Which organization issues Airworthiness Directives (AD) in the United States?

• A. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
• B. European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)
• C. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
• D. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

Answer: (A)

Airworthiness Directives are mandatory safety actions used to correct unsafe conditions in aircraft, engines, propellers, or other components. The agency responsible for issuing these directives in the United States is the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA has the legal authority to identify conditions that could make an aircraft unsafe and to require operators to take specified actions—such as inspections, repairs, or modifications—within a defined timeframe to restore airworthiness. These directives are enforceable and apply to affected equipment and operators within U.S. jurisdiction.

Other organizations have different roles: EASA handles similar directives for European-registered aircraft, ICAO sets international standards and recommended practices but does not issue binding directives to individual countries, and the NTSB conducts investigations and issues safety recommendations rather than mandatory directives.