Definition
The official FAA-approved specifications for a particular aircraft model, recorded on a Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS). It lists the design limits and configuration details under which the aircraft was certified, including approved engines, propellers, weight limits, center of gravity range, fuel and oil requirements, control surface movement limits, and any operating limitations.
Plain English
It is the FAA's official record of how an aircraft model was built and approved to fly — the limits and equipment that make it legal and safe.
Context Anchor
Seen in maintenance and preventive maintenance discussions when checking whether a part, adjustment, or procedure matches what is approved for that aircraft model.
Derivation
A 'type certificate' is the FAA approval issued for a specific design or 'type' of aircraft. The 'data' is simply the published information attached to that certificate. Knowing this makes the term easier to read: it is the data sheet that goes with the type certificate.
Why Pilots Care
Mechanics and owners must follow this data to keep maintenance legal and the aircraft airworthy; deviations can ground the plane or create safety issues.
Intuition Check
Do not read type certificate data as just any information about an aircraft type. Here it means official FAA-approved information for that specific approved model.
Example Sentence 1
Before installing the replacement propeller, the mechanic checked the type certificate data to confirm it was approved for that aircraft model.
Example Sentence 2
Any change to the propeller must match the limits listed in the type certificate data or it requires additional approval.