Definition
The section of the Code of Federal Regulations that establishes the rules for registering civil aircraft with the FAA, including who may register an aircraft, what documents are required, how ownership changes are recorded, and how the Certificate of Aircraft Registration is issued and maintained.
Plain English
The federal rulebook that says how an aircraft gets officially registered with the FAA and how that registration is kept current.
Context Anchor
Seen when studying aircraft documents, especially the Certificate of Aircraft Registration that must be carried in the aircraft.
Derivation
CFR stands for Code of Federal Regulations -- the published collection of U.S. federal rules. Title 14 covers Aeronautics and Space, and within that title, 'part 47' is the specific chunk dealing with aircraft registration. So '14 CFR part 47' is simply the address of those rules inside the larger federal rulebook.
Why Pilots Care
An aircraft cannot be operated legally without a valid registration issued under this regulation.
Intuition Check
Do not read “part” as a physical aircraft part. In 14 CFR part 47, “part” means a numbered section of the federal aviation rules.
Example Sentence 1
Before closing on the aircraft purchase, the buyer reviewed 14 CFR part 47 to confirm what registration documents the FAA would require.
Example Sentence 2
During the pre-purchase inspection, the buyer checked that the aircraft's registration complied with 14 CFR part 47.