How long are AD compliance records required to be kept?

• A. They shall be retained, and then transferred with the aircraft when it is sold.
• B. Kept for 2 years
• C. Kept for the life of the aircraft
• D. Destroyed upon sale

Answer: (A)

AD compliance records are part of the aircraft’s official maintenance history, showing when airworthiness directives were reviewed and actions taken. Keeping these records is essential because airworthiness depends on having proof that all applicable ADs have been complied with. When the aircraft is sold, those records should accompany it so the new owner and any inspector can verify continued compliance. That transfer requirement is what makes this option the best fit. Keeping records for a fixed period, destroying them at sale, or treating them as separate from the aircraft would break the continuity of the aircraft’s regulatory history and could raise airworthiness concerns.