Definition
A civil aviation authority (CAA) is the government body in a given country responsible for regulating civilian aviation, including pilot certification, aircraft airworthiness, air operator approvals, and the safety oversight of airspace and airports. In the United States, this role is filled by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); other countries have their own equivalents, and many simply call theirs the Civil Aviation Authority.
Plain English
A CAA is the government office in a country that makes and enforces the rules for civilian flying — who can fly, what aircraft can be flown, and how flights must be conducted safely.
Context Anchor
Pilots may see CAA in aviation acronyms, international flight planning, foreign aviation rules, and documents that refer to the aviation regulator of another country.
Derivation
‘Civil’ comes from the Latin ‘civilis,’ meaning relating to citizens (as opposed to military). ‘Aviation’ comes from the Latin ‘avis,’ meaning bird. So a civil aviation authority is the office that governs non-military flying — the flying done by ordinary citizens, airlines, and businesses.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots flying internationally must comply with the rules set by each country's civil aviation authority.
Intuition Check
Civil does not mean polite here. It means non-military aviation: flying done by private pilots, airlines, flight schools, and other public or commercial operators.
Example Sentence 1
Before flying his rented aircraft into Canada, the pilot reviewed the rules published by Transport Canada, that country’s civil aviation authority.
Example Sentence 2
Each CAA sets its own standards for pilot licensing and aircraft certification.