Definition
A category of aircraft certificated under 14 CFR Part 25, covering large multi-engine airplanes (generally over 12,500 pounds maximum takeoff weight, or turbojets regardless of weight) that must meet stricter performance, structural, and systems requirements than smaller aircraft. Performance certification for these aircraft is based on demonstrated, not predicted, capability and includes specific takeoff, climb, and landing requirements with engine-failure margins built in.
Plain English
A class of larger airplanes — mostly airliners and big business jets — that must be built and tested to a higher safety standard than light aircraft, including the ability to keep flying safely if an engine fails.
Context Anchor
Seen in performance discussions for larger airplanes, especially takeoff, climb, landing, and engine-failure planning.
Derivation
‘Transport’ comes from the Latin transportare, meaning to carry across. The category was named for aircraft designed to carry passengers or cargo in commercial service, where higher safety standards are required.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots must apply more demanding performance calculations for takeoff, climb, and landing distances to maintain required safety margins.
Analogy
It is like the difference between a family car and a commercial bus. Both carry people, but the bus must meet a different set of rules because of how many people it carries and how it is used.
Intuition Check
Do not read “transport” as simply “an aircraft that transports something.” In FAA use, “transport category” is a certification class with specific design and performance requirements.
Example Sentence 1
Because the 737 is a transport category aircraft, its takeoff performance data already accounts for an engine failure at V1.
Example Sentence 2
The AFM performance charts for this transport category aircraft include adjustments for wet runway conditions.