Regulatory Aviation Glossary
FAA, EASA, ICAO frameworks. Certificates, postholders, SMS, audits, compliance.
Regulatory glossary terms span the certification frameworks every flight school, ATO, AOC, and CAMO operates under. Includes the major FAR Parts (Part 61 / 91 / 121 / 135 / 141 / 142 / 145), EASA Parts (Part-FCL / Part-M / Part-CAMO / Part-145), the medical certificate classes (1/2/3, BasicMed, AME), the postholder structure (Accountable Manager, Head of Training, Compliance Monitoring Manager), the four ICAO Annex 19 SMS pillars (Policy, Risk, Assurance, Promotion), and the audit and corrective-action machinery that ties them together.
A
Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) & Guidance Material (GM)
AMC and GM are the non-binding EASA materials that accompany the binding aviation rules. An Acceptable Means of Compliance describes a way to comply that EASA accepts by default, while Guidance Material explains and illustrates how a rule should be understood.
Accountable Manager
The Accountable Manager (AM) is the single individual, approved by the National Aviation Authority, who holds ultimate corporate authority and personal regulatory accountability for ensuring that an EASA-approved organization's activities are financed and carried out in accordance with applicable requirements.
Advanced Qualification Program (AQP)
The Advanced Qualification Program (AQP) is an FAA-approved alternative to the traditional 14 CFR Part 121 and Part 135 training and qualification regime, allowing airlines and large training operators to design custom, data-driven, competency-based training programmes in lieu of the prescriptive hours-and-tasks model.
Advisory Circular (AC)
An Advisory Circular (AC) is a non-regulatory guidance document published by the FAA — and analogously by EASA as Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM), by Transport Canada as Advisory Circular, and by other national authorities under similar names — that describes a method of compliance with regulatory requirements, provides interpretive guidance, or makes recommendations on aviation safety topics, with numbering aligned to the regulatory subject area it addresses.
Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) Mechanic
An Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) Mechanic is an FAA-certificated aviation maintenance technician holding both the Airframe and Powerplant ratings under 14 CFR Part 65 Subpart D (§§65.71–65.95).
Airman Certification Standards (ACS)
The Airman Certification Standards (ACS) are FAA documents that define the knowledge, risk management, and skill standards an applicant must demonstrate to earn each pilot certificate or rating.
Airworthiness Directive (AD)
An Airworthiness Directive (AD) is a legally binding order issued by an aviation authority requiring operators to inspect, modify, or repair an aircraft, engine, or component to correct an unsafe condition.
Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC)
An Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC) is the EASA document — issued under Part-M M.A.901 (Form 15a/15b) — that confirms an aircraft remains airworthy following a structured review of its records, physical condition, and continuing-airworthiness status.
Alternative Training and Qualification Programme (ATQP)
The Alternative Training and Qualification Programme (ATQP) was an EASA framework — originated by the UK CAA — that allowed Part-OPS commercial air transport operators to substitute a customised, competency-based, data-driven training programme for the prescriptive type-rating recurrent and operator-conversion requirements. ATQP has been largely superseded by Evidence-Based Training (EBT) under EASA Part-ORO.FC.231 amendments.
AOC (Air Operator Certificate)
An AOC is an Air Operator Certificate — an authorisation issued by a national aviation authority that permits an operator to conduct commercial air transport operations.
AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association)
AOPA is the largest general-aviation membership organization in the United States, incorporated in 1939 and headquartered at Frederick Municipal Airport in Frederick, Maryland. It advocates for GA pilots and aircraft owners on regulatory and legislative matters and runs safety-education and pilot-growth programs that flight schools use directly.
Approved Maintenance Programme (AMP)
An Approved Maintenance Programme (AMP) is the per-aircraft, regulator-approved document — required under EASA Part-M M.A.302 and FAA §121.367 / §135.411 — that defines all the scheduled and condition-monitored maintenance tasks the aircraft will undergo throughout its operational life.
Approved Training Organization (ATO)
An Approved Training Organization (ATO) is a flight training provider certified by a national aviation authority under EASA or ICAO standards to deliver approved pilot training courses.
ARFF (Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting)
Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) is the specialised airport emergency service responsible for responding to aircraft accidents, incidents, and emergencies on or in the immediate vicinity of an airport, with categorisation, equipment, and response standards governed by 14 CFR Part 139 in the FAA framework and ICAO Annex 14, Volume I, Chapter 9 internationally.
ASAP and ASRS (Aviation Safety Action Program / Aviation Safety Reporting System)
ASAP is the FAA voluntary safety reporting program — codified in FAA AC 120-66B — operated by individual airlines under tripartite Memoranda of Understanding (operator + pilot/dispatcher/maintenance union + FAA).
Aviation Drug & Alcohol Testing (DOT/FAA)
The FAA's anti-drug and alcohol-misuse testing program requires certificate holders in certain aviation operations to test employees who perform safety-sensitive functions. It is built on 14 CFR Part 120 and the Department of Transportation's testing procedures in 49 CFR Part 40, and it is distinct from the individual pilot's own alcohol and drug prohibitions in 14 CFR 91.17.
Aviation Language Proficiency (ICAO Level 4-6 & FCL.055)
Aviation language proficiency is the demonstrated ability to speak and understand the language used for radiotelephony to a defined standard. ICAO Annex 1 sets a six-level rating scale, with Level 4 (Operational) the minimum for international operations, and EASA transposes the requirement through Part-FCL FCL.055 as an endorsement on the licence.
