Definition
Aircraft engines that have been formally approved by the FAA against a specific airworthiness standard, issued a Type Certificate, and are required to be maintained, overhauled, and operated according to that certificate's terms. Light Sport Aircraft are notable in part because many are powered by engines that are not type certificated.
Plain English
Engines that have gone through the FAA's full approval process and carry an official certificate showing they meet a recognised aviation standard. Once approved, they must be looked after and used in line with the rules that come with that approval.
Context Anchor
You may see this term in Light Sport Aircraft discussions, especially when comparing engines that have full FAA design approval with engines approved under other light-sport rules.
Derivation
Type' refers to a specific approved design or model. 'Certificated' means a certificate has been formally issued by the regulator. Together the phrase means an engine design that the FAA has officially signed off as meeting a defined standard.
Why Pilots Care
Type certificated engines allow operation under standard airworthiness certificates, simplify maintenance tracking, and expand the aircraft's regulatory flexibility compared with non-certificated alternatives.
Intuition Check
Do not read type as just “kind of engine,” and do not read certificated as simply “has paperwork.” Here, type certificated means the FAA has approved that specific engine design.
Example Sentence 1
Standard-category trainers like the Cessna 172 use type certificated engines, which must be overhauled in accordance with the manufacturer's approved data.
Example Sentence 2
Mechanics must follow the FAA-approved manuals when maintaining type certificated engines during annual inspections.