Definition
A certification category under 14 CFR Part 23 for propeller-driven, multiengine airplanes with no more than 19 seats (excluding pilot seats) and a maximum certificated takeoff weight of 19,000 pounds or less. Commuter category airplanes are certified to higher performance and structural standards than normal, utility, or acrobatic category airplanes, including specific one-engine-inoperative (OEI) climb and obstacle clearance requirements.
Plain English
A specific FAA certification class for small multiengine passenger airplanes — propeller-driven, up to 19 passenger seats, and up to 19,000 pounds. They are built and certified to tougher safety standards than smaller general aviation airplanes, especially for engine-out performance.
Context Anchor
Seen in takeoff performance and obstacle-clearance discussions, especially when considering what happens if one engine stops working during takeoff.
Derivation
The word 'commuter' comes from the Latin 'commutare' meaning 'to change' or 'exchange,' and entered English to describe people who regularly travel between home and work. The category is named for the small regional airliners typically used on short commuter routes, even though the certification itself defines the airplane, not how it is flown.
Why Pilots Care
The category sets the exact climb and obstacle-clearance standards a pilot must apply during takeoff planning, especially when an engine fails.
Intuition Check
Do not read commuter here as “an airplane someone uses to get to work.” In this context, commuter category airplanes means a specific FAA certification category with engine, seating, and weight limits.
Example Sentence 1
Because the aircraft is certified in the commuter category, the crew must apply the OEI takeoff obstacle clearance requirements when calculating maximum allowable takeoff weight.
Example Sentence 2
Commuter category airplanes must demonstrate a positive climb gradient at 50 feet when one engine is inoperative.