•  Maintaining the aircraft in an airworthy condition,  including compliance with all applicable Airworthiness  Directives. •  Assuring that maintenance is properly recorded. •  Keeping abreast of current regulations concerning the  operation and maintenance of the aircraft. •  Notifying the FAA Civil Aviation Registry immediately  of any change of permanent mailing address, or  the sale or export of the aircraft, or the loss of the  eligibility to register an aircraft. (Refer to 14 CFR  part 47, section 47.41.) All balloons used to carry passengers for hire must have  received a 100-hour inspection within the preceding 100  hours of time in service and have been approved for return  to service. Additionally, an aircraft used for flight instruction  for hire, when provided by the person giving the flight  instruction, must also have received a 100-hour inspection.  This inspection must be performed by an appropriately rated  FAA certificated repair station, the aircraft manufacturer, or by  an FAA certificated A&P mechanic. An annual inspection, or  an inspection for the issuance of an Airworthiness Certificate,  may be substituted for a required 100-hour inspection.  The preflight inspection is a thorough and systematic means  by which a pilot determines if the aircraft is airworthy  and in condition for safe operation. The balloon’s Flight  Manual contains a section devoted to a systematic method  of performing a preflight inspection. For balloons, this  inspection is usually a part of the layout and inflation process,  and is greatly aided by the use of a checklist. Again, the  pilot must also be aware of maximum damage limitations  as published by the manufacturer. Maintenance is defined as the preservation, inspection,  overhaul, and repair of an aircraft, including the replacement  of parts. A properly maintained aircraft is a safe aircraft.  In addition, regular and proper maintenance ensures that  an aircraft meets an acceptable standard of airworthiness  throughout its operational life. Although maintenance  requirements vary for different types of aircraft, experience  shows that aircraft need some type of preventive maintenance  every 25 hours of flying time or less, and minor maintenance  at least every 100 hours. This is influenced by the kind  of operation, climatic conditions, storage facilities, age,  and construction of the aircraft. Manufacturers provide  maintenance manuals, parts catalogs, and other service  information that should be used in maintaining the aircraft. Preventive maintenance is considered to be simple or  minor preservation operations and the replacement of small  standard parts, not involving complex assembly operations.  Certificated pilots may perform preventive maintenance on  any balloon that is owned or operated by them. According to  14 CFR part 43, appendix A, preventive maintenance may be  performed by the owner/operator of an aircraft who holds at  least an FAA Private Pilot Certificate with a balloon rating.  14 CFR part 91 places primary responsibility on the owner or  operator for maintaining a balloon in an airworthy condition.  Certain inspections must be performed on the balloon, and  the owner must maintain the airworthiness of the balloon  during the time between required inspections by having any  defects corrected. This typically means that fabric damage  outside the maximum allowable damage limits specified by  the manufacturer must be repaired before the envelope can  be deemed airworthy and returned to service.  The following is a partial list of preventive maintenance that  may be performed by the owner/operator of a balloon: Any balloon flown for business or pleasure and not flown  for compensation or hire is required to be inspected at least  annually. The inspection must be performed by a certificated  and appropriately rated repair station, by the manufacturer, or  by a certificated airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanic  who holds an Inspection Authorization (IA). The aircraft  may not be operated unless the annual inspection has been  performed within the preceding 12 calendar months. A period  of 12 calendar months extends from any day of a month to  the last day of the same month the following year.  • Replacing defective safety wiring or cotter keys. • Lubrication not requiring disassembly. • 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. • Refinishing decorative coating of the basket when  removal or disassembly of any primary structure or  operating system is not required. • 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. 2-13 Annual Inspection Balloon Inspections Preventative Maintenance 100-Hour Inspection Preflight Inspections Aircraft Maintenance