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Inspection after rigging is performed

Aviation Mechanic Airframe (AMA) practice question 6 of 16 on Flight Controls. ACS element AM.II.C.R1 · difficulty: standard. Want to answer it in a timed quiz? Use the Aviation Mechanic Airframe (AMA) practice mode.

Question bank updated 2026-09-22

QUESTIONWhenever rigging has been performed on an aircraft, what is described as good practice on completion of the work?

  1. AOperate the engine at full power on the ground
  2. BRe-measure the aircraft's symmetry
  3. CHave a second person inspect the safetying
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: C. Have a second person inspect the safetying

  • A — incorrect A ground power run is not the described completion practice for rigging, and it does not verify safetying of the control system.
  • B — incorrect A symmetry check is one of the structural alignment checks, not the completion practice described for a rigging job.
  • C — correct It is good practice to have a second set of eyes inspect the control system to make certain that all turnbuckles, rod ends, and attaching nuts and bolts are correctly safetied.

BACKGROUND

Whenever rigging is performed on any aircraft, it is good practice to have a second set of eyes inspect the control system to make certain that all turnbuckles, rod ends, and attaching nuts and bolts are correctly safetied. Safetying is defined as securing by various means any nut, bolt, turnbuckle, or similar fastener so that vibration does not cause it to loosen during operation, and as a general rule all fasteners on an aircraft are safetied in some manner. For turnbuckles, a double-wrap safety wire method is preferred, and some turnbuckles are designed to accept special locking devices. After determining that the control system functions properly and is correctly rigged, it should be thoroughly inspected to confirm that it is correctly assembled and operates freely over the specified range of movement. A symmetry check, by contrast, is one of the structural alignment checks of the airframe rather than this completion step.

STUDY TIP

Build the independent inspection into your own rigging habit; an unsafetied turnbuckle is a single-point failure in a primary control system.

KEY POINTS

  • A second set of eyes should inspect the rigged system for correct safetying.
  • Turnbuckles, rod ends, and attaching nuts and bolts are the items to check.
  • Double-wrap safety wire is the preferred turnbuckle safetying method.

SOURCES

  • sources/ama-airframe/ch02.txt "Checking & Safetying the System"
  • sources/ama-airframe/ch02.txt "Turnbuckles"
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SkyDrill is not affiliated with the FAA. This is an original practice item based on FAA-H-8083-31B Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook – Airframe, and 14 CFR part 43. Regulations and handbooks are revised; confirm details against the current edition.