Definition
A section on the FAA Airworthiness Certificate that identifies the legal authority under which the certificate is issued and states the regulatory basis for the aircraft's airworthiness, including the type certificate, the applicable Federal Aviation Regulations, and any special conditions or limitations that apply.
Plain English
The part of the Airworthiness Certificate that says, in effect, 'Here is the law that lets us issue this certificate, and here are the rules this aircraft was certified under.' It tells you which set of FAA rules the aircraft was approved against.
Context Anchor
Seen on the airworthiness certificate that must be carried in the aircraft.
Derivation
‘Authority’ comes from the Latin auctoritas, meaning the right or power to act. ‘Basis’ comes from the Greek basis, meaning a foundation or starting point. Together the section names both the power that allows the certificate to exist and the foundation of rules it rests on.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots need to know their aircraft meets the exact standards that give the FAA authority to issue the certificate before flight.
Intuition Check
Do not read “authority” here as the pilot’s authority to fly the airplane. It means the FAA’s legal authority to issue the certificate. Do not read “basis” as a general opinion or explanation. It means the official reason the certificate could be issued.
Example Sentence 1
During the document check, the student noted that the Authority and Basis for Issuance section listed the regulations under which the Cessna 172 had been type certificated.
Example Sentence 2
Reviewing the authority and basis for issuance confirms the aircraft documentation supports legal operation.