Definition
A formal written approval issued by the FAA that grants a specific person or organization permission to conduct an activity, use a device, or follow a procedure that would otherwise require a different form of certification or approval. In the flight simulation training device context, an LOA is the document the FAA issues to qualify a particular simulator or training device for use in pilot training, testing, and checking, specifying what credit the device may be used for and under what conditions.
Plain English
An official FAA letter that says, 'You are allowed to do this specific thing under these specific conditions.' For a simulator, the LOA is the paperwork proving the device has been checked and approved for training use.
Context Anchor
Seen when a flight school, instructor, or evaluator checks whether a simulator or training device is approved for a specific training use.
Derivation
From 'letter' (a written document) and 'authorization' (official permission). The phrase is plain English, but in FAA use it carries a specific regulatory weight: not just any letter, but a formal approval document with legal effect.
Why Pilots Care
Determines whether time spent in a simulator can be credited toward ratings or currency requirements.
Intuition Check
Do not read “letter” as casual correspondence. In this context, a letter of authorization is an official FAA approval document that controls what is allowed.
Example Sentence 1
Before starting the lesson, the instructor checked that the simulator's LOA was current and covered instrument approach training.
Example Sentence 2
Training completed without a current LOA cannot be logged toward certificate requirements.