What is the first step to verify the airworthiness of an aircraft?

The first step to verify the airworthiness of an aircraft involves using ATP's Airworthiness Worksheet. This worksheet serves as a systematic tool that helps ensure all necessary factors affecting airworthiness are considered. It provides a structured approach to gathering and recording essential information about the aircraft's maintenance history, regulatory compliance, and overall condition.

While performing a visual inspection and checking maintenance logbooks are important parts of the airworthiness verification process, they are typically subsequent steps that can be conducted once a comprehensive understanding of the aircraft's documentation and history is established through the Airworthiness Worksheet. Contacting the aircraft manufacturer can provide valuable insights and technical support; however, it does not serve as a foundational step for verifying airworthiness like the Airworthiness Worksheet does. This method emphasizes thoroughness and ensures that all relevant data is reviewed systematically before proceeding with more hands-on evaluations of the aircraft’s physical condition.