Plain English Meaning
An official FAA order that tells owners and operators they must inspect, fix, or change something on their aircraft because a safety problem has been found. Until the work is done within the time allowed, the aircraft is not legal to fly.
Full Definition
A legally enforceable regulatory notice issued by the FAA when an unsafe condition is identified in an aircraft, engine, propeller, or appliance. It specifies the affected products and prescribes the inspections, corrective actions, or operating limitations that must be complied with, along with the deadline for compliance, before the aircraft can be operated legally.
Context Anchor
Pilots encounter Airworthiness Directives during aircraft records checks, maintenance planning, pre-purchase inspections, and any decision about whether an aircraft is legal and safe to fly.