Originally Posted by
Marc Zeitlin
You're correct. But most do, and those that do, need to have those checks logged. Do you disagree with that?
Haven't we had this conversation before? Since EAB aircraft do not have Type Certificates, they can't be "airworthy", they can only be "in a condition for safe operation".
What is it about 91.417 that's unclear to you? It states what needs to be logged and how, and by whom. In our case, the "by whom" is "whoever did the work", which could be anyone, including your 2 year old kid, your grandmother, or your dog (if it's handy with tools), but the need for logging whatever work is done to the plane is, unless you believe that you're not governed by 14 CFR 91.417, clear.
Log everything that's done to the plane - oil, brakes, tightening loose stuff, replacing parts, repairs, maintenance, etc.
Does everyone do this? Nope. I see many logbooks, when performing CI's and Pre-Buy Examinations, that include nothing but what you've described - CI's, if that. And I tell the owner and/or the prospective buyer that the airplane has not been maintained per the regulations, and that they need to clean up their act. Some do, some don't. There is, as far as I can tell, no penalty for not following the rules (except maybe from an insurance company, since they COULD claim that the aircraft wasn't legal to fly, but I have only heard of one instance of that), but that doesn't change what the rules are.
And if you ever want to sell the plane, having complete logs showing that you actually paid attention to the airplane will increase the resale value.