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By following this guide, you will register technician credentials in PlaneConnection, verify certificate types and numbers, record digital attestations for maintenance releases, track IA authorization expiration dates, and maintain an auditable record of who signed off on each maintenance action.
Who should read this: Directors of maintenance, quality assurance managers, and HR/training managers responsible for maintaining records of technician qualifications and ensuring only authorized persons approve aircraft for return to service.Required permission: maintenance_ops — read to view, update to register and verify technician credentials.Regulatory basis: 14 CFR 43.3 defines persons authorized to perform maintenance, preventive maintenance, rebuilding, and alteration. 14 CFR 43.7 defines persons authorized to approve aircraft, airframes, aircraft engines, propellers, appliances, or component parts for return to service. 14 CFR 43.9(a)(4) requires each maintenance record entry to include the signature, certificate number, and kind of certificate held by the person approving the work.

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Certificate Types

PlaneConnection tracks four categories of FAA maintenance certificates:
IA authorizations must be renewed annually per 14 CFR 65.93. PlaneConnection tracks the expiration date and alerts when an IA authorization is approaching renewal.

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The Technician Attestations List

Navigate to Maintenance > Technician Attestations to see all registered technicians. The list shows:

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Register a Technician

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Verify a Certificate

Certificate verification confirms the validity of a technician’s credentials:
  1. Open the technician detail page
  2. Click Verify Certificate
  3. The system records the verification date and generates an attestation hash
  4. The verified badge changes to green with the verification timestamp
Verify certificates against FAA records when a technician first joins your organization and periodically thereafter. For IA holders, re-verify at each annual renewal. Verification records support your organization’s quality system and satisfy 14 CFR 145.157 personnel requirements if operating as a repair station.

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Digital Attestations on Work Orders

When a technician signs a work order return-to-service release, the system creates a digital attestation that links:
  • The technician’s verified certificate record
  • The specific work order being released
  • A timestamp and digital signature hash
  • An entry in the record integrity hash chain
This creates an immutable, tamper-evident record that the aircraft was approved for return to service by an authorized person per 14 CFR 43.7.

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Track IA Expiration

IA authorizations that are within 60 days of expiration show an amber warning badge. Expired IA authorizations show a red badge and the technician can no longer be selected for actions that require IA authority (annual inspections, major repair/alteration approvals) until the authorization is renewed and the new expiration date is updated.
Work approved by a technician whose IA authorization has expired may not satisfy the requirements of 14 CFR 43.7. Always verify the current status of IA authorizations before assigning annual inspections or major repair/alteration approvals.

Manage Work Orders

Return-to-service releases require technician attestations.

Part Passports

Lifecycle events on parts link to the performing technician.

Record Integrity

Attestation hashes are anchored in the record integrity chain.

Compliance Dashboard

Monitor technician certificate and IA expiration status.
Last modified on April 5, 2026