Aviation Medical Examiner (AME)
An Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) is a physician designated by the FAA under 14 CFR Part 183 §183.21 to examine applicants for FAA medical certificates and to issue First, Second, and Third-Class medical certificates on behalf of the FAA.
Aviation Quality Management System (QMS)
An Aviation Quality Management System (QMS) is the systematic framework an aviation organisation uses to plan, control, assure, and improve the quality of its training, maintenance, or operations activities — typically required by EASA, FAA, and ICAO for ATOs, Part 145 maintenance organisations, AOC holders, and other certificate holders.
B
BasicMed
BasicMed is an FAA medical certification alternative that allows qualifying pilots to fly under a self-attested medical regime supervised by any state-licensed physician, in lieu of holding a Third-Class FAA Medical Certificate.
Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA)
A Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) is a government-to-government agreement under which two civil aviation authorities agree to accept aspects of each other's certification work — chiefly airworthiness approvals and maintenance, and in some cases other domains. The high-level agreement is put into effect through detailed Implementation Procedures that define exactly what each authority will accept.
Bowtie Risk Analysis
Bowtie risk analysis is a visual method that places a single top event at the center, with the threats that could trigger it and the preventive barriers against them on the left, and the potential consequences with their recovery barriers on the right. The diagram's shape gives the technique its name.
C
14 CFR Part 5 (FAA Safety Management Systems)
14 CFR Part 5 is the FAA regulation that codifies Safety Management System (SMS) requirements. It sets out the four SMS components — Safety Policy, Safety Risk Management, Safety Assurance, and Safety Promotion — and, following a 2024 final rule, applies to a wider set of operators than the air carriers it originally covered.
Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs)
The Canadian Aviation Regulations (SOR/96-433) are Canada's consolidated body of civil-aviation rules. They are organized into numbered Parts and backed by binding Standards incorporated by reference, and they are administered by Transport Canada Civil Aviation.
Canadian Medical Certificate Categories (1-4)
Transport Canada uses four aviation medical certificate categories, numbered 1 to 4. Category 1 is the strictest and supports airline and commercial flying; Category 4 is a self-declaration via a Civil Aviation Medical Declaration that supports recreational, student, glider, and ultralight permits.
Canadian Recreational Pilot Permit
The Recreational Pilot Permit is a restricted Canadian pilot credential that sits below the Private Pilot Licence. It limits the holder to one passenger, day VFR flight, and non-high-performance single-engine aircraft, and can be exercised on a Category 4 self-declared medical.
Capability List (Repair Station)
A capability list is the self-audited, FAA-notified inventory of specific articles a limited-rated repair station is qualified to service. Under 14 CFR 145.215, each article is added only after a documented self-evaluation, letting a station expand its scope without applying for a new rating.
Certificate of Airworthiness (EASA CofA)
An EASA Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) is the Part-21 document certifying that an individual aircraft conforms to its approved type design and is in condition for safe operation. It is issued once and stays valid while the aircraft is properly maintained and its Airworthiness Review Certificate is kept current.
CFR (Code of Federal Regulations)
The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) is the codified body of general and permanent regulations issued by the executive departments and agencies of the US federal government, organised into 50 Titles by subject area, with aviation operating principally under Title 14 (Aeronautics and Space) and adjacent regulatory matter under Title 49 (Transportation, including TSA), Title 38 (Veterans Affairs, including GI Bill education benefits), and Title 10 (Armed Forces, including reserve component education programmes).
Chicago Convention (Convention on International Civil Aviation)
The Chicago Convention is the 1944 treaty that founded ICAO and established the legal framework for international civil aviation. It was signed at Chicago on 7 December 1944 and entered into force on 4 April 1947, and its provisions are the parent authority for the technical Annexes and every ICAO Standard.
Class 1 Medical Certificate
A Class 1 medical certificate is the highest medical standard in both the FAA (14 CFR Part 67 Subpart B) and EASA (Part-MED) systems, required to exercise the privileges of an Airline Transport Pilot Licence and a Commercial Pilot Licence in many jurisdictions.
Class 2 Medical Certificate
A Class 2 medical certificate is the standard required for private pilot privileges in the EASA system (Part-MED) and for commercial pilot privileges in the FAA system (14 CFR Part 67 Subpart C, Second-Class), with validity periods and examination requirements less stringent than Class 1.
Class 3 / Third-Class Medical Certificate
A Third-Class medical certificate (FAA) is the minimum standard for exercising private pilot privileges under 14 CFR Part 67 Subpart D — and is the medical regime BasicMed was designed to relieve qualifying pilots from.
Color Vision Standards & Testing (OCVT / MFT)
The FAA color vision requirement — the ability to distinguish the aviation signal colors — is part of every medical examination under 14 CFR Part 67. Applicants who fail an approved screening test can still qualify through operational testing (the OCVT and, for higher classes, a Medical Flight Test), earning a Letter of Evidence that removes the color vision limitation.
Competent Authority (National Aviation Authority)
The competent authority is the body responsible in each EASA member state for certifying and overseeing aviation organizations and licence holders — usually the national aviation authority. For organizations based outside the EU, EASA itself acts as the competent authority.
Compliance Monitoring Manager (CMM)
The Compliance Monitoring Manager (CMM) is the EASA-nominated postholder responsible for operating the Compliance Monitoring Function (CMF) within an organization's Management System, as required by Part-ORO ORO.GEN.200(a)(6) for AOC holders, Part-ORA ORA.GEN.200 for ATOs, and Part-CAMO CAMO.A.200 for CAMOs.
Continuing Airworthiness
Continuing airworthiness is the regulatory discipline — defined under EASA Part-M and ICAO Annex 6 — of ensuring an aircraft remains in compliance with its type certificate, applicable airworthiness directives, and approved maintenance program throughout its operational life. It is a process, distinct from the CAMO organization that delivers it.
Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation (CAMO)
A CAMO (Continuing Airworthiness Management Organization) is an EASA-approved organization responsible for managing the continuing airworthiness of aircraft, ensuring they remain safe to fly through proper maintenance planning, record-keeping, and regulatory compliance.
Continuous Airworthiness Maintenance Program (CAMP)
A Continuous Airworthiness Maintenance Program (CAMP) is an FAA-approved scheduled maintenance framework required for Part 121 air carriers under 14 CFR §121.367 and for Part 135 operators of large or multiengine turbine-powered aircraft under §135.411(a)(2), replacing the standard annual/100-hour inspection cycle with a comprehensive, operator-specific program approved by the FAA.
Contracted (Outsourced) Maintenance
Contracted maintenance is work a repair station or operator sends to an outside source. Under 14 CFR 145.217, the function must be FAA-approved, non-certificated sources must follow equivalent quality control under the station's oversight, and the contracting station remains responsible and controls return to service.
Corrective Action Plan (CAP)
A Corrective Action Plan (CAP) is the structured written response an EASA-approved organization must submit to its Competent Authority — or to its own Compliance Monitoring Manager — when a finding is raised under AMC1 to ORO.GEN.150, ORA.GEN.150, or CAMO.A.150.
Crew Duty Time
Crew duty time is the total period from when a crew member reports for duty to when they are released, subject to regulatory maximum limits that vary by operation type and jurisdiction.
D
Declared Training Organization (DTO)
A Declared Training Organization (DTO) is a lighter-weight EASA flight training provider that operates by declaration rather than full certification, authorized to offer PPL and LAPL training courses.
Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR) and Designated Engineering Representative (DER)
A Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR) and a Designated Engineering Representative (DER) are FAA designees authorized under 14 CFR Part 183 to perform specific aircraft certification and engineering approval functions on behalf of the FAA Administrator.
Document Management System (DMS) for Aviation
A Document Management System (DMS) for aviation is the platform that holds, distributes, version-controls, and tracks acknowledgement of operational and compliance documents — operations manuals, training manuals, maintenance manuals, safety bulletins, regulatory notices, instructor briefing materials, and trainee handbooks. An aviation DMS satisfies the document-control requirements that EASA, FAA, and other authorities impose on certified aviation organisations.
E
EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency)
EASA is the EU aviation safety agency established by Regulation (EC) 1592/2002 and now governed by Regulation (EU) 2018/1139, responsible for setting airworthiness, licensing, operations, and UAS standards across 31 European Member States.
EASA Basic Regulation (EU) 2018/1139
The EASA Basic Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2018/1139, is the foundational EU law that established the current European Union Aviation Safety Agency and sets the essential requirements for civil aviation safety across member states. Every EASA Part-regulation derives its authority from it.
EASA Flight Time Limitations (FTL)
EASA FTL is the European flight time, duty time, and rest requirement regime — codified in Subpart FTL of Annex III to Regulation (EU) 965/2012 (Part-ORO) and supported by AMC1 ORO.FTL.205-235 — applicable to commercial air transport operators within EASA member states, broadly equivalent in purpose to FAA Part 117 but structurally different.
EASA Form 1 and FAA 8130-3 (Authorized Release Certificates)
The EASA Form 1 (issued under Part-145 145.A.50 and Part-21 Subparts F and G) and the FAA Form 8130-3 Authorized Release Certificate / Airworthiness Approval Tag (issued under 14 CFR §21.137 and FAA Part 145) are the bilateral equivalents certifying that a part, component, or assembly released from an approved production or maintenance organization conforms to approved design data and is in a serviceable condition.
ETOPS (Extended Operations)
Extended Operations (ETOPS) — originally Extended-range Twin-engine Operations and now formally Extended Operations to reflect the inclusion of three- and four-engine aircraft — is the regulatory framework permitting two-engine and certain larger aircraft to operate routes that, at any point, are more than a specified time from an adequate diversion airport at one-engine-inoperative cruise speed, codified for FAA operators under 14 CFR Part 121 Subpart P and 14 CFR Part 135 Subpart L, and for EASA operators under Part-CAT Subpart D.
F
FAA (Federal Aviation Administration)
The FAA is the U.S. federal agency responsible for regulating all civil aviation under 49 USC §§40101–44732, encompassing airman and aircraft certification, air traffic control, and safety rulemaking through 14 CFR Parts 1–199.
FAA Compliance Program (Compliance Philosophy)
The FAA Compliance Program is the agency's oversight approach, set out in FAA Order 8000.373, that prioritizes correcting unintentional regulatory deviations through root-cause analysis, training, and procedure fixes rather than enforcement, provided the certificate holder is willing and able to comply and maintains a positive safety culture.
FAA Form 337 — Major Repair and Alteration
FAA Form 337 (Major Repair and Alteration: Airframe, Powerplant, Propeller, or Appliance) is the FAA's required documentation form for any major repair or major alteration performed on a U.S.-registered civil aircraft, mandated by 14 CFR §43.9(d) and Part 43 Appendix B.
FAA MedXPress
FAA MedXPress is the FAA's mandatory online system for completing the medical certificate application (FAA Form 8500-8) before an appointment with an Aviation Medical Examiner. The applicant files the form, receives a confirmation number, and the AME retrieves the application at the exam.
