AerScheduler

14 CFR Part 91 · Subpart E · Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance, and Alterations

14 CFR 91.407: Flying after maintenance or alteration

After any maintenance, preventive maintenance, rebuilding or alteration, the aircraft cannot fly until an authorized person approves it for return to service and the logbook entry is made. Work that may have changed how it flies also needs a test flight by at least a private pilot before passengers ride along.

Section last amended December 30, 2016 · Text current as of October 15, 2026 · Also cited as FAR 91.407 · Read it on eCFR

14 CFR 91.407 in plain English

  • The return to service must be approved by someone 43.7 authorizes. (a)(1)
  • The 43.9 or 43.11 record entry must exist before the flight. (a)(2)
  • If the work may have appreciably changed the flight characteristics, a private pilot or higher flies it first, checks the work, and logs the flight. No passengers until then. (b)
  • The test flight can be skipped when ground tests or inspection show conclusively that flight characteristics did not change. (c)

Common questions

Does an oil change need a test flight?
No. The test flight in paragraph (b) applies only when the work may have appreciably changed the flight characteristics or substantially affected operation in flight, such as control surface rigging.
Can a student pilot do the operational check flight?
No. Paragraph (b) requires an appropriately rated pilot with at least a private pilot certificate.

Official text of 14 CFR 91.407

§ 91.407 Operation after maintenance, preventive maintenance, rebuilding, or alteration. Verbatim from the eCFR, current as of October 15, 2026.

(a)No person may operate any aircraft that has undergone maintenance, preventive maintenance, rebuilding, or alteration unless:

(1)It has been approved for return to service by a person authorized under § 43.7 of this chapter; and

(2)The maintenance record entry required by § 43.9 or § 43.11, as applicable, of this chapter has been made.

(b)No person may carry any person (other than crewmembers) in an aircraft that has been maintained, rebuilt, or altered in a manner that may have appreciably changed its flight characteristics or substantially affected its operation in flight until an appropriately rated pilot with at least a private pilot certificate flies the aircraft, makes an operational check of the maintenance performed or alteration made, and logs the flight in the aircraft records.

(c)The aircraft does not have to be flown as required by paragraph (b) of this section if, prior to flight, ground tests, inspection, or both show conclusively that the maintenance, preventive maintenance, rebuilding, or alteration has not appreciably changed the flight characteristics or substantially affected the flight operation of the aircraft.

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