FAA Advisory Circular 43.13-1B
Acceptable Methods, Techniques, and Practices
Aircraft Inspection and Repair
AC 43.13-1B | 5. Nondestructive Inspection (NDI) | 1. General | 5-1. General
9/8/98
AC 43.13-1B
CHAPTER 5. NONDESTRUCTIVE INSPECTION (NDI)
SECTION 1. GENERAL
5-1. GENERAL. The field of NDI is too
varied to be covered in detail in this Advisory
Circular (AC). This chapter provides a brief
description of the various Nondestructive
Testing (NDT) used for inspection of aircraft,
powerplant, and components in aircraft in-
spection. The effectiveness of any particular
method of NDI depends upon the skill, experi-
ence, and training of the person(s) performing
the inspection process. Each process is limited
in its usefulness by its adaptability to the par-
ticular component to be inspected. Consult the
aircraft or product manufacturer’s manuals for
specific instructions regarding NDI of their
products. (Reference AC 43-3, Nondestructive
Testing in Aircraft, for additional information
on NDI.
The product manufacturer or the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) generally
specifies the particular NDI method and pro-
cedure to be used in inspection. These NDI
requirements will be specified in the manu-
facturer’s inspection, maintenance, or overhaul
manual; FAA Airworthiness Directives (AD);
Supplemental Structural Inspection Documents
(SSID); or manufacturer’s service bulletins
(SB). However, in some conditions an alter-
nate NDI method and procedure can be used.
This includes procedures and data developed
by FAA certificated repair stations under Ti-
tle 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations,
(14 CFR), part 145.
5-2. APPROVED PROCEDURES. Ti-
tle 14 CFR, part 43 requires that all mainte-
nance be performed using methods, tech-
niques, and practices prescribed in the current
manufacturer’s maintenance manual or in-
structions for continued airworthiness prepared
by its manufacturer, or other methods,
techniques, and practices acceptable to the
administrator. If the maintenance instructions
include materials, parts, tools, equipment, or
test apparatus necessary to comply with indus-
try practices then those items are required to be
available and used as per part 43.
5-3. NDT LEVELS. Reference Air Trans-
port Association (ATA) Specification 105-
Guidelines For Training and Qualifying Per-
sonnel In Nondestructive Testing Methods.
a. Level I Special.
Initial classroom hours and on-the-job training
shall be sufficient to qualify an individual for
certification for a specific task. The individual
must be able to pass a vision and color percep-
tion examination, a general exam dealing with
standards and NDT procedures, and a practical
exam conducted by a qualified Level II or
Level III certificated person.
b. Level I/Level II.
The individual shall have an FAA Airframe
and Powerplant Mechanic Certificate, com-
plete the required number of formal classroom
hours, and complete an examination.
c. Level III.
(1) The individual must have graduated
from a 4 year college or university with a de-
gree in engineering or science, plus 1 year of
minimum experience in NDT in an assignment
comparable to that of a Level II in the applica-
ble NDT methods: or
(2) The individual must have 2 years of
engineering or science study at a university,
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