Direct drive engine

[blueskyMD]

This is about Robinson helicopters and not airplanes but it still a piston engine made by Lycoming.
After the first oil change done at the shop I am thinking about changing oil myself ( I have done about 50 oil changes on Lance and Piper Arrow over many years ) While researching the issue online I came across an Australian helicopter specific website where someone says since Lycoming has issued a SB for oil change technique its not owner performed maintenance anymore and must be done by an A&P. Link to that SB is at the bottom but its not specific and says all direct drive engines. I though almost all engines are direct drive ( without reduction gears ) . So where we stand with owner performed oil changes ? Here is the SB
https://www.lycoming.com/sites/defa...ervicing and Associated Corrective Action.pdf

 

[Tusayan]

Typical gold plating by individuals. The existence of a service bulletin has no bearing on the government regulated requirements to perform a given maintenance operation. In the US an oil change can be performed as pilot maintenance.

Also, compliance with service bulletins is not legally mandatory for private operations on US register aircraft, regardless of whether Lycoming sees them as mandatory for the purposes of its business.

Some countries do enforce commercial service bulletins as law, essentially this allows companies to write law directing money their way. Australia may be one of them, and in countries where it is the case there is generally a lot of misinformation spread about in relation to maintaining N-registered aircraft.

 

[Bell206]

So where we stand with owner performed oil changes ?

Robinson makes it easy. Look in your POH for a section titled "maintenance" and they cull out those tasks you can legally perform under 43 App A(c). At least they did. As mentioned above, only the US FARs are applicable to your endeavors. However, when you do performance preventative maintenance as permitted under Part 43.3(g) you are still held to the same performance rules as an AP under 43.13 which includes the use of a proper references. And if I recall, the R22 MM points you right back to the SB you referenced in your post as the reference to use for an engine oil change.

 

[blueskyMD]

That resolves the issue. Thank both of you.
One additional question is about pulling out oil suction screen. Over many years while doing all those oil changes I never pulled oil suction screen and I believe my mechanic did it during the annual inspection. How often you guys inspect and clean suction screen ? Every oil change or at annual inspection ?

 

[Bell206]

How often you guys inspect and clean suction screen ?

Whatever the oil change reference states, which in my experience is usually every oil change.