# Is this plane grounded?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-plane-grounded/591980>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 8, 2011, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-plane-grounded/591980 "2011-08-08T19:20:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-plane-grounded/591980/21 "2011-08-10T18:57:48Z")

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> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> Heh. [**Trauma** hawk](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_PA-38_Tomahawk#Safety_record). 😛

Gulp - I’ve done intentional spins in the Traumahawk several times.

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**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2011, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-plane-grounded/591980/22 "2011-08-11T13:45:28Z")

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> [@md2000](#):
>
> Hmmm… Back in the late 70’s I rented a small aircraft from the FBO for a cross-country trip. Each flight, it sprayed oil all over the windshield, and on landing, it was down a quart and needed topping up. If parked for any time, it left a small oil spot on the ground. When I mentioned it on return, the owner said “Oh, yeah, there’s something pressing on the oil quick-drain and it always loses a quart.”
> 
> I assume airworthiness standards were more lax back then.

No change in the regs since then that I’m aware of. Given that GenAv is in far worse economic straits today than the late 70s, if anything I’d bet things have gone downhill on average.

You were just dealing with somebody from the “It’s not illegal until the cops catch you” school of regulatory compliance.

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2011, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-plane-grounded/591980/23 "2011-08-11T13:59:15Z")

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> [@CurtC](#):
>
> Gulp - I’ve done intentional spins in the Traumahawk several times.

‘Hey, now that it’s certified, we can save money on production costs if we remove some of the structure. Profit!’ 😃

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**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2011, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-plane-grounded/591980/24 "2011-08-11T14:37:55Z")

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> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> Understanding that the OP is Canadian & we’re talking about US FARs …
> 
> What Johnny’s cite means is that
> 
> IF an airplane is due for an annual, and IF the mechanic that was hired to do the work refuses to sign off the inspection as satisfactorily completed, THEN upon the end of the 12th month since the last annual inspection, the aircraft is grounded. Not for crankshaft rust, but for lack of a current annual inspection.
> 
> If after that the owner can find somebody else to perform the same inspection and sign it off as OK, then the airplane is no longer grounded. Rust or no.
> 
> . . .

Absolutely correct for the US. Except, the 1st A&P will have noted it and his concerns in the engine log, and another A&P will probably not want to certify the engine after such an entry.

The other option is to change/rebuild the engine. It’s the engine that’s being questioned not the airframe. That is a major expense.

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