§ 91.7 Civil aircraft airworthiness
14 CFR Part 91 — Subpart A—General
Official text — 14 CFR § 91.7
REGULATION — LEGALLY BINDING(a) No person may operate a civil aircraft unless it is in an airworthy condition.
(b) The pilot in command of a civil aircraft is responsible for determining whether that aircraft is in condition for safe flight. The pilot in command shall discontinue the flight when unairworthy mechanical, electrical, or structural conditions occur.
Reproduced from the eCFR. Text as amended through 2026-07-31. Verify against the official source before relying on it operationally.
SkeyeMentor explanation
Educational — not an FAA sourceIn plain English
No person may operate a civil aircraft unless it is in an airworthy condition, and the pilot in command is responsible for determining whether the aircraft is in condition for safe flight and must discontinue the flight when an unairworthy condition occurs.
Why it matters
Airworthiness is not only a maintenance question. This section puts the determination squarely on the pilot in command, before and during the flight.
Common mistake
Treating a current annual inspection as proof of airworthiness. Inspection currency is only part of the picture.
Quick example
A required instrument fails in cruise. Read paragraph (b) and describe the pilot in command’s obligation.
Written and reviewed by the SkeyeMentor editorial team. This explanation is a study aid, not legal advice, and it is not part of the official text above. Verify current requirements through the official source before relying on them operationally.
Is this a regulation?
Yes — this is regulatory text and is legally binding.
Text published in the Code of Federal Regulations. Regulations are legally binding on pilots and operators.
Yes — this is the text of a Federal Aviation Regulation. It is legally binding. The explanation below it is SkeyeMentor educational content, not part of the regulation.