Definition
Information related to a company's commercial operations — such as trade secrets, proprietary processes, financial data, customer lists, or technical drawings — that is not publicly available and would cause competitive harm if disclosed. In aviation, this often applies to manufacturer data submitted to the FAA during certification, which the agency must protect from public release under the Freedom of Information Act exemptions.
Plain English
Private business details a company shares with regulators but does not want released to the public or competitors.
Context Anchor
Seen in certification, enforcement, airport, maintenance, and public-records discussions when a company provides private data to the Federal Aviation Administration or another aviation authority.
Derivation
“Confidential” comes from a Latin root meaning “to trust.” The idea is that the information is given in trust, not handed over for general public use. “Business information” points to the kind of material involved: company data such as costs, designs, methods, or financial details.
Why Pilots Care
Protecting this information supports regulatory compliance and prevents competitive or safety risks from data leaks.
Intuition Check
Do not read “confidential” here as simply “someone wants it kept secret.” In this context, it means business information that may qualify for legal protection from public release.
Example Sentence 1
The engine manufacturer marked the design drawings as Confidential Business Information when submitting them to the FAA for certification.
Example Sentence 2
During the audit the inspector requested access only to non-Confidential Business Information to avoid exposing proprietary procedures.