FAA Only
Terms governed by FAA / 14 CFR with no significant EASA equivalent. Apply primarily to US-registered aircraft and US-certificated pilots.
Operational(25)
100-Hour Inspection
A 100-hour inspection is an FAA-mandated maintenance check required for aircraft used in commercial operations or flight training every 100 hours of flight time.
AIRMET (Airmen's Meteorological Information)
An AIRMET is a US FAA in-flight weather advisory for conditions that are operationally significant primarily to general aviation aircraft — issued in three variants: Sierra (IFR conditions and mountain obscuration), Tango (moderate turbulence and surface winds ≥30 kt), and Zulu (moderate icing and freezing levels) — published under FAA Order 7900.5 and AC 00-45H with 6-hour validity periods.
ATC Light-Gun Signals
Light-gun signals are colored beams — steady or flashing green, red, and white — that a control tower aims at an aircraft or ground vehicle to issue clearances and instructions when two-way radio communication is not possible. The meanings, published in AIM paragraph 4-3-13, differ for aircraft in flight versus on the ground.
ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information Service)
ATIS is a continuous broadcast of essential non-control aerodrome information — current weather, active runway, NOTAMs, and special conditions — issued under ICAO Annex 11 §4.3 and FAA Order 7110.65, identified by a sequential phonetic letter that pilots are required to confirm on first ATC contact, reducing frequency congestion by eliminating repetitive controller weather reads.
Chart Supplement (formerly Airport/Facility Directory)
The Chart Supplement is the FAA publication, formerly called the Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD), that provides detailed data on airports, heliports, seaplane bases, and aeronautical facilities in the United States. It is a core flight-planning reference used alongside sectional and IFR charts.
CTAF & UNICOM (Non-Towered Communications)
The Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) is the radio frequency pilots use to self-announce their positions and intentions at an airport without an operating control tower. UNICOM is a non-government air-ground radio station, often run by a fixed-base operator, that may share that frequency to provide advisory information. Recommended procedures are published in AIM paragraph 4-1-9.
Endorsement
An endorsement is an instructor's written sign-off in a student pilot's logbook or training record authorizing specific privileges such as solo flight, cross-country solo, or eligibility for a practical test.
Go/No-Go Decision
A go/no-go decision is the structured evaluation process a pilot performs before each flight, considering weather, aircraft condition, pilot fitness, and other factors to determine whether the flight can be conducted safely.
Holding Pattern
A holding pattern is a published or ATC-assigned racetrack-shaped flight pattern at a specified fix used to delay an aircraft in flight, governed by 14 CFR §91.181 and the FAA Aeronautical Information Manual Chapter 5 §3 in the FAA system, and ICAO Doc 8168 (PANS-OPS) Volume II in the international system.
LAHSO (Land and Hold Short Operations)
LAHSO are air traffic control operations in which a landing aircraft is instructed to land and stop before an intersecting runway, taxiway, or other designated point. Acceptance is at the pilot's discretion based on the available landing distance, and student pilots are not permitted to accept a LAHSO clearance.
Logbook
A logbook is the official record of an aircraft's maintenance history and a pilot's accumulated flight time, serving as the primary documentation for regulatory compliance.
Medical Certificate
A medical certificate is an FAA-issued document certifying that a pilot meets the physical and mental health standards required to exercise the privileges of their pilot certificate.
Missed Approach Procedure
A missed approach procedure is the published or assigned flight path a pilot follows when an instrument approach cannot be completed to a safe landing — required by 14 CFR §91.175(c) and ICAO Doc 8168 (PANS-OPS) Volume II, executed when minimums are not met or the runway environment is not in sight at the missed approach point.
NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions)
A NOTAM is an official notice issued by aviation authorities to alert pilots of temporary hazards, airspace restrictions, or changes to airport facilities that could affect flight safety.
Pilot Currency Rules (FAA)
FAA pilot currency rules — primarily codified in 14 CFR §61.57 for recent flight experience and §61.56 for flight review — define the minimum recurrent flight activity a certificated pilot must maintain to legally exercise the privileges of their certificate, covering passenger-carrying recency, night recency, and instrument recency.
PIREP (Pilot Report)
A PIREP is a voluntary or solicited real-time weather observation made by a pilot in flight, reporting actual conditions encountered — turbulence, icing, cloud bases and tops, visibility, and temperature — under ICAO Annex 3 §5.6 and FAA AC 00-45H, with Urgent PIREPs (UUA) providing immediate input to SIGMET amendment decisions.
Runway Markings, Signs & Lighting
The painted markings, airfield signs, and lighting that identify runways, taxiways, and holding positions and tell pilots where they may and may not go. This standardized visual language is the primary defense against runway incursions on the ground.
