Part 91General Operating and Flight Rules

14 CFR 91.417 — Maintenance Records

Requires maintenance records be kept for each aircraft, engine, and propeller, including total time, current status of inspections, ADs, and major alterations.

Regulation Text

Each registered owner or operator shall keep records of maintenance, preventive maintenance, and alterations. The records must include: a description of the work performed, the date of completion, the signature of the person approving the return to service. The owner must retain records of total time in service, current status of life-limited parts, time since last overhaul, current inspection status, current status of applicable ADs, and a list of current major alterations and repairs.

Note: This is an excerpt. Refer to the full regulation in eCFR for the complete text.

Plain-English Explanation

Aircraft maintenance records are the aircraft's medical history — they must document everything. Key records that must always be current: total time in service, status of all required inspections (annual, 100-hour, progressive), compliance status of all Airworthiness Directives, and a record of any major alterations or repairs. These records transfer with the aircraft when sold and significantly affect the aircraft's value. Lost records can ground an aircraft.

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