Definition
A specific section of the Federal Aviation Regulations that requires aircraft owners and operators to keep and maintain certain maintenance records, including records of inspections, repairs, alterations, and the status of life-limited parts and Airworthiness Directives.
Plain English
The rule that says aircraft owners must keep written records showing the airplane has been properly inspected, maintained, and repaired, and must keep those records up to date.
Context Anchor
You may see this citation when checking whether an aircraft has the required maintenance records before a flight.
Derivation
14 CFR means Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which is the section of U.S. federal law covering aeronautics and space. Part 91 covers general operating and flight rules. Section 91.417 is the specific paragraph within Part 91 that deals with maintenance records.
Why Pilots Care
Confirms the aircraft meets legal airworthiness standards and provides proof that all required work has been performed and recorded.
Analogy
Think of this citation like a street address for a rule: Title 14 is the city, part 91 is the street, and section 91.417 is the specific house.
Intuition Check
Do not read “part” and “section” as casual book labels here. In this citation, they point to exact locations in federal aviation law.
Example Sentence 1
Before the first flight of the day, the owner verified that the maintenance logbooks met the recordkeeping requirements of 14 CFR part 91, section 91.417.
Example Sentence 2
After the annual inspection the mechanic recorded the work as required by 14 CFR part 91, section 91.417.