FAR Part 107 (Small UAS / Drone Rule)
Part 107 is the FAA rule (14 CFR Part 107) governing commercial operation of small unmanned aircraft systems weighing under 55 pounds. Anyone flying a drone for work or business must hold a Remote Pilot Certificate and operate within the rule's limits on altitude, visual line of sight, and airspace.
FAR Part 117 — Flight and Duty Limitations and Rest Requirements
FAR Part 117 is the FAA regulation — effective January 4, 2014 — defining flight time, duty time, and rest requirements for flight crew of US scheduled passenger airlines (Part 121 operators), introduced after the 2009 Colgan 3407 accident as part of P.L. 111-216 (the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act).
FAR Part 119 — Certification: Air Carriers and Commercial Operators
14 CFR Part 119 is the FAA's umbrella certification framework that determines who must hold an air carrier or commercial operator certificate, which operating rule set (Part 121, 125, or 135) applies to their specific operations, and the minimum management personnel structure required.
FAR Part 121 — Scheduled Airline Operations
14 CFR Part 121 is the FAA regulation governing U.S. scheduled passenger and all-cargo air carrier operations, including domestic, flag, and supplemental operators such as American, Delta, United, FedEx, and UPS. It prescribes operating certificates, crewmember training programs (§121.401), flight/duty time limits (§§121.470–121.471), and mandatory Continuous Airworthiness Maintenance Programs (§121.367).
FAR Part 125 — Large Airplane Operations
14 CFR Part 125 governs U.S.-registered airplanes with 20 or more passenger seats or 6,000 lb or more maximum payload capacity when operated for compensation or hire outside of Part 121 scheduled air carrier service and Part 135 commuter or on-demand operations.
FAR Part 135 — Commuter and On-Demand Operations
14 CFR Part 135 is the FAA regulation governing U.S. commuter and on-demand air carrier operations — including air taxis, fractional ownership programs (NetJets, Wheels Up), helicopter EMS (HEMS), and regional commuters operating aircraft with 9 or fewer passenger seats.
FAR Part 137 — Agricultural Aircraft Operations
14 CFR Part 137 governs agricultural aircraft operations in the United States — aerial application of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and seed dispersal — establishing certificate requirements, pilot qualifications, operating limitations, and recordkeeping for both private and commercial ag operators.
FAR Part 139 — Airport Certification
14 CFR Part 139 requires airports serving air carrier aircraft designed for more than 9 passenger seats to hold an FAA Airport Operating Certificate, with four certification classes and mandatory standards covering ARFF, pavement, wildlife hazards, and emergency planning.
FAR Part 142 — Training Centers
14 CFR Part 142 is the FAA regulation governing certificated training centers — organizations such as FlightSafety International, CAE Simuflite, Boeing Training & Professional Services, and Airbus Training that deliver type rating, recurrent, and Advanced Qualification Program (AQP) training primarily in full-flight simulators (FFS) and flight training devices (FTDs).
FAR Part 147 — Aviation Maintenance Technician Schools
14 CFR Part 147 governs the certification and operation of FAA-approved Aviation Maintenance Technician Schools (AMTS), which train students for the A&P mechanic certificate under Part 65, specifying facility requirements, curriculum standards, faculty credentials, and graduation performance expectations.
FAR Part 39 — Airworthiness Directives
14 CFR Part 39 is the FAA regulatory framework under which the agency issues Airworthiness Directives (ADs) — legally binding orders mandating corrective action on civil aircraft, engines, propellers, or appliances found to have an unsafe condition after type certification.
FAR Part 43 — Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance, Rebuilding, and Alteration
14 CFR Part 43 governs who may perform maintenance, preventive maintenance, rebuilding, and alteration on U.S.-registered civil aircraft, what methods must be used, and how every maintenance event must be documented in the aircraft's records.
FAR Part 65 — Certification: Airmen Other Than Flight Crewmembers
14 CFR Part 65 governs FAA certification of non-pilot aviation professionals, including aircraft mechanics (A&P), repairmen, aircraft dispatchers, air traffic control tower operators, and parachute riggers — each with distinct eligibility standards, testing requirements, and operating privileges.
FAR Part 67 — Medical Standards and Certification
14 CFR Part 67 establishes the FAA's medical standards for pilot certification, defining three classes of medical certificate — First, Second, and Third — with progressively less stringent standards, and the certification procedures governing issuance, denial, and Special Issuance.
FAR Part 91 — General Operating and Flight Rules
14 CFR Part 91 is the foundational FAA regulation governing all civil aircraft operations in U.S. airspace that are not otherwise regulated under Parts 121, 125, 129, or 135.
Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS)
A Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) is the data-driven, science-based, operator-specific alternative to prescriptive flight-time limits — codified in ICAO Annex 6 + Doc 9966 (Fatigue Management Guide), 14 CFR §117.7 (FAA), and Part-ORO ORO.FTL.110(c) (EASA) — allowing operators to demonstrate equivalent or superior fatigue management through systematic monitoring rather than rule-by-rule compliance.
FIR (Flight Information Region)
A Flight Information Region (FIR) is a defined volume of airspace, designated under ICAO Annex 11 §2.1 and ICAO Doc 4444, within which a single air traffic services authority provides Flight Information Service (FIS) and Alerting Service (ALRS) — the foundational unit of global airspace organization.
Flight Risk Assessment Tool (FRAT)
A Flight Risk Assessment Tool (FRAT) is a structured pre-flight checklist that scores individual risk factors — typically across the pilot, aircraft, environment, and external-pressure categories of the PAVE model — and totals them into a go, caution, or no-go result. It turns a vague sense of risk into a defensible number before dispatch.
