Plain English Meaning

The people whose job is to fly and run the aircraft while it is in the air.

Full Definition

The personnel assigned to operate an aircraft in flight, including the pilot or pilots and, depending on the aircraft and operation, other crew members such as flight engineers, navigators, or cabin crew with operational duties.

Context Anchor

Seen in FAA material when discussing how procedures, systems, or flight information affect the people operating the aircraft.

Derivation

From 'air' plus 'crew.' 'Crew' comes from the Old French 'creue,' meaning a band of people gathered for a task, originally a military reinforcement. The word reinforces that flying is a team activity, not a one — even in a aircraft, the term frames the operator as part of a defined operational role.