SIGMET (Significant Meteorological Information)
A SIGMET is an in-flight weather advisory issued by a Meteorological Watch Office (MWO) for hazardous atmospheric conditions affecting the safety of all aircraft operations — including severe turbulence, severe icing, volcanic ash, tropical cyclones, and in the FAA system, convective hazards — governed by ICAO Annex 3 §6.4 and FAA Order 7900.5, with validities of 4 hours (6 hours for tropical cyclone or volcanic ash advisories).
Special VFR (SVFR)
Special VFR is an ATC clearance under 14 CFR 91.157 that lets a VFR aircraft operate in a controlled surface area when the weather is below basic VFR minimums. It requires at least 1 statute mile visibility, remaining clear of clouds, and explicit approval from air traffic control.
TAF (Terminal Aerodrome Forecast)
A TAF is a concise statement of expected meteorological conditions at an aerodrome over a defined validity period — 24 hours for standard FAA TAFs, 30 hours for ICAO-standard TAFs — issued by qualified meteorological offices under ICAO Annex 3 and WMO Tech Reg 49.3, and relied upon by operators to meet IFR alternate requirements under 14 CFR §91.169, §121.625, and §135.221.
Touch-and-Go vs Full-Stop Landing
A touch-and-go landing is a touchdown immediately followed by a takeoff without exiting the runway; a full-stop landing is a touchdown followed by a complete stop and runway exit. The distinction governs pilot currency under 14 CFR §61.57(b) for night passenger-carrying recency, and touch-and-goes accumulate landing cycles at a rate that significantly accelerates training-fleet maintenance schedules.
V-Speeds (Aircraft Operating Speeds)
V-speeds are standardized aircraft operating speeds defined during certification under EASA CS-23 / CS-25 / CS-27 / CS-29 and 14 CFR Parts 23/25/27/29, used for takeoff, climb, cruise, approach, landing, and emergency procedures, and color-coded on every airspeed indicator.
Visual Flight Rules (VFR)
Visual Flight Rules (VFR) are the regulations under which a pilot operates an aircraft in weather conditions clear enough to allow the pilot to see where the aircraft is going by visual reference to the ground and other aircraft.
VOR and DME (VHF Omnidirectional Range and Distance Measuring Equipment)
VOR is a VHF ground-based radio navigation aid that provides magnetic bearing information from the station to the aircraft; DME is a paired UHF transponder system that measures slant-range distance. Together, a VOR/DME co-location provides a complete two-dimensional position fix without GPS.
Wake Turbulence and Wake Categories
Wake turbulence is the disturbed air mass left behind a flying aircraft, dominated by counter-rotating wing-tip vortices generated as a byproduct of lift production, with intensity governed by aircraft weight, wing loading, and configuration; ATC separation standards based on ICAO Doc 4444 and FAA Order 7110.65 apply prescribed distance and time minima between leader and follower aircraft based on their respective wake category classifications.
Regulatory(61)
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
VFR Fuel Reserve Requirements
Under 14 CFR 91.151, an airplane may not begin a VFR flight unless it carries enough fuel to fly to the first point of intended landing and, at normal cruising speed, to continue for at least 30 minutes by day or 45 minutes by night. These are legal minimums; practical flight planning usually builds in a larger margin.
Training(23)
Air Transport Pilot Certification Training Program (ATP-CTP)
The ATP-CTP is an FAA-mandated ground and simulator training course, required under 14 CFR §61.156 since August 2013, that every ATP-certificate applicant must complete before sitting the ATP Aeronautical Knowledge Test.
AOPA Air Safety Institute (ASI)
The AOPA Air Safety Institute (ASI) is the safety-education arm of the AOPA Foundation, operating since 1950. It is one of the world's largest providers of free general-aviation safety education, offering online courses, videos, quizzes, accident case studies, an instructor-refresher course, and an annual accident report used widely across U.S. flight training.
AOPA High School Aviation STEM Curriculum
The AOPA High School Aviation STEM Curriculum is a free four-year secondary-school program, developed by the AOPA Foundation, that teaches science, technology, engineering, and math through aviation. It offers career pathways in piloting and unmanned aircraft systems and is designed to prepare students for aviation knowledge tests and further training.
AOPA You Can Fly Program
You Can Fly is AOPA's umbrella pilot-growth initiative, funded through the AOPA Foundation, that bundles several programs aimed at getting more people into aviation and keeping them flying. Its component efforts cover flight-training support, flying clubs, lapsed-pilot re-engagement, high-school STEM education, and scholarships.
Certified Flight Instructor (CFI)
A Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) is a pilot who holds an FAA Flight Instructor Certificate, authorizing them to provide flight and ground training to student pilots and certificate holders seeking additional ratings.
Checkride
A checkride is the final practical examination conducted by an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) or FAA inspector that a student must pass to earn a pilot certificate or rating.
