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Before you can have a safe flight, you must have a safe pilot, a safe aircraft, and safe
weather. To have a safe aircraft, you must have an airworthy aircraft. An aircraft is
considered airworthy when it conforms to its FAA-approved type certificate data and it
is in condition for safe operation. Conformity to the type certificate is considered
attained when the required and proper components are installed and are consistent with
the drawings, specifications, and other data that are part of the type certificate.
Conformity would include applicable supplemental type certificates (STCs) and field-
approved alterations, and airworthiness directives (ADs). "In condition for safe
operation" refers to the condition of the aircraft with relation to wear and
deterioration. If one of both of these conditions are not met, the aircraft is unairworthy.
So who is responsible for ensuring that the aircraft is airworthy and what do they check?
The pilot in command (PIC) is responsible for ensuring that the aircraft is safe before
each flight. the aircraft owner or operator is primarily responsible for maintaining
the aircraft in an airworthy condition. Both share responsibility for ensuring that
the aircraft is safe for flight.
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