What Are Aircraft Records?

What does the all-inclusive term, “Aircraft Records” really mean?

Federal Aviation Regulation 43.9 & 43.11 state, and I paraphrase, each person who maintains, performs preventive maintenance, rebuilds, alters or performs an inspection on an aircraft airframe, engine or component shall make an entry in the maintenance record of that equipment.

The most prominent of aircraft records are the Airframe, Engine and if applicable, Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) Log Books. There are a few components, such as wheels, propellers and batteries, which can have their own log book or component log card. Information is placed in these log books to be held as a historical record of a maintenance event; this information is referred to as an “entry”. Entries are made in these log books for maintenance, preventative maintenance, scheduled inspections, scheduled component replacement, unscheduled systems repair, unscheduled component replacement, compliance with manufacture or component vendor Service Bulletins (SB), FAA issued Airworthiness Directives (AD) and any modifications, alterations and/or repairs to components, systems or structures.

In most cases, the log entry is just the tip of the records iceberg. The date, aircraft times and content of the log entry may contain all the information necessary to give a complete description of the work performed or may, with reference, direct you where to find the details and all the documentation that will support the validity of the statements in the entry and the all-important “maintenance release”. That reference will generally be documentation that will consist of work order(s), replacement component certifications, Form 337’s for major alterations & repairs, interior materials burn test certifications, Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) information for modifications, weight & balance data, Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA) and Aircraft Flight Manual Supplements for components/systems added to the aircraft after manufacture.

Depending on the format or construction of your log book(s), some of this referenced information may be contained in the log book, while other documents will be contained in other binders such as the Weight & Balance Manual and the Aircraft Flight Manual. Still other documents and information may be held in general files. Documents referenced in the log entry must be retained as part of the permanent aircraft records.

Now that the required records have been corralled; how long are these records to be retained?

FAR 91.417 states, and again I paraphrase, maintenance, alterations and inspection records are to be retained until the work is repeated, superseded or one year after the work is completed. The regulation goes on to state the total times for aircraft, engines, propeller, rotor, time controlled component times, overhaul status, inspection status, AD status and records of major repairs & alterations (337’s) must be retained and transferred with the aircraft at time of sale.

Though the FAA allows for the destruction of some records, the more complete and continuous the records are, the clearer the history is of the aircraft. Operators of modern aircraft expect full, complete records that tell the entire biography of the aircraft’s life.

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