Who should read this: Directors of maintenance, maintenance controllers, lead mechanics,
and A&P technicians responsible for planning, executing, and documenting aircraft maintenance.Required permission:
maintenance_ops — read to view, update to create and modify work
orders. Return-to-service release requires IA or A&P certificate verification.Regulatory basis: 14 CFR 43.9 requires maintenance records to include a description of
work performed, the date of completion, and the signature and certificate number of the
person approving the aircraft for return to service. 14 CFR 135 Subpart J establishes
maintenance requirements for Part 135 operators.The Work Orders List
Navigate to Maintenance > Work Orders to see all work orders for your workspace. The page displays summary statistics across the top:| Card | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Total | Count of all work orders |
| Open | Work orders in draft, open, or in-progress status |
| Awaiting Parts | Work orders blocked pending parts delivery |
| Completed | Work orders finished but not yet released to service |
Status tabs
The tab bar filters work orders by lifecycle status:| Tab | Meaning |
|---|---|
| All | Every work order regardless of status |
| Draft | Created but not yet opened for work |
| Open | Approved and ready for technician assignment |
| In Progress | Work actively underway |
| Awaiting Parts | Paused until parts arrive |
| Pending Approval | Work complete, awaiting supervisory review |
| Completed | All tasks done, pending return-to-service release |
| Verified | Released to service with sign-off recorded |
| Cancelled | Work order cancelled before completion |
Table columns
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| WO Number | Auto-generated identifier — click to open the detail page |
| Title | Short description of the maintenance task |
| Aircraft | Registration of the aircraft (e.g., N12345) |
| Status | Current lifecycle status with color-coded label |
| Priority | Routine, Urgent, or AOG |
| Assigned To | Technician or crew member name |
| Est. Hours | Estimated labor hours |
| Actual Hours | Actual labor hours recorded |
| Total Cost | Combined parts, labor, and outside costs |
Create a Work Order
From the Work Orders list, click New Work Order. You can also use
Cmd+K and select
“New Work Order.”Choose the aircraft registration from the dropdown. This scopes the work order to a specific
airframe and links it to that aircraft’s maintenance history.
Use specific titles that identify both the work and the aircraft. “100-Hour Inspection — N456CD”
is more useful than “Inspection” when scanning a long work order list.
Enter the Scheduled Start Date and Scheduled End Date to block the aircraft on the
maintenance forecast calendar. Record In-Date Hours and In-Date Cycles to capture
the aircraft’s time at induction.
Select the assigned technician from the crew member dropdown. The assignee receives
notification and the work order appears on their task list.
If this work order addresses a specific discrepancy (squawk), select it from the discrepancy
dropdown. Linking establishes traceability from defect identification through corrective action
— a requirement under 14 CFR 43.9.
Work Order Detail Page
Click any WO number in the list to open the detail page. The page is divided into:Header toolbar
The toolbar displays the WO number, aircraft registration, status label, and priority badge. Action buttons change based on the current status (see Status Lifecycle below).Line items
The items panel lists parts and materials used on this work order. Each line item includes:- Part ID — Internal part identifier or number
- Description — What the part is
- Quantity — Number of units used
- Unit Cost — Cost per unit
- Total Cost — Calculated line total
Notes and attachments
The notes panel provides a chronological log of all activity on the work order. To add a note:- Enter the note text in the content field
- Optionally attach a file (photos, inspection forms, vendor invoices)
- Click Add Note
Cost tracking
The cost summary panel shows:| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Estimated Hours | Planned labor hours from the work order header |
| Actual Hours | Sum of labor hours recorded |
| Parts Cost | Sum of all line item costs |
| Labor Cost | Actual hours multiplied by applicable labor rate |
| Outside Cost | Vendor or subcontracted service costs |
| Total Cost | Sum of parts, labor, and outside costs |
Work Order Status Lifecycle
Work orders progress through a defined lifecycle. Each transition is validated and audit-logged.| From | To | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Draft | Open | Approve the work order for execution |
| Open | In Progress | Technician begins work; startedAt is recorded |
| In Progress | Awaiting Parts | Work paused pending parts delivery |
| Awaiting Parts | In Progress | Parts received; work resumes |
| In Progress | Pending Approval | Work complete; submitted for supervisor review |
| Pending Approval | Completed | Supervisor approves the completed work |
| Completed | Verified | IA/A&P signs return-to-service (see below) |
| Any (except Verified) | Cancelled | Work order cancelled with reason documented |
Return-to-Service Release
When a work order reaches the Completed status, an authorized person must sign the return-to-service release before the aircraft may be returned to operations.From the completed work order detail, click Verify & Release. This opens the return-to-service
form.
The return-to-service release creates an immutable record hash in the record integrity system.
Once verified, the release cannot be modified — only supplemental notes can be added.
Edit a Work Order
Click Edit from the work order detail toolbar to modify any field. Editing is available for work orders in Draft, Open, In Progress, or Awaiting Parts status. Once a work order reaches Completed or Verified status, it becomes read-only to preserve the maintenance record.Link Work Orders to Due Items
When creating or editing a work order that addresses a scheduled maintenance due item, link the two records. This updates the due item’s completion tracking and resets the next-due calculation for recurring items.Manage Due Items
Track inspections, ADs, and recurring maintenance by aircraft.
Manage Discrepancies
Create and resolve aircraft squawks linked to work orders.
Work Order Templates
Create reusable templates for recurring maintenance tasks.
Maintenance Billing
Generate estimates and track billing for work orders.