Commercial Pilot License (CPL)
A Commercial Pilot License (CPL), known in the United States as a Commercial Pilot Certificate, is an advanced pilot credential that authorizes the holder to act as pilot in command for compensation or hire.
Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE)
A Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) is an experienced pilot authorized by the FAA to conduct practical tests (checkrides) and issue pilot certificates and ratings on behalf of the Administrator.
EAA Young Eagles
EAA Young Eagles is the Experimental Aircraft Association's free introductory-flight program for youth ages 8 to 17, launched in 1992. Volunteer EAA pilots give young people a first flight at no cost, and the program has flown more than two million participants, making it a major entry point into general aviation.
FAA WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program
The FAA WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program is a voluntary, FAA-sponsored recurrent training program through which pilots earn Phase credit by completing approved knowledge and flight activities each year.
FITS (FAA/Industry Training Standards)
FITS (FAA/Industry Training Standards) is an FAA-industry program that formalized scenario-based training, learner-centered grading, and single-pilot resource management into a single integrated training strategy. Developed originally for technically advanced aircraft, it reshaped modern general-aviation instruction and helped bridge the move from the Practical Test Standards toward the Airman Certification Standards.
Flight Instructor Refresher Course (FIRC)
A Flight Instructor Refresher Course (FIRC) is an FAA-approved course a Certificated Flight Instructor uses to satisfy the recent-experience requirement for the flight instructor certificate every 24 calendar months under 14 CFR 61.197. Completing an approved FIRC is one of several ways to keep instructing privileges current.
Ground School
Ground school is the classroom or online theoretical instruction component of pilot training, covering subjects such as aerodynamics, regulations, weather, navigation, and aircraft systems.
High-Performance & Complex Endorsements
These are two separate one-time logbook endorsements under 14 CFR 61.31. A complex endorsement (61.31(e)) is needed for an airplane with retractable landing gear, flaps, and a controllable-pitch propeller; a high-performance endorsement (61.31(f)) is needed for an airplane with an engine of more than 200 horsepower.
Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC)
An Instrument Proficiency Check is the evaluation required under 14 CFR 61.57(d) to regain instrument currency once a pilot has been out of currency for more than six months. It covers the tasks in the Instrument Rating ACS and must be given by a qualified instructor, examiner, or authorized check pilot.
Private Pilot License (PPL)
A Private Pilot License (PPL), known in the United States as a Private Pilot Certificate, is the foundational pilot credential that allows an individual to act as pilot in command of an aircraft for personal, non-commercial purposes.
Restricted ATP Certificate (R-ATP)
The Restricted Airline Transport Pilot Certificate (R-ATP), established under 14 CFR §61.160, allows qualifying pilots to act as second-in-command on Part 121 air carrier operations at reduced total flight hour minimums — as low as 750 hours for military pilots and 1,000 hours for graduates of approved four-year aviation degree programs.
Rusty Pilots (Return-to-Flying)
Rusty Pilots is an AOPA program designed to bring lapsed or inactive certificated pilots back to flying. Offered as an in-person seminar, a live webinar, or a self-paced online course, it refreshes regulations, weather, airspace, and technology, and completion earns a logbook endorsement that satisfies the ground portion of a flight review.
Simulated Instrument Time
Simulated instrument time is flight time during which the pilot is solely controlling the aircraft by reference to instruments, with outside visual reference blocked by a view-limiting device — historically called "hood time."
Sport Pilot Certificate
The Sport Pilot Certificate, codified under 14 CFR Part 61 Subpart J (§§61.303–61.327) and established by the FAA's 2004 Light-Sport Aircraft Rule, allows pilots to fly Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA) without an FAA medical certificate, requiring a minimum of 20 flight hours and a U.S. driver's license as medical evidence.
Stage Check
A stage check is a formal evaluation conducted by a designated check instructor at prescribed points in a training syllabus to verify that a student has mastered the skills and knowledge required before advancing to the next phase.
Synthetic Flight Instructor (SFI)
A Synthetic Flight Instructor (SFI) holds the instructor authorization under EASA Part-FCL FCL.905.SFI permitting delivery of type rating training and instrument rating training exclusively in qualifying Flight Simulation Training Devices (FFS, FTD, FNPT II) — without being required to hold the corresponding aircraft type rating or class rating for actual flight instruction.
Tailwheel Endorsement
A tailwheel endorsement is the one-time logbook sign-off required under 14 CFR 61.31(i) before a pilot may act as pilot in command of a tailwheel — conventional-gear — airplane. It certifies that an instructor has trained the pilot in tailwheel takeoffs, landings, and go-arounds and found them proficient.
