A progressive inspection splits the annual/100-hour inspection workload into smaller scheduled phases, so aircraft cycle through short maintenance visits instead of long groundings. High-utilization training fleets use it to keep availability up — at the cost of more complex tracking.
A progressive inspection program (14 CFR 91.409(d)) replaces the single annual/100-hour events with a series of smaller scheduled inspection phases that together cover the complete aircraft within each 12-month cycle. The operator applies to the FAA with a detailed program — phase content, intervals, procedures and personnel — and once approved, the aircraft cycles through short, frequent maintenance visits instead of long groundings.
The trade is availability for administration: each phase might take a day rather than a week, keeping aircraft in the schedule, but the program demands disciplined tracking — every phase due on time, complete coverage demonstrated across the cycle, and reversion rules if the program lapses. It suits high-utilization fleets with steady maintenance capacity; it punishes operators who lose track.
Why it matters for flight schools
For a school flying trainers 80–100 hours a month, conventional inspections mean losing each aircraft for days every few weeks of calendar time. Progressive programs convert that into predictable short visits that scheduling can absorb — often worth several additional revenue days per aircraft per month. The failure mode is administrative: a missed phase doesn't just create a finding, it can invalidate the program's coverage logic and force a full conventional inspection to reset.
How FlightLogger handles it
FL Maintenance runs phase-based programs natively — each phase tracked against hours and calendar, due lists per aircraft, and completion history proving full coverage across the cycle at audit time.
Frequently asked questions
Is a progressive inspection cheaper than annual plus 100-hours?
Total maintenance labour is similar or slightly higher — the value is availability. Aircraft stay in the schedule because downtime comes in short planned phases rather than multi-day groundings, which for high-utilization fleets outweighs the administrative overhead.
What happens if a phase is missed?
The program's coverage logic breaks: depending on the approved program and the lapse, the aircraft may need to revert to a conventional annual/100-hour regime to re-establish compliance. Timely phase completion is the discipline that keeps the program valid.