Aircraft Records for a Sale or Purchase: What Transfers With the Aircraft
Last reviewed · By Chad Griffith
When an aircraft is sold, six categories of status records must legally transfer with it under 14 CFR 91.417(b)(2): total time in service, life-limited-part status, time since overhaul, current inspection status, airworthiness-directive (AD) status, and FAA Form 337s for major alterations. A buyer’s pre-purchase review verifies these, the airworthiness and registration certificates, complete logbooks, and a clear FAA title and lien search.
The records that legally transfer with the aircraft
Under 14 CFR 91.417(b)(2), the aircraft’s permanent status records must be retained and transferred with the aircraft at the time it is sold. These are the six items in 14 CFR 91.417(a)(2):
- Total time in service of the airframe, each engine, propeller, and rotor;
- The current status of life-limited parts;
- The time since last overhaul of all items overhauled on a time basis;
- The current inspection status of the aircraft;
- The current status of applicable airworthiness directives (AD number, revision date, method of compliance, and next-due time for recurring ADs); and
- Copies of the FAA Form 337 for each major alteration.
Routine maintenance work records (14 CFR 91.417(a)(1)) only have to be kept until superseded or for one year, but these six status records are the aircraft’s permanent airworthiness pedigree and follow it to the new owner.
The complete records package a buyer expects
Beyond the legally required status records, a market-standard set of aircraft records for a sale includes the complete airframe, engine, and propeller logbooks; the airworthiness certificate (14 CFR 91.203) and the latest weight-and-balance; the full AD compliance record; supplemental type certificates (STCs) and the Form 337s behind every major alteration; life-limited-part and overhaul documentation; and any inspection-program records. Gaps in this package — missing logbooks, undocumented alterations, an incomplete AD record — directly reduce the aircraft’s value and can stall or kill a sale.
Title, registration, and the FAA lien search
Ownership and encumbrances are documented separately from the maintenance records. A U.S. aircraft is registered under 14 CFR Part 47; ownership transfers via an Aircraft Bill of Sale (AC Form 8050-2) and the buyer applies for registration (AC Form 8050-1). Because security interests are recorded against the aircraft at the FAA Aircraft Registry in Oklahoma City, a title and lien search of the Registry is standard pre-closing diligence to confirm clear title — a step buyers and escrow/title companies treat as essential before funds move.
The pre-purchase records review
A pre-buy is two reviews: a physical/mechanical inspection and a records review. The records review verifies that the six 91.417(a)(2) status records are present and reconcile against the airframe; that the logbooks are continuous with no unexplained gaps; that every AD (especially recurring ones) shows a current compliance status; that major alterations are backed by approved data and Form 337s; and that life-limited parts have documented remaining life. A clean records review is often worth as much to a buyer as the mechanical condition, because undocumented airworthiness cannot simply be assumed.
Why missing records can ground an airworthy aircraft
An aircraft can be mechanically sound and still not be returnable to service if its records cannot establish current airworthiness. If the AD status, life-limited-part times, or inspection status cannot be shown, that status must be reconstructed — sometimes by re-inspection, teardown, or replacing parts whose history is unprovable — before the aircraft is legal to fly. This is why the records are treated as part of the asset: losing them is not a paperwork inconvenience, it is a direct cost and a grounding risk.
Preparing your records for a sale with FileFlo
Sellers who can hand a buyer a complete, indexed, verified records package close faster and defend their price; buyers who can audit that package quickly de-risk the deal. FileFlo is the records-and-proof layer for both sides: it classifies each document to its CFR citation, flags the 91.417(a)(2) status records and any gaps (a recurring AD with no next-due entry, a life-limited part with no current status), tracks the dates, and exports an indexed records binder for a pre-buy or a sale. FileFlo is not a title, escrow, or brokerage service and does not replace a title search or a mechanical pre-buy — it organizes and proves the document side. Starter $89/mo, Professional $299/mo, 5-day free trial (not SOC 2 certified).
Frequently Asked Questions
What aircraft records transfer when you sell an aircraft?
Under 14 CFR 91.417(b)(2), six categories of status records must be retained and transferred with the aircraft at sale: total time in service of the airframe, engines, propellers, and rotors; the current status of life-limited parts; the time since last overhaul of time-limited items; the current inspection status; the current status of applicable airworthiness directives; and copies of FAA Form 337 for each major alteration. In practice the complete logbooks, STCs, and overhaul records convey as well.
What records does a buyer need for a pre-purchase inspection?
A pre-buy records review verifies the six 91.417(a)(2) status records reconcile against the airframe; that airframe, engine, and propeller logbooks are continuous with no unexplained gaps; that every airworthiness directive (especially recurring ones) shows a current compliance status; that major alterations are supported by approved data and Form 337s; and that life-limited parts have documented remaining life. The airworthiness and registration certificates and current weight-and-balance are also confirmed.
Do aircraft logbooks transfer with the aircraft when it is sold?
Yes. While 14 CFR 91.417 technically requires the permanent status records (total time, life-limited parts, time since overhaul, inspection status, AD status, and Form 337s) to transfer with the aircraft, the complete airframe, engine, and propeller logbooks are part of the standard records package a buyer expects and are essential to establishing the aircraft’s airworthiness history. Missing logbooks materially reduce value.
What is an FAA aircraft title search and why does it matter?
A title and lien search reviews the records filed against an aircraft at the FAA Aircraft Registry in Oklahoma City to confirm the seller has clear title and that no undisclosed liens or security interests encumber the aircraft. Because ownership and security interests are recorded there, the search is standard pre-closing diligence — buyers and escrow/title companies confirm clear title before funds are released and the Aircraft Bill of Sale (AC Form 8050-2) is filed.
What happens if an aircraft’s records are missing or incomplete?
Missing records can ground an otherwise airworthy aircraft. If the AD status, life-limited-part times, or inspection status cannot be established from the records, that status must be reconstructed — potentially through re-inspection, teardown, or replacing parts whose history is unprovable — before the aircraft is legal to return to service. That is why incomplete records directly reduce value and can stall a sale.
How does FileFlo help prepare aircraft records for a sale or pre-buy?
FileFlo classifies each aircraft document to its CFR citation, flags the 14 CFR 91.417(a)(2) status records and any gaps (such as a recurring AD with no next-due entry or a life-limited part with no current status), tracks the dates, and exports an indexed records binder for a pre-buy or a sale. It is the records-and-proof layer — not a title, escrow, or brokerage service, and not a substitute for a title search or a mechanical pre-buy. Starter $89/mo, Professional $299/mo, 5-day free trial.
Authoritative sources
- 14 CFR 91.417 — Maintenance records and transfer at sale (Cornell LII)
- 14 CFR Part 47 — Aircraft Registration (Cornell LII)
- 14 CFR 43.9 — Content, form, and disposition of maintenance records (Cornell LII)
- FAA — Aircraft Registration (AC Form 8050-1) and Bill of Sale (AC Form 8050-2)
- 14 CFR 91.203 — Civil aircraft: certifications required aboard (Cornell LII)