14 CFR Part 39 · Airworthiness Directives
14 CFR 39.11: What an AD can require
An AD can require three kinds of thing: inspections you must carry out, conditions and limitations you must comply with, and actions you must take to resolve the unsafe condition.
Section last amended December 30, 2016 · Text current as of October 15, 2026 · Also cited as FAR 39.11 · Read it on eCFR
14 CFR 39.11 in plain English
- Inspections, often repetitive, at the intervals the AD sets.
- Conditions and limitations, such as placards, operating restrictions or limits on use.
- Actions that resolve the unsafe condition, such as replacing or modifying a part, which may end a repetitive inspection.
Common questions
- What is a terminating action?
- An action, usually replacing or modifying a part, that the AD says ends its repetitive inspections. Until it is done, the repetitive inspections keep coming due.
- Can a pilot comply with an AD?
- Some ADs allow a pilot to do a specific check, such as a fuel cap inspection, and make the record entry. Unless the AD says so, the work is maintenance and needs a mechanic.
Official text of 14 CFR 39.11
§ 39.11 What actions do airworthiness directives require?. Verbatim from the eCFR, current as of October 15, 2026.
Airworthiness directives specify inspections you must carry out, conditions and limitations you must comply with, and any actions you must take to resolve an unsafe condition.
Related
AerScheduler lists the ADs that name each of your aircraft, records who decided each one, and tracks the repeat inspections that follow. See how