EASA vs FAA maintenance recordkeeping — a side-by-side reference.

Reference document. Not regulatory or operational guidance. Always read the regulation directly (Commission Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014 / Annex Vb on the EASA side; 14 CFR Parts 43 and 91 on the FAA side) and consult your aircraft’s responsible engineer or A&P/IA before relying on this for any specific compliance question.

The two regimes are different, but a lot of the daily-life recordkeeping for an owner-pilot turns out to look similar. The places they diverge are: who can sign what, what gets called what, and how the airworthiness review cycle works. This page lays out the comparison at the level useful for an owner-pilot who is trying to keep records that survive an audit on either side.

The two regimes at a glance

Aircraft logbook expectations

EASA. The aircraft logbook captures: total time in service, date of each flight, hours of flight per leg, aircraft hours-since-new at end of flight. Maintenance entries record each task with date, hours, description, parts used (if any), and certifying signature. The logbook is the audit trail; an ARC review will read it.

FAA. The Aircraft, Engine, and Propeller logs are typically separate physical books. Each carries its own time-in-service. Maintenance entries follow FAR §43.9 (general) and §43.11 (inspections). Annual inspection signoff is in the Aircraft log.

The conceptual difference: EASA tends to live in one logbook with maintenance threaded through; FAA tends to separate operational hours (Aircraft) from component-life hours (Engine, Prop). Hangar’s data model unifies these — flights add hours to the airframe; component math runs against the engine/prop hours that derive from airframe hours plus install dates.

Engine and propeller logs

EASA. Most operators keep engine and propeller logs as part of the aircraft documentation, typically as physical books or PDF equivalents. TBO (engine) and overhaul interval (propeller) drive the component clock. Component-time tracking is part of AMP compliance.

FAA. Engine and propeller logs are independently formal. TBO is a manufacturer’s recommendation under Part 91 (mandatory under Part 135), but engine condition monitoring (oil analysis, borescope, compression checks) is the practical authority for whether you reach or exceed TBO.

In both regimes, off-spreadsheet tracking is the standard failure mode. Hangar’s component CRUD with serial number, life limit, and install date wraps both regimes; framework override per aircraft means an N-Cessna and an EU-Cessna in the same account each see the right framework rules.

AD compliance records

EASA AD records must show: AD number and revision, method of compliance, date and aircraft hours, certifying signature. The AD-Tool catalog is the authoritative source for what applies; the maintenance record evidences compliance.

FAA AD records under §91.417 require: a list of all current ADs applicable to the aircraft, including the method of compliance, the AD number, the revision date, and the aircraft total time and date when the action was accomplished.

The data model is essentially the same. The catalogs differ; for an aircraft of US type design on EU register, both apply via bilateral. See AD compliance tracking for owner-pilots for the workflow.

Inspection signoffs (annual vs ARC)

Annual inspection (FAA). Required under FAR §91.409 every 12 calendar months. Performed by an A&P with Inspection Authorisation (IA), or by a certified repair station with appropriate ratings. The IA signs the aircraft logbook stating the inspection was performed in accordance with FAR Appendix D and the aircraft is approved for return to service.

Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC, EASA). Required annually under Part-ML. For self-managed aircraft, can be issued by an authorised person (CAMO/CAO certifying staff, occasionally NAA, sometimes Independent Certifying Staff under national rules). Combines a physical inspection with a document audit; some renewals are extensions based on a satisfactory in-service review without a full physical.

Both produce a dated, signed document that proves the aircraft is airworthy at that point in time. The work each authority requires to issue the document is similar; the institutional shape differs.

For the EASA side, the ARC renewal checklist covers the workflow.

Pilot-owner work — recording what you did

EASA Part-ML Appendix III lists the tasks a pilot-owner can perform and certify. Includes oil change, tire change, wheel bearing change, battery replacement, removal/installation of cowling for inspection, and a defined list of similar tasks. Each task must be recorded in the aircraft logbook with date, hours, what was done, and the pilot-owner’s signature.

FAR Part 43 Appendix A(c) lists the preventive maintenance tasks a holder of at least a Private Pilot Certificate may perform on aircraft they own and operate (with limitations on aircraft used in commercial operations). Similar in scope: oil change, wheel and tire, hydraulic fluid servicing, lubrication of items not requiring disassembly, and so on.

Both regimes require the recordkeeping; both regimes treat the work as legitimate maintenance, not a hobbyist exercise. Hangar’s flight-log entry includes a maintenance-event hook that lets you record pilot-owner work alongside the flight that prompted it. The hash-chained PDF export keeps the trail intact for either regime’s audit.

Cross-regime aircraft (N-reg in Europe, EU-reg in US)

The cross-regime cases are where the recordkeeping detail matters most.

N-registered in Europe. Operationally, the aircraft is governed by FAR Part 91 for airworthiness. The logbook is FAA-format. ADs from FAA apply; EASA ADs apply where adopted via bilateral. The annual inspection by an A&P/IA is required (the IA may need to be FAA-certified; arrangements with EU-based shops vary). Operating in EASA airspace doesn’t change the recordkeeping obligation under FAA rules.

EU-registered in the US. Operationally, the aircraft is governed by Part-ML or the appropriate EASA regime; the ARC must be current. ADs from EASA apply; FAA ADs apply where adopted via bilateral. Maintenance can be performed by appropriately-rated personnel in the US, with the records carried back to the EASA system.

Hangar’s per-aircraft framework override is built for this. The dashboard knows whether to surface annual-inspection or ARC, and the AD applicability engine knows which catalog applies.

For the surrounding ownership-organisation context, see Aircraft document organization for shared-ownership groups and Part-ML compliance for owner-pilots.