Definition
An official FAA document, titled the Standard Airworthiness Certificate, issued for an aircraft that meets the design and condition requirements of its type certificate and is in a condition for safe operation. It must be displayed in the aircraft, visible to passengers and crew, and remains valid as long as the aircraft is maintained in accordance with applicable regulations.
Plain English
It is the certificate the FAA gives an aircraft to confirm it is approved and safe to fly. The aircraft must carry it on board, and it stays valid as long as the aircraft is properly maintained.
Context Anchor
A pilot may see FAA Form 8100-2 during a preflight check of the aircraft documents, especially when confirming that the required paperwork is on board before flight.
Why Pilots Care
An aircraft cannot be legally flown without this certificate on board as proof of airworthiness.
Intuition Check
Do not read “form” here as just a worksheet or office document. FAA Form 8100-2 is the actual Standard Airworthiness Certificate for the aircraft.
Example Sentence 1
During preflight, the student located FAA Form 8100-2 displayed on the cabin wall, confirming the aircraft's airworthiness certificate was on board.
Example Sentence 2
After the annual inspection, the mechanic placed the updated FAA Form 8100-2 in the aircraft records.