Business(14)
85/15 Rule (VA Education Benefits)
The 85/15 Rule, codified at 38 U.S. Code Section 3680A(d) and implemented at 38 CFR Section 21.4201, prohibits the US Department of Veterans Affairs from paying education benefits to a veteran enrolled in any course where more than 85 percent of the students in that course are receiving institutional aid, including VA education benefits, making it a structural ceiling on the proportion of VA-funded students in any single training programme.
Aircraft Registration (N-Number / Certificate of Registration)
Aircraft registration is the FAA process — governed by 14 CFR Part 47 — that records legal ownership of a US civil aircraft, assigns its N-number, and issues a Certificate of Aircraft Registration. The certificate is valid for seven years and must be renewed; if registration lapses, the aircraft's airworthiness certificate becomes ineffective and it cannot legally fly.
Chapter 1606 — Montgomery GI Bill (Selected Reserve)
Chapter 1606 of Title 10 U.S. Code, the Montgomery GI Bill — Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR), is a US Department of Defense education benefit administered through the Department of Veterans Affairs that provides a monthly stipend during approved education or flight training to currently-serving members of the Selected Reserve and Army or Air National Guard, contingent on continued reserve service.
Chapter 30 — Montgomery GI Bill (Active Duty)
Chapter 30 of Title 38 U.S. Code, the Montgomery GI Bill — Active Duty (MGIB-AD), is a US Department of Veterans Affairs education benefit that pays the veteran a flat monthly stipend during enrolment in an approved education or flight training programme, in exchange for a $1,200 buy-in deduction taken from active-duty pay during the service member's first twelve months of service.
Chapter 31 — Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)
Chapter 31 of Title 38 U.S. Code, formally known as Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) and historically as Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, is a US Department of Veterans Affairs programme that funds employment-oriented training — including flight training — for veterans with a service-connected disability rated at 10 percent or higher when VA counsellor evaluation determines training is necessary to overcome employment barriers caused by the disability.
Chapter 33 — Post-9/11 GI Bill
Chapter 33 of Title 38 U.S. Code, commonly known as the Post-9/11 GI Bill, is the dominant US Department of Veterans Affairs education benefit programme, providing tuition payments, a monthly housing allowance, and an annual book stipend to veterans, active-duty service members, and qualifying transferees pursuing approved education and flight training programmes at Part 141 and Part 142 flight schools.
Chapter 35 — Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA)
Chapter 35 of Title 38 U.S. Code, the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance programme (DEA), is a US Department of Veterans Affairs education benefit that pays a monthly stipend during approved education or flight training to spouses and children of veterans who died in service, died of service-connected causes, or are permanently and totally disabled from service-connected causes.
Code-Share and Interline Agreements
A code-share is a bilateral commercial agreement where two airlines sell seats on the same physical flight under both carriers' flight numbers; an interline agreement is a lower-integration arrangement allowing through-ticketing and baggage transfer on multi-airline itineraries. Both are governed by IATA frameworks and, for consumer protection, by EU Regulation 2111/2005 and US 14 CFR §257.
Flying Club
A flying club is a member-owned or shared-aircraft organization that gives its members access to aircraft at a lower cost than commercial rental. Members typically pay fixed monthly dues plus an hourly rate, spreading the fixed costs of ownership across the group rather than each person renting or owning outright.
GI Bill (VA Education Benefits)
The GI Bill provides US military veterans with education benefits administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, including funding for approved flight training programmes at Part 141 schools.
Interline Service Charge (ISC) in Revenue Accounting
The Interline Service Charge (ISC) is a percentage discount applied to the prorate amount due to the operating carrier on an interline ticket, charged by the marketing carrier (the airline that sold the ticket) to compensate it for ticketing, sales, distribution, and credit-card costs. ISC is settled monthly through the IATA Clearing House (ICH) under the IATA Revenue Accounting Manual (RAM) and the Multilateral Interline Traffic Agreement (MITA) framework.
Ray Aviation Scholarship (AOPA Foundation)
The Ray Aviation Scholarship is a Ray Foundation-funded flight-training scholarship that helps young people earn a pilot certificate. Ray Foundation gifts support flight-training scholarships administered by both the AOPA Foundation, for high-school students and teachers, and the EAA, through its local chapters.
US Pilot Population Statistics
US pilot population statistics are the counts of active pilots and student pilots the FAA publishes each year in its US Civil Airmen Statistics. They break the pilot population down by certificate category and are the standard data flight schools use for market sizing and demand planning.
Yellow Ribbon Program
The Yellow Ribbon Program is a voluntary US Department of Veterans Affairs supplement to the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) under which a participating private or out-of-state institution agrees to waive a portion of tuition above the Chapter 33 tuition cap and the VA matches that institutional contribution dollar-for-dollar, allowing the qualifying veteran to attend an otherwise out-of-cap programme at little or no out-of-pocket cost.