, VA
Display Name
Display name:
Fearless Tower
Putting greasy stuff into zirk fittings….do most people log it?

Seems like you should, but I've looked through a lot of logbooks over the years and don't recall seeing entries about lubricating fittings other than a generic lubrication entry for the annual inspections.

If the lubrication chart in the airframe manual calls for lubricating certain fittings every 25 hours, do you log it every time you squeeze the grease gun?
 
The distinction is between normal servicing (adding air to tires, fuel, oil, and in my case hydraulic fluid) and performing maintenance. Absent anything in the aircraft docs that says greasing things is normal servicing, it's maintenance that needs to be logged. The good news is that it's something the owner-pilot is authorized to do.

And if you're going to do it, it behooves you to make sure you're doing it right. For instance, you don't just put the grease gun on the zerks on a Hartzell prop and pull the trigger. There are other places that call for specific types of grease not just anything you happen to have laying around.
 
The aircraft I see are greased as required at annual. and it gets logged, "serviced aircraft as required" in the entry.
 
Tom-D said:
The aircraft I see are greased as required at annual. and it gets logged, "serviced aircraft as required" in the entry.
Click to expand...
Inn this case, the aircraft was flying so infrequently after the prop overhaul, that the previous owner/A&P didn't need to do anything outside of the annual. I'm trying to decide how to proceed since I'll be flying it about 100 hours/year. I am leaning toward logging it every time.
 
Fearless Tower said:
Inn this case, the aircraft was flying so infrequently after the prop overhaul, that the previous owner/A&P didn't need to do anything outside of the annual. I'm trying to decide how to proceed since I'll be flying it about 100 hours/year. I am leaning toward logging it every time.
Click to expand...
FAR 43.9 (a)
 
If it calls for something to be done every 25 hours ,and it’s between annual ,I log it.
 
Bell206 said:
All preventative maintenance must be entered and signed per FAR reference above.
Click to expand...
There is a difference between Preventive Maintenance and servicing, Preventive maintenance can be found in FAR 42-A (c ) and servicing can be found in the aircraft's maintenance manuals and is not considered Maintenance (adding oil, air to tires, greasing, oiling of hinges, washing) where no disassembly/ assembly is required.
 
Tom-D said:
There is a difference between Preventive Maintenance and servicing, Preventive maintenance can be found in FAR 42-A (c ) and servicing can be found in the aircraft's maintenance manuals and is not considered Maintenance (adding oil, air to tires, greasing, oiling of hinges, washing) where no disassembly/ assembly is required.
Click to expand...
The term "servicing" is not defined in the FARs. When a person performs "servicing" it falls under preventative maintenance, maintenance, or is "covered in the normal course of flight preparation and pre-flight inspection." Pre-flight "servicing" includes fueling, cleaning windows, and adding oil to the engine. If greasing your prop or landing gear is part your pre-flight inspection then that would make for an interesting discussion with your local ASI.

There are a number of FAA guidance on this. Here's one I'm very familiar with that covers part of the equation:
https://www.faa.gov/about/office_or...16/hochberg - (2016) legal interpretation.pdf
 
Bell206 said:
The term "servicing" is not defined in the FARs. When a person performs "servicing" it falls under preventative maintenance, maintenance, or is "covered in the normal course of flight preparation and pre-flight inspection." Pre-flight "servicing" includes fueling, cleaning windows, and adding oil to the engine. If greasing your prop or landing gear is part your pre-flight inspection then that would make for an interesting discussion with your local ASI.

There are a number of FAA guidance on this. Here's one I'm very familiar with that covers part of the equation:
https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/agc/practice_areas/regulations/interpretations/data/interps/2016/hochberg - (2016) legal interpretation.pdf
Click to expand...

Your reference says the same as I did, and backs up my opinion that Preventive maintenance is different than Servicing/ or as they call it a pre-flight action.
 
unsafervguy said:
i do, remove the rear zerk and fill the front zerk slowly with aeroshell #6 until grease emerges from the rear with no air.

bob
Click to expand...
Yeah.....apparently you don’t.

WRT the fittings in question, there is no ‘front’ and ‘rear’
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top