Definition
A set of FAA-issued documents that authorize a specific commercial operator (such as an air carrier or charter company) to conduct certain types of operations, and that spell out the conditions, limitations, and procedures under which those operations must be conducted. OpSpecs are issued under the operator's air carrier or operating certificate and form a binding part of how that operator is permitted to fly.
Plain English
OpSpecs are the official FAA paperwork that tells a commercial operator exactly what kinds of flying they are allowed to do, and the rules they must follow while doing it. Each operator has its own set, tailored to their certificate.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA handbooks, company manuals, and instrument procedure discussions when a certain procedure or type of operation is allowed only for operators specifically approved by the FAA.
Derivation
"Operations" refers to flying activities. "Specifications" comes from the Latin specificare, meaning to state in detail. Together, the term means a detailed, written statement of what an operator's flying activities are permitted to include.
Why Pilots Care
They define the legal boundaries of an operator's flying, including authorized procedures, aircraft, and airports.
Intuition Check
OpSpecs are not aircraft performance specifications. They are FAA permissions and limits for how an operator may conduct flights.
Example Sentence 1
The captain checked the company's OpSpecs to confirm they were authorized to fly the RNAV approach into that airport.
Example Sentence 2
A new destination required an OpSpecs amendment before the company could begin scheduled service there.