Completion of an annual inspection and the return of the aircraft to service should always be indicated by:

• A. An appropriate notation in the aircraft maintenance records
• B. A sticker on the windshield
• C. An entry in the pilot's logbook only
• D. A note in the flight plan

Answer: (A)

Maintenance records serve as the official proof that an annual inspection has been completed and the aircraft is back in service. This notation provides a permanent, verifiable record of airworthiness actions that regulators and inspectors rely on. A sticker on the windshield isn’t an official record and can be obscured or removed; a pilot’s logbook entry alone doesn’t document maintenance history, and a note in the flight plan isn’t part of the aircraft’s official records. Therefore, the proper practice is to record the completion in the aircraft maintenance records with the date, details of the inspection, and the inspector’s certification.