Flight Standards District Office (FSDO)
A Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) is a local FAA field office responsible for certificating and overseeing pilots, flight schools, maintenance facilities, and air operators within its geographic district.
Flight Training Organisation (FTO)
A Flight Training Organization (FTO) is an ICAO and legacy EASA term for an approved organization that provides flight crew training under a structured and regulated curriculum.
Flying Club Rules at Federally Obligated Airports (FAA Order 5190.6B)
At airports that have accepted federal grant money, a flying club may operate only if it meets the FAA's definition of a club. FAA Order 5190.6B requires the club to be nonprofit, members-only, and non-commercial, with equal property rights among members and no net earnings.
FOQA and FDM (Flight Operational Quality Assurance / Flight Data Monitoring)
FOQA (Flight Operational Quality Assurance — FAA term) and FDM (Flight Data Monitoring — EASA / ICAO term) are the systematic programs — codified in FAA AC 120-82, EASA AMC1 ORO.AOC.130, and ICAO Annex 6 — for collecting, analyzing, and using digital flight data from line operations to identify safety hazards and improve operational performance.
FTSP (Flight Training Security Program)
The FTSP is the TSA's Flight Training Security Program, which requires flight schools in the United States to vet non-US citizens before providing flight training.
H
Hazard Identification (HazID)
Hazard Identification (HazID) is the systematic process of finding conditions or events that could cause harm to people, aircraft, or operations.
Head of Training (HoT)
The Head of Training (HoT) is the EASA-nominated postholder at an Approved Training Organization who carries personal regulatory accountability for the standardization, conduct, and quality of all training delivered.
I
IACRA (Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application)
IACRA is the FAA's web-based system for submitting, tracking, and processing airman certification and rating applications, replacing the traditional paper-based FAA Form 8710-1.
IAOPA (International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations)
IAOPA is a non-profit federation of roughly 80 to 100 national general-aviation membership organizations worldwide. Formed in 1962 and permanently established in 1964, it represents general aviation internationally, holds observer status at ICAO, and is active in EASA rulemaking through its European affiliate.
ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization)
ICAO is the United Nations specialized agency established by the Chicago Convention of 1944, with 193 contracting States, responsible for adopting international Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) across 19 Annexes governing global civil aviation.
Inspection Authorization (IA)
An Inspection Authorization (IA) is an additional FAA authorization, issued under 14 CFR §65.91, that allows a qualified A&P mechanic to perform annual inspections (§91.409(a)), conduct and return aircraft to service after progressive inspections, and approve major repairs and major alterations by signing FAA Form 337.
Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA)
Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA) are the manufacturer-furnished data — maintenance and inspection procedures plus the Airworthiness Limitations Section — that define how a type-certificated product must be maintained. The obligation to prepare and furnish them flows from 14 CFR 21.50 and the airworthiness standards.
Internal Audit (Compliance Monitoring Audit)
An internal audit (or compliance monitoring audit) is an independent, systematic, documented process for obtaining evidence and evaluating it objectively to determine the extent to which an EASA-approved organization continues to meet applicable requirements, its own approved procedures, and relevant AMC/GM.
L
Letter of Authorization (LOA)
A Letter of Authorization (LOA) is an FAA-issued document authorizing a specific Part 91 operator to conduct an operation otherwise restricted by regulation — the Part 91 equivalent of Operations Specifications, covering RVSM, RNP-AR, Cat II/III, polar routes, and other special authorizations.
Licence Conversion
Licence conversion is the regulatory process by which a pilot certificate or rating issued by one civil aviation authority is recognized, validated, or re-issued by another authority — for example, converting an FAA PPL to an EASA Part-FCL PPL.
Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA)
Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA) is an FAA aircraft category defined in 14 CFR §1.1, limited to aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight of 1,320 lb (1,430 lb for seaplanes), a maximum stall speed of 45 knots CAS, a maximum cruise speed of 120 knots CAS, and no more than two seats — the category that Sport Pilot Certificate holders are authorized to fly.
LODA (Letter of Deviation Authority)
A Letter of Deviation Authority (LODA) is an FAA authorization, issued under 14 CFR 91.326, that permits flight training, checking, or testing for compensation in aircraft holding experimental, limited category, or primary category airworthiness certificates — operations that the underlying rules would otherwise prohibit.
LOSA (Line Operations Safety Audit)
LOSA is a structured, non-punitive cockpit-observation methodology — codified in ICAO Doc 9803 — in which trained observers ride as jumpsuit passengers on normal revenue flights to record threats, crew errors, and undesired aircraft states, producing de-identified fleet-level safety data.
M
Major vs. Minor Repair & Alteration
The major/minor distinction, set out in 14 CFR Part 43 Appendix A, classifies maintenance work by its effect on the aircraft. Major repairs and alterations demand approved data, an FAA Form 337, and sign-off by an appropriately authorized person; minor work follows a lighter approval path.
Mandatory Occurrence Report (MOR)
A Mandatory Occurrence Report (MOR) is a formal notification that aviation organizations and individuals are legally required to submit to their competent authority when a defined safety-relevant event occurs.
MEDA (Maintenance Error Decision Aid)
MEDA is a structured maintenance-error investigation methodology developed by Boeing (1994–1995) that systematically identifies the contributing factors behind maintenance errors using the Reason Swiss cheese model, replacing technician-blame attribution with systemic root-cause analysis.
MOA (Military Operations Area) and Special Use Airspace
A Military Operations Area (MOA) is a type of Special Use Airspace (SUA) established under 14 CFR Part 73 and FAA Order JO 7400.10 to separate or segregate certain nonhazardous military training activities from IFR traffic, while permitting VFR flight with caution.
