Which documents are FAA-approved data for airworthiness decisions?

Which documents are FAA-approved data for airworthiness decisions?

• A. ADs and TCDSs.
• B. Service letters.
• C. Instructions for continued airworthiness.
• D. Service bulletins.

Answer: (A)

When determining airworthiness, rely on official FAA-approved data. The two sources that carry enforceable authority are Airworthiness Directives and the Type Certificate Data Sheet. Airworthiness Directives are mandatory actions issued by the FAA to address unsafe conditions in a product (aircraft, engine, propeller, or appliance). They come with specific compliance times and apply to particular models or serials, and failure to comply means the aircraft is not considered airworthy. The Type Certificate Data Sheet documents the approved design for a given aircraft type and its operating and maintenance limitations. It is an FAA-approved record that defines what the design requires and what must be maintained to remain within the approved configuration. This data set serves as the baseline for airworthiness decisions—any modifications or maintenance must stay within what the type design allows. Manufacturer documents like service letters, service bulletins, and general instructions for continued airworthiness are guidance or recommended actions. They don’t, by themselves, establish enforceable airworthiness authority unless an AD references them or they’re incorporated into the approved design data.

When determining airworthiness, rely on official FAA-approved data. The two sources that carry enforceable authority are Airworthiness Directives and the Type Certificate Data Sheet.

Airworthiness Directives are mandatory actions issued by the FAA to address unsafe conditions in a product (aircraft, engine, propeller, or appliance). They come with specific compliance times and apply to particular models or serials, and failure to comply means the aircraft is not considered airworthy.

The Type Certificate Data Sheet documents the approved design for a given aircraft type and its operating and maintenance limitations. It is an FAA-approved record that defines what the design requires and what must be maintained to remain within the approved configuration. This data set serves as the baseline for airworthiness decisions—any modifications or maintenance must stay within what the type design allows.

Manufacturer documents like service letters, service bulletins, and general instructions for continued airworthiness are guidance or recommended actions. They don’t, by themselves, establish enforceable airworthiness authority unless an AD references them or they’re incorporated into the approved design data.