Definition
Private individuals appointed by the FAA Administrator to act on the FAA's behalf in specific certification and examination functions, such as conducting practical tests, issuing airman certificates, performing medical examinations, or approving aircraft and parts. They are not FAA employees but are authorized to perform delegated duties under FAA oversight.
Plain English
People outside the FAA who have been given official authority to do certain FAA jobs, like giving checkrides, issuing pilot certificates, or performing pilot medical exams.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA field office discussions, certification steps, aircraft inspections, and pilot testing, where the FAA may use authorized non-FAA personnel to carry out specific duties.
Derivation
From 'designate' (Latin 'designare' — to mark out or appoint). A designee is literally someone who has been appointed for a purpose. The word emphasizes that authority has been delegated to them — they don't hold it on their own.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots must locate and schedule with the correct designee to complete practical tests, medical examinations, and other required certifications.
Intuition Check
A designee is not just someone casually chosen for a job. In FAA use, it means someone officially authorized by the FAA, and only for the duties the FAA has approved.
Example Sentence 1
The student scheduled her private pilot checkride with a designee approved by the local FSDO.
Example Sentence 2
Medical designees perform flight physicals at clinics across the country under FAA authorization.