What regulation requires a checklist for those performing an annual or 100-hour inspection?

The regulation that requires a checklist for those performing an annual or 100-hour inspection is articulated in 14 CFR Part 43. This part establishes the maintenance, preventative maintenance, and alterations standards for civil aviation. It specifically outlines the requirements for inspections and mandates that individuals conducting these inspections must use accepted methods, techniques, and practices, which includes following a checklist.

Using a checklist ensures that all critical inspection points are addressed systematically, reducing the risk of oversight during the inspection process. This requirement, therefore, contributes to maintaining safety standards and operational reliability in aviation maintenance.

In contrast, 14 CFR Part 65 deals primarily with certification of repairmen and mechanics but does not impose a checklist requirement for inspections. Part 91 focuses on general operating and flight rule regulations without addressing specific inspection checklists. AC 43.13-3 provides guidance material for the acceptable methods of maintaining aircraft and may reference checklists but is not a regulation that mandates their use for annual or 100-hour inspections.