• After landing, parking, and securing • An LSA Repairman with a Maintenance rating; or, • An FAA-certificated Airframe and Powerplant  Mechanic (A&P); or, • As specified by the aircraft manufacturer; or  • As permitted, owners performing limited maintenance  on their S-LSA  • Steel tube and fabric—while the techniques of steel  tube and fabric construction hails back to the early  days of aviation, this construction method has proven  to be lightweight, strong, and inexpensive to build and  maintain. Advances in fabric technology continue to  make this method of covering airframes an excellent  choice. Fabric can be limited in its life span if not  properly maintained. Fabric should be free from tears,  well-painted with little to no fading, and should easily  spring back when lightly pressed.  • Aluminum—an aluminum-fabricated airplane has  been a favorite choice for decades. Pilots should be  quite familiar with this type of construction. Generally,  airframes tend to be lightly rounded structures dotted  with rivets and fasteners. This construction is easily  inspected due to the wide-spread experience with  aluminum structures. Conditions such as corrosion,  working rivets, dents, and cracks should be a part of  a pilot’s preflight inspection. • Composite—a composite airplane is principally  made from structural epoxies and cloth-like fabrics,  such as bi-directional and uni-directional fiberglass  cloths, and specialty cloths like carbon fiber. Airframe  components, such as wing and fuselage halves, are  made in molds that result in a sculpted, mirror-like  • Safety directives (alerts, bulletins, and notifications)  issued by the LSA manufacturer • ADs if any FAA-certificated components are installed • Safety alerts (immediate action) • Service bulletins (recommending future action) • Safety notifications (informational) Figure 16-3.  LSA can be constructed using both metal and  composites. S-LSA compliance with maintenance requirements provides  greater latitude for owners and operators of these airplanes.  Because of the options in complying with the maintenance  requirements, pilots who are transitioning to LSAs must  understand how maintenance is accomplished; who is  providing the maintenance services; and verify that all  compliance requirements have been met. LSAs may be constructed using wood, tube and fabric, metal,  composite, or any combination of materials. In general, a  primary effort by the manufacturer is to keep the airplane  lightweight while maintaining the structural requirements.  Composite LSAs tend to be sleek and modern looking with  clean lines as molding of the various components allows  designers great flexibility shaping the airframe. Other LSAs  are authentic-looking renditions of early aviation airplanes  with fabric covering a framework of steel tubes. Of course,  LSAs may be anything in between using both metal and  composite construction.  [Figure 16-3]  A pilot transitioning  into LSA should understand the type of construction and what  are typical concerns for each type of construction: LSA Maintenance Proper airplane maintenance is required to maximize flight  safety. LSAs are no different and must be treated with the  same level of care as any standard airworthiness certificated  airplane. S-LSAs have greater latitude pertaining to who may  conduct maintenance as compared to standard airworthiness  certificated airplanes. S-LSAs may be maintained and  inspected by: The airplane maintenance manual includes the specific  requirements for repair and maintenance, such as information  on inspections, repair, and authorization for repairs and  maintenance. Most often, S-LSA inspections can be signed  off by an FAA-certificated A&P or LSA repairman with  a Maintenance rating rather than an A&P with Inspection  Authorization (IA); however, the aircraft maintenance  manual provides the specific requirements which must be  followed. The FAA does not issue Airworthiness Directives  (ADs) for S-LSAs or E-LSAs. If an FAA-certified component  is installed on an LSA, the FAA issues any pertaining ADs for  that specific component. Manufacturer safety directives are  not distributed by the FAA. S-LSA owners must comply with: Airframe and Systems Construction 16-5