Which organization governs the approval status of data used for major repairs?

• A. FAA
• B. The aircraft owner
• C. The local airworthiness inspector
• D. The manufacturer

Answer: (A)

Approval of data used for major repairs is governed by the FAA. In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration oversees airworthiness and certifies the methods and data used for repairs to ensure safety standards are met. When a repair is major, the data guiding that repair—such as structural repair drawings, calculations, or repair manuals—must be acceptable to the administrator, meaning the FAA approves it for use. The manufacturer can provide repair data and an owner can coordinate repairs, but the regulatory authority that authorizes and endorses the data for airworthiness rests with the FAA. The local airworthiness inspector enforces compliance, but does not independently grant approval for the repair data itself.