Definition
The person designated by an FAA-certificated repair station or air carrier to be responsible for the overall management, supervision, and airworthiness of all maintenance, preventive maintenance, and alteration work performed on the operator's aircraft. The Director of Maintenance ensures that maintenance is carried out in accordance with the operator's approved manuals, FAA regulations, and the manufacturer's instructions.
Plain English
The senior person in charge of all aircraft maintenance at an airline or repair shop. They make sure every aircraft is fixed properly, kept airworthy, and that all the rules are followed.
Context Anchor
You may see this title in maintenance records, company manuals, repair station paperwork, or when a pilot reports a mechanical problem.
Derivation
Director comes from Latin dirigere, meaning “to guide or set straight.” Maintenance comes from words meaning “to hold in condition.” Together, the title points to the person who guides the work that keeps aircraft in proper condition.
Why Pilots Care
This role determines whether maintenance records and procedures meet regulatory standards, directly affecting whether an aircraft can be legally dispatched.
Intuition Check
Director of Maintenance does not necessarily mean the person personally fixing the aircraft. It means the person responsible for directing and managing the maintenance program.
Example Sentence 1
The Director of Maintenance signed off on the revised inspection program before it was submitted to the FAA for approval.
Example Sentence 2
During the audit the FAA asked to speak with the Director of Maintenance about recent discrepancies in the maintenance logs.