Definition
FAA-certificated organizations approved under 14 CFR Part 142 to provide pilot training, testing, and checking using approved courseware, qualified instructors, and approved flight simulation training devices. Training centers operate under specific FAA authorization and must meet defined standards for facilities, equipment, personnel, and curriculum.
Plain English
FAA-approved schools that train and test pilots using set programs, qualified instructors, and approved simulators. They run under stricter rules than a typical flight school and are formally authorized by the FAA to deliver specific courses.
Context Anchor
You may see this term in FAA material about who the Flight Standards Service oversees, approves, or inspects.
Why Pilots Care
Training at an approved center provides structured progression, quality oversight, and training hours that are more readily accepted toward certificates and ratings.
Intuition Check
Do not read training centers as just any place where someone teaches flying. In this FAA context, training centers are approved organizations with specific authority to conduct aviation training or evaluation.
Example Sentence 1
Most airline pilots complete their type rating at an FAA-approved training center using full-motion simulators.
Example Sentence 2
The FAA evaluates training centers regularly to confirm they maintain safety standards and approved course outlines.