Definition
An FAA office located outside the United States that provides certification, inspection, and oversight services for U.S.-registered aircraft, U.S. airmen, and aviation operations conducted in foreign territory.
Plain English
An FAA office based in another country that handles FAA business — like checking aircraft, issuing certificates, and overseeing operations — for American aviation activity happening abroad.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA documents, approvals, and correspondence involving international operations, foreign airlines, or aviation maintenance facilities outside the United States.
Why Pilots Care
Allows U.S. operators to obtain required approvals and inspections without returning to the United States, keeping international operations efficient and compliant.
Intuition Check
Do not read “field office” as a temporary office in an open field. Here it means a working FAA office away from headquarters, assigned to handle a specific outside-the-U.S. area or activity.
Example Sentence 1
The operator coordinated the annual inspection of the U.S.-registered jet through the FAA's International Field Office covering that region.
Example Sentence 2
Before exporting the new airplane, the manufacturer coordinated final certification through the local International Field Office.