Who is responsible for ensuring Airworthiness Directives are complied with?

• A. Owner or Operator
• B. Pilot in Command
• C. FAA Inspector
• D. Aircraft Manufacturer

Answer: (A)

Airworthiness Directives are mandatory safety actions issued by the FAA to correct known issues affecting a specific aircraft or fleet. The owner or operator is responsible for making sure these directives are complied with because they control the aircraft’s maintenance and records—their responsibility is to keep the aircraft in an airworthy condition and to arrange any required inspections or modifications. The pilot in command must operate the aircraft only if it’s known to be airworthy, but the duty to ensure AD compliance lies with the owner or operator. The FAA inspector enforces compliance, not the one who maintains the aircraft, and the manufacturer provides the directive and instructions but does not carry the ongoing duty to implement it.