§ 171.31 - Maintenance and operations requirements.

§ 171.31 Maintenance and operations requirements.

(a) The owner of the facility must establish an adequate maintenance system and provide qualified maintenance personnel to maintain the facility at the level attained at the time it was commissioned. Each person who maintains a facility must meet at least the Federal Communications Commission's licensing requirements and show that he has the special knowledge and skills needed to maintain the facility including proficiency in maintenance procedures and the use of specialized test equipment.

(b) The owner must prepare, and obtain approval of, an operations and maintenance manual that sets forth mandatory procedures for operations, preventive maintenance, and emergency maintenance, including instructions on each of the following:

(1) Physical security of the facility.

(2) Maintenance and operations by authorized persons only.

(3) FCC licensing requirements for operating and maintenance personnel.

(4) Posting of licenses and signs.

(5) Relations between the facility and FAA air traffic control facilities, with a description of the boundaries of controlled airspace over or near the facility, instructions for relaying air traffic control instructions and information (if applicable), and instructions for the operation of an air traffic advisory service if the facility is located outside of controlled airspace.

(6) Notice to the Administrator of any suspension of service.

(7) Detailed arrangements for maintenance flight inspection and servicing stating the frequency of servicing.

(8) Air-ground communications, if provided, expressly written or incorporating appropriate sections of FAA manuals by reference.

(9) Keeping of station logs and other technical reports, and the submission of reports required by § 171.33.

(10) Monitoring of the facility, at least once each half hour, to assure continuous operation.

(11) Inspections by United States personnel.

(12) Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of persons to be notified in an emergency.

(13) Shutdowns for routine maintenance and issue of “Notices to Airmen” for routine or emergency shutdowns (private use facilities may omit the “Notices to Airmen”).

(14) Commissioning of the facility.

(15) An acceptable procedure for amending or revising the manual.

(16) The following information concerning the facility:

(i) Location by latitude and longitude to the nearest second, and its position with respect to airport layouts.

(ii) The type, make, and model of the basic radio equipment that will provide the service.

(iii) The station power emission and frequency.

(iv) The hours of operation.

(v) Station identification call letters and method of station identification, whether by Morse code or recorded voice announcement, and the time spacing of the identification.

(c) If the owner desires to modify the facility, he must submit the proposal to the FAA and meet applicable requirements of the FCC.

(d) The owner's maintenance personnel must participate in initial inspections made by the FAA. In the case of subsequent inspections, the owner or his representative shall participate.

(e) The owner shall provide a stock of spare parts, including vacuum tubes, of such a quantity to make possible the prompt replacement of components that fail or deteriorate in service.

(f) The owner shall close the facility upon receiving two successive pilot reports of its malfunctioning.

[Doc. No. 5034, 29 FR 11337, Aug. 6, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 171-2, 31 FR 5408, Apr. 6, 1966]