Definition
A formal, FAA-accepted schedule of inspections, overhauls, and maintenance tasks that an aircraft operator must follow to keep an aircraft legally airworthy. The program specifies what must be inspected or replaced, how often, and by whom, and is tailored to the aircraft type and the kind of operation being conducted (such as Part 91, Part 135, or Part 121).
Plain English
It is the official maintenance plan an operator agrees to follow, listing every check and replacement the aircraft needs and when each one is due. The FAA must accept the plan before it can be used.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft equipment, instrument procedure, and navigation-system discussions when the handbook is explaining whether installed equipment can legally be used for a flight.
Derivation
"Approved" here means accepted by the FAA, not simply allowed. The word comes from Latin probare, meaning "to test or prove." The maintenance program has been tested against FAA standards and found acceptable.
Why Pilots Care
Operators must follow an approved program to keep the aircraft legally airworthy for flight, especially under instrument or commercial rules.
Intuition Check
“Approved” does not mean the pilot personally thinks the plan is good. Here it means the plan has official aviation authority behind it and must be followed as part of keeping the aircraft or equipment acceptable for use.
Example Sentence 1
Before accepting the aircraft, the pilot confirmed all items in the approved maintenance program were current.
Example Sentence 2
The pilot confirmed the aircraft had been maintained under an approved maintenance program prior to accepting the IFR flight.