Definition
All aviation activity other than military aviation. It includes commercial operations such as airlines and cargo carriers, as well as general aviation activities such as private flying, flight training, business flights, agricultural flying, and aerial work.
Plain English
Any flying that isn't done by the military. That covers everything from airline flights and cargo runs to private pilots, flight schools, and crop dusters.
Context Anchor
Seen when the FAA describes the part of aviation it regulates for public safety in the United States.
Derivation
From the Latin civilis, meaning 'relating to citizens' (as opposed to military). The same root gives us civilian. So civil aviation simply means 'aviation by and for civilians,' which is what distinguishes it from military aviation.
Why Pilots Care
Virtually all private, commercial, and training flights fall under civil aviation rules that determine pilot certificates, aircraft standards, and airspace access.
Intuition Check
Civil does not mean polite or well-behaved here. It means non-military: flying done by civilians, companies, schools, and airlines.
Example Sentence 1
The FAA is the federal agency responsible for regulating civil aviation in the United States.
Example Sentence 2
A private pilot certificate allows the holder to participate in civil aviation activities for personal travel.