Let's talk squawk!

[Broomstick]

Some nicks can be filed away (on metal props) or otherwise repaired, but there are rules about what is and isn’t repairable.

If the nick/ding/crack is not repairable then yes, you toss the prop and get a new one.

I’ve had friends lose a prop, or part of one, in flight. The ones that survived the experience universally have said they’d much rather have almost anything else happen, short of a fire, than have a repeat. (Yes, I do know someone who once set his airplane on fire while in flight. He says that was his very, very last cigarette.)

[VunderBob]

@wevets

I don’t know much about airplanes - how are you supposed to remove a nick on the leading edge of your prop? Or are you just supposed to toss it and completely replace with a new prop once you find a nick?

Pay a mechanic $$$$ to file it off for you.

[wevets]

Serious or joke? - I can’t tell

[StrangerThanFiction]

A joke, but only because he left off one of the dollar signs.

Technically, the filing of small nicks may be preventative maintenance, which a pilot can do, but that pilot must make an entry in the propeller logbook. 14 CFR 43 Appendix A doesn’t specifically mention it as preventative maintenance, but it does say that “repairs to deep dents, cuts, scars, nicks, etc., and straightening of aluminum blades” are major repairs. It’s a bit of a grey area - what qualifies a nick as deep? I’d probably have an A&P sign it off to be safe. The landing light you can definitely do, but again, you have to sign it off.

[usedtobe]

Pretty much any modification to an airplane the FAA considers a “real” airplane (“Certificated” is the term) MUST be done by either a licensed mechanic or a licensed “Repair Facility”.
Neither is cheap.

If you build your own plane (many do), you are eligible to get (upon application - it is NOT automatic) a"Repairman’s Certificate" for that plane and no other.
A Repairman’s Certificate is NOT transferable - if you sell your homebuilt, the new owner will need to have it inspected and repaired by the same folks who do certificated - and many of them will not touch a homebuilt due to, you got it, liability questions. Their liability insurance is high enough without signing off that a plane is safe - and then discovering the builder forgot a bolt or left a wood joint unglued.

[StrangerThanFiction]

An owner of a certified aircraft who is a pilot may perform preventative maintenance. The list defining preventative maintenance is specific, but surprisingly long:

@14 CFR Part 43 Appendix A(c)

Preventive maintenance. Preventive maintenance is limited to the following work, provided it does not involve complex assembly operations:

(1) Removal, installation, and repair of landing gear tires.
(2) Replacing elastic shock absorber cords on landing gear.
(3) Servicing landing gear shock struts by adding oil, air, or both.
(4) Servicing landing gear wheel bearings, such as cleaning and greasing.
(5) Replacing defective safety wiring or cotter keys.
(6) Lubrication not requiring disassembly other than removal of nonstructural items such as cover plates, cowlings, and fairings.
(7) Making simple fabric patches not requiring rib stitching or the removal of structural parts or control surfaces. In the case of balloons, the making of small fabric repairs to envelopes (as defined in, and in accordance with, the balloon manufacturers’ instructions) not requiring load tape repair or replacement.
(8) Replenishing hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic reservoir.
(9) Refinishing decorative coating of fuselage, balloon baskets, wings tail group surfaces (excluding balanced control surfaces), fairings, cowlings, landing gear, cabin, or cockpit interior when removal or disassembly of any primary structure or operating system is not required.
(10) Applying preservative or protective material to components where no disassembly of any primary structure or operating system is involved and where such coating is not prohibited or is not contrary to good practices.
(11) Repairing upholstery and decorative furnishings of the cabin, cockpit, or balloon basket interior when the repairing does not require disassembly of any primary structure or operating system or interfere with an operating system or affect the primary structure of the aircraft.
(12) Making small simple repairs to fairings, nonstructural cover plates, cowlings, and small patches and reinforcements not changing the contour so as to interfere with proper air flow.
(13) Replacing side windows where that work does not interfere with the structure or any operating system such as controls, electrical equipment, etc.
(14) Replacing safety belts.
(15) Replacing seats or seat parts with replacement parts approved for the aircraft, not involving disassembly of any primary structure or operating system.
(16) Trouble shooting and repairing broken circuits in landing light wiring circuits.
(17) Replacing bulbs, reflectors, and lenses of position and landing lights.
(18) Replacing wheels and skis where no weight and balance computation is involved.
(19) Replacing any cowling not requiring removal of the propeller or disconnection of flight controls.
(20) Replacing or cleaning spark plugs and setting of spark plug gap clearance.
(21) Replacing any hose connection except hydraulic connections.
(22) Replacing prefabricated fuel lines.
(23) Cleaning or replacing fuel and oil strainers or filter elements.
(24) Replacing and servicing batteries.
(25) Cleaning of balloon burner pilot and main nozzles in accordance with the balloon manufacturer’s instructions.
(26) Replacement or adjustment of nonstructural standard fasteners incidental to operations.
(27) The interchange of balloon baskets and burners on envelopes when the basket or burner is designated as interchangeable in the balloon type certificate data and the baskets and burners are specifically designed for quick removal and installation.
(28) The installations of anti-misfueling devices to reduce the diameter of fuel tank filler openings provided the specific device has been made a part of the aircraft type certificiate data by the aircraft manufacturer, the aircraft manufacturer has provided FAA-approved instructions for installation of the specific device, and installation does not involve the disassembly of the existing tank filler opening.
(29) Removing, checking, and replacing magnetic chip detectors.
(30) The inspection and maintenance tasks prescribed and specifically identified as preventive maintenance in a primary category aircraft type certificate or supplemental type certificate holder’s approved special inspection and preventive maintenance program when accomplished on a primary category aircraft provided:
(i) They are performed by the holder of at least a private pilot certificate issued under part 61 who is the registered owner (including co-owners) of the affected aircraft and who holds a certificate of competency for the affected aircraft (1) issued by a school approved under § 147.21(e) of this chapter; (2) issued by the holder of the production certificate for that primary category aircraft that has a special training program approved under § 21.24 of this subchapter; or (3) issued by another entity that has a course approved by the Administrator; and
(ii) The inspections and maintenance tasks are performed in accordance with instructions contained by the special inspection and preventive maintenance program approved as part of the aircraft’s type design or supplemental type design.
(31) Removing and replacing self-contained, front instrument panel-mounted navigation and communication devices that employ tray-mounted connectors that connect the unit when the unit is installed into the instrument panel, (excluding automatic flight control systems, transponders, and microwave frequency distance measuring equipment (DME)). The approved unit must be designed to be readily and repeatedly removed and replaced, and pertinent instructions must be provided. Prior to the unit’s intended use, and operational check must be performed in accordance with the applicable sections of part 91 of this chapter.
(32) Updating self-contained, front instrument panel-mounted Air Traffic Control (ATC) navigational software data bases (excluding those of automatic flight control systems, transponders, and microwave frequency distance measuring equipment (DME)) provided no disassembly of the unit is required and pertinent instructions are provided. Prior to the unit’s intended use, an operational check must be performed in accordance with applicable sections of part 91 of this chapter.

Item 30 covers usedtobe’s above post.

[usedtobe]

p.s. - I have never held a pilot’s license.

I also replaced the interior upholstery.

If I had a license, the landing light would have been legal. No way touching the prop was.

Last I looked, the plane made it from CA to TN - so somebody has a good story to tell about an AA1-A as a cross-country plane.