Is the Aircraft Airworthy?

You’re at the airport waiting for your flight to the Bahamas so that you can start your vacation when you hear an announcement over the speakers saying that your flight is being delayed or even canceled due to a maintenance issue. What in heck just happen? What does this mean? Well basically it means that your aircraft has been deemed un-airworthy for the time being. Before an aircraft can be flown it must meet the definition of airworthy or airworthiness. Airworthiness; what does it mean for an aircraft to be consider airworthy? Is it when the aircraft is setting on the ramp waiting patiently for a pilot to come along and fly it; maybe or maybe not. First, let’s start with a simply definition of airworthy. According to Advisory Circular AC43.13-1B, which is Acceptable Methods, Techniques, and Practices—Aircraft Inspection and Repair, airworthy is defined as; when an aircraft or one of its components parts meets its type design and is in a condition for safe operation. Now who can determine if an aircraft or one of its component parts meets it type design and is in a condition for safe operation? There are two very important people who have the skills and knowledge to determine just that question. They are the aircraft mechanic, who maintains the maintenance of the aircraft, and the aircraft owner/operator of the aircraft. Now while they both have the own responsibilities when it comes to aircraft airworthiness they most also work together to insure safe operation of the aircraft.
First let’s start with the aircraft mechanic. A certified aircraft mechanic is a mechanic that has completed the required training in the maintenance of an aircraft which has been set forth by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and has received a passing score on their certification testing. Once the mechanic has successfully completed the requirements set by the FAA, what exactly can they legally do?
To begin with, a certified aircraft mechanic can inspection, repair and return to service an aircraft. Essentially the mechanic restores the aircraft to an airworthy condition. The mechanic must inspection the aircraft for any defects or conditions that might render the aircraft unsafe to operate in accordance with the aircraft manufacture instructions. The mechanic must also determine if the current condition of the aircraft still meets the type design that was approved by the FAA at it time of manufacture. That means that the mechanic must review the Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS) and ensure that any work done to the aircraft, current or past does not change the approved type design of the aircraft. The mechanic must check the TCDS to ensure that the correct engine, propeller, and equipment installed on the aircraft has been approved for that particular aircraft. The aircraft must meet original design for which it was certified by the FAA to have before a mechanic can say that the aircraft is airworthy. If all inspections and maintenance are done per the manufacture instructions and there have been no changes to the type design of the aircraft is the aircraft deemed airworthy? Legally yes, but remember there is another person involved; the owner/operator of the aircraft.
The owner/operator of the aircraft has a legal responsibility to ensure that the aircraft is kept in a continued airworthy statue. While the mechanic is responsible to perform the maintenance on the aircraft the correct way, the owner/operator is responsible to ensure that the maintenance is getting done. The owner/operator also has the duty to make sure the logbooks are kept up-to-date and that any Airworthiness Directive (AD) that have been placed on the aircraft are complied with and documented in the logbooks and that they keep those logbooks from becoming lost or damaged.
If an FAA inspector comes out to the air field and performs a “ramp check” on an aircraft, the owner/operator of that aircraft had better make sure that the type certificate and registration is current for that aircraft. The owner/operator also needs to ensure that all AD’s have been completed and document. Because if this is not complied with, then the aircraft is deemed not airworthy and the FAA will pull the registration and type certificate until it is complied with. However, if the pilot has cross their T’s and dotted their I’s then they should have nothing to worry about.
So as you can see when it comes to determining if an aircraft is airworthy there are many different issues/task that must be taken care of in order for an aircraft to be deemed airworthy. Just because there is a plane sitting on the ramp doesn’t necessarily mean that it is airworthy and you can hope on it and take off to the Bahamas. There are many people working behind the scenes to make sure that this aircraft or one of its components parts meets its type design and is in a condition for safe operation. The two most important people in this group are the mechanic and the owner/operator of the aircraft.