Definition
Aircraft ratings are official additions to a pilot certificate that specify the category and class of aircraft the certificate holder is authorized to operate. Categories include airplane, rotorcraft, glider, and lighter-than-air. Classes within a category include groupings such as single-engine land, multi-engine land, single-engine sea, and multi-engine sea for the airplane category. A pilot must hold the appropriate category and class rating for any aircraft they act as pilot in command of.
Plain English
Aircraft ratings are notes added to a pilot's certificate that say which kinds of aircraft the pilot is allowed to fly. To fly a different type of aircraft, the pilot must add the matching rating to their certificate.
Context Anchor
Seen in certificate, rating, and endorsement requirements, especially when checking whether a pilot or instructor is qualified for a specific aircraft or practical test.
Derivation
The word 'rating' comes from the Latin 'rata,' meaning a fixed or assigned share. In aviation, a rating is a formally assigned authorization recorded on the certificate, not a skill level or score.
Why Pilots Care
A pilot without the required rating for an aircraft or operation is not legally allowed to fly it, regardless of total flight hours or skill.
Intuition Check
Do not read ratings as opinions or performance scores. In FAA use, aircraft ratings are official qualifications that say which kinds of aircraft a certificate holder is authorized to use.
Example Sentence 1
After passing his multi-engine checkride, the pilot's certificate showed both single-engine land and multi-engine land aircraft ratings.
Example Sentence 2
Her multi-engine rating allowed her to act as pilot in command of the twin-engine aircraft.