Definition
An aircraft that has been issued a standard airworthiness certificate by the FAA, indicating it was manufactured to an FAA-approved type design and conforms to that design in normal, utility, acrobatic, commuter, or transport category. These aircraft meet full FAA airworthiness standards and are not restricted to the limitations placed on experimental, light-sport, restricted, or special airworthiness category aircraft.
Plain English
An aircraft built and approved to the FAA's normal set of rules for design, construction, and safety, with a regular airworthiness certificate. Most training aircraft, general aviation singles, and airliners fall into this group.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft systems discussions when the handbook describes equipment commonly found on FAA-approved training aircraft, such as dual ignition systems.
Derivation
Standard' here means built to the established FAA-approved type design, not custom or experimental. 'Certificated' means the aircraft has been issued an official airworthiness certificate by the FAA. Together the phrase signals an aircraft fully inside the regular FAA approval system.
Why Pilots Care
Determines the exact maintenance, inspection, and ignition system requirements the aircraft must follow to remain legal to fly.
Intuition Check
Standard does not mean average or simple here. Certificated does not mean the pilot has a certificate. Here, the aircraft itself has an FAA standard airworthiness certificate.
Example Sentence 1
Because the Cessna 172 is a standard certificated aircraft, any replacement ignition components must be FAA-approved parts installed by an authorized mechanic.
Example Sentence 2
Unlike experimental aircraft, a standard certificated aircraft must use FAA-approved ignition components listed in its type certificate data sheet.