Airworthiness check

Before every flight under Part 135, the pilot in command must verify that required airworthiness inspections are current. This means checking that the aircraft has received its mandatory inspections under either § 91.409 (which covers annual and 100-hour inspections for most aircraft) or § 135.419 (which establishes specific inspection programs for Part 135 operators).

This regulation places direct responsibility on the PIC to confirm inspection compliance—you cannot simply assume maintenance is current. In practice, this means reviewing aircraft logbooks or maintenance tracking systems before flight to ensure no inspection deadlines have passed. The aircraft must have valid inspections appropriate to its operation; for example, a Part 135 aircraft typically operates under a continuous inspection program rather than simple annual inspections.

If required inspections are overdue, the flight cannot legally begin until the inspections are completed and properly documented.

*This is a plain-English summary for study only. The official 14 CFR text on this page is controlling — always read the current regulation and consult a CFI.*