Plain English Meaning

Official FAA permission to teach people how to fly. It lets the holder give flight lessons, sign off student pilots, and prepare pilots for their tests in the aircraft types shown on the certificate.

Full Definition

An FAA-issued airman certificate authorizing the holder to provide flight and ground instruction to other pilots in the categories, classes, and ratings listed on the certificate, and to endorse student pilots for solo flight, checkrides, and other required training milestones.

Context Anchor

Seen when discussing instructor qualifications, instructor privileges, renewals, flight school records, and whether an instructor is legally allowed to provide training.

Derivation

Certificate comes from Latin roots meaning “to make certain.” That fits aviation use: the certificate is the FAA’s formal way of confirming that a person has met the requirements to act as a .