Definition
The branch of the FAA responsible for certifying the design, production, and continued airworthiness of civil aircraft, aircraft engines, propellers, and parts. It oversees type certificates, supplemental type certificates, production approvals, and airworthiness directives.
Plain English
The part of the FAA that decides whether an aircraft design is safe enough to be built, flown, and kept in service. They approve the original design, approve modifications, and issue safety orders when problems are found later.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA handbooks, certification documents, advisory circulars, and other FAA material that refers to the office responsible for aircraft certification.
Why Pilots Care
Every aircraft a pilot flies has been approved by AIR, and any airworthiness directive that grounds or restricts that aircraft comes through this office. Modifications to your aircraft (avionics upgrades, engine changes) must trace back to AIR-issued approvals.
Intuition Check
AIR does not mean the air around the airplane here. In this FAA acronym, AIR names the Aircraft Certification Service.
Example Sentence 1
The new avionics installation was approved under a supplemental type certificate issued by the FAA's Aircraft Certification Service (AIR).
Example Sentence 2
Maintenance records often reference AIR standards to confirm approved parts are installed.