MOSAIC (Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification)
MOSAIC is an FAA final rule, published in July 2025, that modernizes the light-sport aircraft category and expands sport-pilot privileges. It replaces the old weight cap on light-sport aircraft with a stall-speed limit and allows sport pilots to fly larger, more capable aircraft than the original 2004 rules permitted.
N
NCC (Non-Commercial Complex)
NCC stands for Non-Commercial operations with Complex motor-powered aircraft under EASA regulations, covering private flights operated with complex aircraft such as turbine-powered aeroplanes or multi-engine helicopters.
NCO (Non-Commercial Operations)
NCO stands for Non-Commercial Operations under EASA regulations, governing private flying with non-complex aircraft — the framework that covers most private pilots and flying clubs in Europe.
NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board)
The NTSB is an independent U.S. federal agency established by the Independent Safety Board Act of 1974 (49 USC Chapter 11) that investigates civil aviation accidents and issues safety recommendations to reduce future risk, with no regulatory or enforcement authority of its own.
NTSB Part 830 (Accident & Incident Reporting)
49 CFR Part 830 is the National Transportation Safety Board rule that requires the operator of an aircraft to immediately notify the NTSB of an aircraft accident or a listed serious incident, to preserve the wreckage and records, and to file a written report. It defines the terms "accident" and "incident" and the substantial-damage and serious-injury thresholds that trigger those duties.
O
Operations Manual
An Operations Manual is the regulator-required, controlled document that describes how an air operator or training organization actually conducts its operations, including procedures, responsibilities, and limitations.
Operations Specifications (OpsSpecs)
Operations Specifications are FAA-issued documents that define the specific authorizations, limitations, and procedures under which a Part 119, Part 125, or Part 145 certificate holder may conduct operations — covering everything from authorized routes and aircraft types to maintenance program approvals and special area authorizations.
P
Part 141
Part 141 refers to FAA-certificated flight schools that operate under 14 CFR Part 141, following an FAA-approved curriculum with structured syllabi, stage checks, and periodic oversight.
Part 145 (EASA Maintenance Organisation)
Part 145 is the EASA regulation that establishes the requirements for organizations approved to perform maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) on aircraft, engines, and components.
Part 61
Part 61 refers to flight training conducted under 14 CFR Part 61, where instructors set the curriculum and training pace without a formal FAA-approved syllabus.
Part M (EASA Continuing Airworthiness)
Part M is the EASA regulation that establishes the requirements for the continuing airworthiness of aircraft, including maintenance planning, airworthiness reviews, and the responsibilities of aircraft owners and CAMO organizations.
Part-147 (EASA Maintenance Training Organisation)
Part-147 is the EASA approval for organizations that deliver aircraft-maintenance-licence basic training and type training feeding the Part-66 licence. It is set out in Annex IV to Commission Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014 and should not be confused with the FAA's Part 147, which regulates a different system despite sharing the number.
Part-21 (Design and Production Organisations)
Part-21 is the EASA regulation, found in Annex I to Commission Regulation (EU) No 748/2012, that governs the airworthiness certification of aircraft, parts and appliances and the approval of Design Organisations (DOA) and Production Organisations (POA). It is the initial-airworthiness counterpart to the continuing-airworthiness rules in Part-M and Part-ML.
Part-66 Aircraft Maintenance Licence (AML)
Part-66 is the EASA regulation that governs the Aircraft Maintenance Licence (AML), the personal licence held by maintenance staff who are authorized to certify aircraft as fit to fly by signing the Certificate of Release to Service. It sits in Annex III of Commission Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014.
Part-CAO (Combined Airworthiness Organisation)
A Combined Airworthiness Organisation (CAO) is a single EASA approval, set out in Annex Vd to Commission Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014, that lets one organization hold both continuing-airworthiness management and maintenance privileges for non-complex general-aviation aircraft under one certificate.
Part-FCL
Part-FCL (Flight Crew Licensing) is the EASA regulation that establishes the requirements for the issue, revalidation, and renewal of flight crew licenses and ratings in European aviation.
Part-IS (Information Security Management)
Part-IS is the EASA requirement that obliges aviation organizations to manage information-security risks that could affect aviation safety, introduced by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1645 and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/203. It requires each affected organization to run an Information Security Management System (ISMS) covering risk assessment, incident detection, response, and reporting.
Part-ML (Light Aircraft Continuing Airworthiness)
Part-ML is the simplified EASA continuing-airworthiness regime for light general-aviation aircraft, set out in Annex Vb to Commission Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014. It reduces the maintenance-management burden for smaller aeroplanes and helicopters that are not operated on a commercial air transport AOC.
Part-ORO (Air Operations — Organisation Requirements)
Part-ORO is the set of organisation requirements for air operators under the EASA Air Operations Regulation, contained in Annex III to Commission Regulation (EU) No 965/2012. It governs operator certification, the management system, crew, the operations manual, and related organizational obligations that underpin the operational rules in Part-CAT, Part-NCC, and Part-SPO.
PMA (Parts Manufacturer Approval)
A Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) is a combined FAA design and production approval, issued under 14 CFR Part 21 Subpart K, that lets a company manufacture and sell replacement or modification parts for installation on type-certificated aircraft.
POI (Principal Operations Inspector)
A Principal Operations Inspector (POI) is the FAA inspector assigned as the primary regulatory point of contact for a specific certificate holder — typically a Part 121 air carrier, Part 135 operator, Part 141 pilot school, or Part 142 training centre — responsible for certificate management, surveillance, programme approvals, and disposition of operating authorisation changes under FAA Order 8900.1 and the Safety Assurance System (SAS).
