Definition
Section 1.1 of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the part of U.S. federal aviation law that contains the official definitions and abbreviations used throughout the rest of the aviation regulations. When a regulation uses a term such as 'aircraft,' 'airplane,' 'category,' or 'class,' the legally binding meaning of that term is set out in 14 CFR 1.1.
Plain English
It is the section of the federal aviation rulebook that defines what the words used in the rest of the rulebook actually mean.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA handbooks, regulations, and training materials when the text points to the official legal meaning of an aviation term.
Derivation
CFR stands for Code of Federal Regulations, the published collection of U.S. federal rules. Title 14 is the volume that covers Aeronautics and Space. The '1.1' points to Part 1, Section 1 — traditionally the opening section of a regulation, where definitions are placed so the rest of the document can rely on them.
Why Pilots Care
Using the exact meanings in 14 CFR 1.1 keeps operations, certifications, and maintenance records legally compliant.
Analogy
Think of 14 CFR 1.1 like an address. “14” points to the aviation title, “CFR” names the rule book, and “1.1” points to the exact section.
Intuition Check
14 CFR 1.1 is not a decimal number or a handbook page number. It is a legal address for a specific section of the federal aviation rules.
Example Sentence 1
The handbook notes that the terms 'category' and 'class' have specific meanings given in 14 CFR 1.1, which differ from how those words are used for pilot certification.
Example Sentence 2
All logbook entries must employ terms exactly as they are defined in 14 CFR 1.1.