Definition
The complete set of detailed engineering drawings used by technicians to manufacture, assemble, inspect, or repair an aircraft or aircraft component. Working drawings include all dimensions, tolerances, materials, finishes, and assembly information required to produce the part exactly as the designer intended.
Plain English
The shop-floor drawings a mechanic or builder actually works from. They show every measurement, material, and instruction needed to build or fix the part correctly.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft maintenance, repair, alteration, and manufacturing records, especially when a part or installation must match a specific design.
Derivation
Working' here means 'used for doing the actual work,' as opposed to drawings made just for presentation or planning. The name signals that these are the drawings you build from, not look at.
Why Pilots Care
Mechanics must follow these plans exactly to keep repairs and modifications airworthy and compliant with regulatory standards.
Intuition Check
Do not read “working drawings” as rough sketches or drawings still being worked on. In this context, they are completed drawings used to perform the work.
Example Sentence 1
The mechanic checked the working drawings before machining the replacement bracket to confirm the correct material and tolerances.
Example Sentence 2
Any change to the landing gear required checking the working drawings to confirm the correct bolt torque values.