Preventive Maintenance (Owner/Operator)
Preventive maintenance is the limited list of simple maintenance tasks — defined in 14 CFR Part 43 Appendix A(c) — that a certificated pilot who owns or operates a non-commercial aircraft may legally perform without an A&P mechanic. Each task still requires a maintenance record entry under 14 CFR 43.9.
Progressive Inspection (FAA Alternative to Annual)
A Progressive Inspection is an FAA-authorized alternative to the standard annual inspection under 14 CFR §91.409(d), in which an aircraft's airworthiness is maintained through a continuous cycle of segmented inspections spread across the operating year rather than a single annual inspection event.
R
709 Ride (FAA Competency Reexamination)
A 709 ride is a reexamination of an airman's competency that the FAA may require under 49 U.S.C. 44709 when it has a reasonable basis to question whether the airman still meets the standards for a certificate they hold. It is a competency check, not a punishment or legal enforcement action.
Repair Station Ratings
Repair station ratings are the FAA-defined categories and classes, set out in 14 CFR 145.59, that scope what a certificated Part 145 repair station may work on — airframe, powerplant, propeller, radio, instrument, accessory, plus limited and specialized-service ratings.
Required Aircraft Documents (ARROW)
ARROW is the memory aid for the documents that must be aboard a US civil aircraft in flight: Airworthiness certificate, Registration certificate, Radio station license (for international operations), Operating limitations, and Weight and balance data. The requirement comes chiefly from 14 CFR 91.203 and 91.9.
Required Inspection Item (RII)
A Required Inspection Item (RII) is a maintenance or alteration task whose improper accomplishment could endanger safe operation, so it must be verified by an independent inspector. The person who performed the work cannot sign off the required inspection of that same work.
Richard G. McSpadden Report (GA Accident Analysis)
The Richard G. McSpadden Report is the AOPA Air Safety Institute's annual analysis of general-aviation accidents in the United States. Renamed in 2024 from the Joseph T. Nall Report, it breaks down GA accidents by phase of flight and cause and is a standard reference for safety trends.
RVSM (Reduced Vertical Separation Minima)
RVSM reduces the vertical separation standard between aircraft from 2,000 ft to 1,000 ft in the FL290–FL410 band, requiring strict aircraft equipment and monitoring standards defined in ICAO Doc 9574, 14 CFR Part 91 Appendix G, FAA AC 91-85B, and EASA AMC1 SPA.RVSM.105.
S
Safety Assurance (SMS Pillar 3)
Safety Assurance is the third SMS pillar defined in ICAO Annex 19 (Second Edition, Amendment 1, 2018) and ICAO Doc 9859 (Fourth Edition, 2018): the continuous monitoring of safety performance against targets, verification that risk controls are working, and the systematic process of improving the SMS over time.
Safety Culture
Safety culture is the shared set of attitudes, values, and behaviors toward safety within an organization — the environment that determines whether a safety management system actually works or exists only on paper. Just culture is one component of it. Regulators assess safety-culture maturity against a ladder running from pathological to generative.
Safety Management Policy (SMS Pillar 1)
The Safety Management Policy is the foundational documented commitment of an aviation organization's Accountable Manager to managing safety — the first of the four SMS components defined in ICAO Annex 19 (Second Edition, Amendment 1, 2018) and ICAO Doc 9859 (Safety Management Manual, Fourth Edition, 2018).
Safety Management System (SMS)
A Safety Management System (SMS) is a systematic, organization-wide approach to managing safety risks in aviation, encompassing policy, risk assessment, assurance, and promotion activities.
Safety Performance Indicator (SPI)
A Safety Performance Indicator (SPI) is a measurable parameter — defined under ICAO Annex 19 and codified in EASA SMS rules and FAA SMS guidance — that an organization uses to monitor and assess its safety performance against agreed Safety Performance Targets (SPTs).
Safety Promotion (SMS Pillar 4)
Safety Promotion is the fourth SMS pillar under ICAO Annex 19 (Second Edition, Amendment 1, 2018) and ICAO Doc 9859 (Fourth Edition, 2018): the training, communication, and organizational culture activities that make the SMS operational throughout the workforce.
Safety Risk Assessment (SRA)
A Safety Risk Assessment (SRA) is the formal documented process within SMS Pillar 2 (Safety Risk Management) that takes each identified hazard through severity and likelihood analysis, assigns a composite risk index against an organization-defined acceptability matrix, selects risk controls, and documents residual risk — mandated by ICAO Annex 19 Appendix 2, ICAO Doc 9859 (Fourth Edition), EASA Part-ORO ORO.GEN.200(a)(3), and FAA 14 CFR Part 5 §§5.51–5.53.
SARPs (Standards and Recommended Practices)
SARPs are the technical specifications adopted by the ICAO Council under Article 37 of the Chicago Convention and set out across the 19 Annexes. ICAO now manages more than 12,000 SARPs, split into binding Standards and non-binding Recommended Practices, which flow down into national rulebooks such as the FAA's regulations and EASA's Parts.
Service Difficulty Report (SDR)
A Service Difficulty Report (SDR) is the mandatory safety report required under 14 CFR §21.3 when type certificate holders, design approval holders, FAA Part 145 repair stations, and Part 121/135/125 air carriers discover certain failures, malfunctions, or defects in aviation products in service.
Special Airworthiness Certificate (FAA Form 8130-7)
A special airworthiness certificate is the FAA certificate class — issued on FAA Form 8130-7 — for aircraft that do not qualify for a standard certificate. It covers the primary, restricted, limited, provisional, light-sport, and experimental categories, plus special flight permits, each with its own operating limitations.
