Definition
A regulatory standard meaning that an aircraft, its engine, propeller, and required equipment are in a state where they can be operated safely in accordance with their type design and approved limitations. Under 14 CFR Part 91, the pilot in command is directly responsible for determining whether the aircraft is in this condition before each flight.
Plain English
The aircraft is fit to fly: nothing is broken, missing, worn out, or out of limits in a way that would make flying it unsafe.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA certification, maintenance, inspection, and preflight discussions when deciding whether an aircraft is airworthy and may be flown.
Derivation
Condition comes from a Latin word meaning a state or arrangement. Here it points to the aircraft’s real present state, not just its paperwork. Operation means use or working action, so the phrase means the aircraft is in a safe state for being used.
Why Pilots Care
The pilot in command, not the mechanic and not the owner, is legally responsible for confirming the aircraft is in a condition for safe operation before every flight. A missed inspection item, an unresolved squawk, or an inoperative required instrument can mean the aircraft is not legally airworthy, and flying it anyway puts both safety and certification at risk.
Grounding Statement
An aircraft can look normal from a distance but still fail this standard if a defect makes the next flight unsafe.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as meaning the airplane is perfect or risk-free. In FAA use, it means the aircraft is properly maintained, matches its approved design, and has no known unsafe defect for the intended flight.
Example Sentence 1
Before every flight, the pilot in command must determine that the aircraft is in a condition for safe operation.
Example Sentence 2
An inoperative navigation light can keep an airplane from meeting the condition for safe operation required by the regulations.