Definition
The U.S. federal agency responsible for producing, printing, and distributing official government publications, including many FAA handbooks, advisory circulars, and training materials used in aviation instruction. In 2014 it was renamed the Government Publishing Office, but the abbreviation GPO and the older name still appear throughout FAA source material.
Plain English
The official government printer that produces and sells many of the books and handbooks pilots and instructors use, including FAA publications.
Context Anchor
Seen in older FAA handbooks and instructor materials when they describe where to obtain printed aviation publications.
Derivation
The name comes from the office’s original job: printing official documents for the U.S. government. That helps explain why it appears in a section about printed material rather than as an aviation procedure or flight term.
Why Pilots Care
Instructors and pilots often need authoritative, current versions of FAA handbooks and publications. Knowing that GPO is the official source helps them obtain genuine, up-to-date materials rather than outdated or unofficial copies.
Intuition Check
GPO is not an FAA rule, flight procedure, or cockpit item. In this context, it is a source for official printed government publications.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor ordered a fresh copy of the Aviation Instructor's Handbook from the GPO to replace his worn-out edition.
Example Sentence 2
Instructors can order additional copies of FAA manuals from the GPO to support their students.