Special Issuance Medical (SODA / Authorization)
A Special Issuance is an FAA authorization under 14 CFR 67.401 that lets a pilot with an otherwise disqualifying medical condition be certificated once the condition is shown to be adequately treated or controlled. It is granted either as a time-limited Authorization or, for static conditions, as a permanent Statement of Demonstrated Ability (SODA).
SPO (Specialised Operations)
SPO stands for Specialised Operations under EASA regulations, covering commercial aviation activities other than air transport — including aerial work, HEMS, and other mission-specific flying.
Standard Airworthiness Certificate (FAA Form 8100-2)
A standard airworthiness certificate is the FAA authorization — issued under 14 CFR 21.175 on the pink FAA Form 8100-2 — that permits a type-certificated aircraft to operate. It is the certificate nearly every training aircraft holds, and it remains valid indefinitely as long as the aircraft is maintained and operated within the rules.
State Approving Agency (SAA)
A State Approving Agency (SAA) is the state-level body — typically housed within a State Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Education, or independent veterans services commission — designated under 38 U.S. Code Section 3671 to evaluate and approve education and training programmes for use of US Department of Veterans Affairs education benefits, conduct compliance surveys, and act as the primary regulatory interface between flight schools and the VA.
State Safety Programme (SSP)
A State Safety Programme is the safety-management system a country itself operates, required under ICAO Annex 19, through which the State manages aviation safety at the national level. It is built on four components — safety policy and objectives, safety risk management, safety assurance, and safety promotion — and it is the framework inside which every operator's own SMS is expected to nest.
Supplemental Type Certificate (STC)
A Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) is an FAA approval document under 14 CFR §21.113 for a major change to an aircraft type design not proposed by the original type certificate holder.
T
Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR)
A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is a regulatory notice under 14 CFR Part 91 that prohibits or restricts flight operations within a defined volume of airspace for a limited time, published via NOTAM and enforceable by FAA certificate action or federal prosecution.
The 19 ICAO Annexes to the Chicago Convention
The ICAO Annexes are the 19 technical volumes attached to the Chicago Convention that carry ICAO's Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) on everything from personnel licensing to safety management. They number from Annex 1 (Personnel Licensing) through Annex 19 (Safety Management), and national rulebooks such as the FAA's regulations and EASA's Parts are the domestic transposition of the Standards they contain.
Third-Country Licence Conversion (EASA)
Third-country licence conversion is the EASA process by which the holder of a non-EASA (ICAO) pilot licence obtains an equivalent Part-FCL licence. It is distinct from validation, a temporary acceptance of a foreign licence, and from the broader FAA-and-EASA topic of general licence conversion.
Training Course Outline (TCO)
A Training Course Outline (TCO) is a detailed, FAA-approved document that defines the curriculum, lesson sequence, training hours, and completion standards for each course offered by a Part 141 flight school.
Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA)
Transport Canada Civil Aviation is the civil-aviation directorate of Transport Canada, the federal department that regulates aviation in Canada. It administers the Canadian Aviation Regulations and oversees licensing, airworthiness, and operations for Canadian aircraft and airspace.
TSA Alien Flight Student Program (AFSP)
The TSA Alien Flight Student Program (AFSP) is a US Transportation Security Administration program that requires non-US citizens and non-resident aliens to undergo security vetting before beginning flight training at US flight schools.
TSA Security Awareness Training
TSA Security Awareness Training is the recurrent training required under 49 CFR 1552.23 for flight school employees who have direct contact with flight students, ensuring they can identify and report behavior or activity that may indicate a security threat — distinct from, but layered with, the FTSP/AFSP vetting requirements.
TSO / TSOA (Technical Standard Order)
A Technical Standard Order (TSO) is a minimum performance standard the FAA issues for a specified article — such as an avionics unit, seat, tire, or life vest. A TSO Authorization (TSOA), issued under 14 CFR Part 21 Subpart O, is a combined design and production approval showing an article meets its TSO, but it grants no approval to install the article on an aircraft.
Type Certificate
A Type Certificate is an official document issued by an aviation authority certifying that a specific aircraft, engine, or propeller design meets all applicable airworthiness standards.
U
UK CAA CAP Documents
CAP documents are the UK Civil Aviation Authority's numbered Civil Aviation Publication series. They carry the CAA's guidance, standards, and policy on everything from licensing to operations, and are the UK analog to FAA Advisory Circulars and EASA AMC and GM.
UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA)
The UK Civil Aviation Authority is the United Kingdom's independent aviation regulator. Since 1 January 2021 it has operated outside the EASA system, issuing its own licences, approvals, and safety rules for UK-registered aircraft and UK airspace.
UK National Private Pilot Licence (NPPL)
The UK National Private Pilot Licence is a UK-only, sub-ICAO pilot licence for simple light aircraft, microlights, and self-launching motor gliders. It is valid only on UK-registered aircraft in UK airspace and can be used with a self-declared Pilot Medical Declaration.
UK Pilot Medical Declaration (PMD)
The UK Pilot Medical Declaration is a self-certified medical route offered by the UK CAA. It lets qualifying private pilots fly light aircraft without an aviation medical examination, by declaring they meet the equivalent of the DVLA Group 1 driving medical standard.
USOAP (Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme)
USOAP is ICAO's programme for auditing whether each Member State actually operates an effective safety-oversight system. It measures a State against the eight Critical Elements of safety oversight and produces an Effective Implementation (EI) score, which in turn shapes how far that State's licenses and operator certificates are recognized abroad.