Definition
A rule issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and codified in Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR), governing all civil aviation activities in the United States, including aircraft operation, certification, airman qualifications, airspace use, and air traffic procedures.
Plain English
An official U.S. aviation rule that pilots, aircraft, and operators are legally required to follow.
Context Anchor
You will see this term in discussions of pilot responsibilities, pilot deviations, aircraft operation, and Federal Aviation Administration enforcement.
Derivation
‘Regulation’ comes from the Latin regula, meaning ‘rule’ or ‘straight stick used as a measure.’ A Federal Aviation Regulation is a federal-level measuring stick for what is and is not permitted in U.S. aviation.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots are legally required to know and comply with these regulations; failure to do so can result in enforcement action or deviation reports.
Intuition Check
Do not read regulation as advice or a best practice. In this context, a Federal Aviation Regulation is a rule with legal force.
Example Sentence 1
Before her first solo, the student reviewed the Federal Aviation Regulations covering student pilot privileges and limitations.
Example Sentence 2
A pilot deviation occurs when an aircraft operation does not follow the applicable Federal Aviation Regulation.