Dye Penetrant Inspection

Post by **Bruce Fenstermacher** » Sun Feb 29, 2004 9:51 pm

A few year back a local respect IA told me that the FAA was no longer allowing A&Ps to perform Dye Penetrant Inspections. Saying that all inspections needed to be done by a certified individual.

I have not heard this from any other A&P, in fact none have heard anything about this.

How about it A&P IA types, is this true.

This has come up because I need to comply with AD 94-5-5 after removing my cylinder heads. My A&P IA is taking this first mechanics word for it and doesn't think he can perform the inspection.

n3439d · Post by **n3439d** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 7:04 am

many of the latest AD's state who can do the inspections required by the AD. The FAA's trend has been to require special training for dye-penetrant and other inspections in AD's.
ken

Mon Mar 01, 2004 10:51 am

This AD 94-5-5r1 does not specify who must perform the inspection just what inspections are acceptable for complience.

I'm not talking just ADs here. I've been told that an A&P can not perform ANY dye penetrant inspections without special training and certification in that process.

I've asked where care the certification requirements and where are the FARs that say this. Of course no one has been able to supply that yet.

I'm thinking this is information (not being able to dye penetrant inspectins) is maybe one FAA guys interperitation of the FARs or his imagination which he then put out at an IA meeting. I've heard other nonsense come out of this FSDO. According to them only the builder of an experimental aircraft can sign of the condition inspection, experimental aircraft can ever be flown IFR and never over a populated area.

To bad the reat of the world doen't know this!

mrpibb · Post by **mrpibb** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 3:46 pm

Years back when I was in school for my A&P I was offered for a fee a two day class in dye and flourescent dye penetrant inspection. We received certificates stating that we met the industry standards for that type of inspection. I haven't used it since working for the airlines, for which our inspection department handles that in addition to eddy current and ultrasound. However I did find a crack in a buddys O-470 cylinder wall a few years back, he was having a tough time trying to find a oil leak by the prop gov. turned out it was the cylinder behind it.

Post by **GAHorn** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 12:39 am

Bruce, whichever FSDO in which you reside has jurisdiction. (I believe any A&P may perform dye penetrant inspection except for those operations/inspections which specifically state otherwise.)
IN any case, your FSDO should be asked this question directly.
Good luck, and keep us posted as to the answer you get.

Post by **Bruce Fenstermacher** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 1:09 am

George I'll do that next time I run into an inspector.

I believe this would be up to a higher authority than just my local FSDO. After all the local FSDO doesn't determine which A&Ps can work on Pipers and which can work on Cessnas or which A&P can do visual inspections and which one can't. All A&P are granted this privilage by their certificate.

I just took my cylinders to a local cylinder shop for inspection located in the same FSDO, I'll ask them and get back with the info.