The responsibility for ensuring that an aircraft is maintained in an airworthy condition is primarily that of the

• A. Owner or operator
• B. Pilot in command
• C. Maintenance technician
• D. Airport authority

Answer: (A)

The duty to keep an aircraft in airworthy condition rests with the person who owns or operates the aircraft. That means the owner or operator must ensure maintenance is performed on schedule, required inspections are completed, applicable airworthiness directives are followed, and proper maintenance records are kept up to date. The pilot in command plays a crucial role in flight safety and must determine before each flight whether the aircraft appears safe to fly, but they do not carry the ultimate responsibility for maintaining airworthiness. The technician or mechanic performs the actual maintenance work and signs off on it according to regulations, yet the overarching responsibility sits with the owner or operator. The airport authority has no role in maintaining airworthiness.