Definition
The number and arrangement of passenger seats installed in an aircraft, excluding any required crewmember seats. In FAA regulations, this number is used to classify aircraft for certification, operating, and crew requirements (for example, the line between transport-category rules at 10 or more passenger seats versus smaller-aircraft rules below that threshold).
Plain English
How many passenger seats the aircraft has, and how they are laid out. Pilot seats and other required crew seats are not counted in this number.
Context Anchor
You may see this term in airplane descriptions, operating rules, or training material when the number of passenger seats affects how the airplane is classified or operated.
Why Pilots Care
It determines maximum passenger capacity, affects weight distribution, and influences emergency evacuation procedures and performance limits.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as just “where people happen to sit today.” In aviation use, it means the airplane’s approved passenger seat setup, not a casual seating choice.
Example Sentence 1
The aircraft's passenger seating configuration is nine, which keeps it below the ten-seat threshold for transport-category operating rules.
Example Sentence 2
During the evacuation drill the crew used the passenger seating configuration to assign exit responsibilities.