Which organization oversees the issuance of Airworthiness Directives and airworthiness standards in the United States?

• A. The Federal Aviation Administration
• B. The National Transportation Safety Board
• C. The Department of Transportation
• D. The International Civil Aviation Organization

Answer: (A)

The Federal Aviation Administration is the authority responsible for aviation safety in the United States, including issuing Airworthiness Directives and establishing airworthiness standards. Airworthiness Directives are legally enforceable rules that address and correct unsafe conditions found in aircraft, engines, propellers, or their components, and they apply to aircraft operating in the U.S. The FAA also sets the standards for design, manufacturing, and continued airworthiness of aircraft and parts, with these requirements codified in the Federal Aviation Regulations. The Department of Transportation oversees the FAA, but the actual regulation and directives come from the FAA itself. The National Transportation Safety Board investigates accidents but does not issue airworthiness standards or directives. The International Civil Aviation Organization sets international rules, but it does not issue US-specific directives.