The FAA has released guidance clarifying the regulatory requirement for filing Service Difficulty Reports under 14 CFR § 121.703.

Section 121.703 requires certificate holders to file reports with the FAA on the occurrence or detection of certain failures, malfunctions or defects within 96 hours. The rule does not specifically address the reporting timeframe for defects discovered on aircraft that are out of service due to scheduled maintenance lasting more than 72 hours.

The FAA guidance, an “Information for Operators” bulletin (InFO 12005) released Feb. 15, 2012, states that 14 CFR § 121.703 reporting requirements are met so long as all repairs on an aircraft out of service for more than 72 hours are reported within 96 hours after the aircraft is approved for return to service. This clarification should resolve industry confusion resulting from different FAA opinions on the reporting timeframe for aircraft in heavy check.

~~~ posted 3/19/12 ~~~

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