Who issues a service bulletin and what is its purpose?

• A. It is issued by the FAA and describes regulatory compliance.
• B. It is issued by the manufacturer and outlines procedures to improve efficiency and/or safety.
• C. It is issued by the operator and lists warranty terms.
• D. It is issued by the supplier and describes pricing.

Answer: (B)

Service bulletins come from the aircraft’s manufacturer and are official notices describing recommended changes, inspections, or procedures to address a potential issue and to improve safety, reliability, or efficiency of the aircraft or its systems. This is why the manufacturer is the one who issues them and why their purpose is to guide operators on how to implement improvements or corrective actions. Keep in mind that while a service bulletin itself is not a regulatory mandating document, an FAA Airworthiness Directive can require compliance with the bulletin if the issue warrants mandatory action.