Definition
The formal FAA process by which a particular design of aircraft, engine, or propeller is approved as meeting the airworthiness standards in the Federal Aviation Regulations. A successful type certification results in a Type Certificate, which establishes the approved design and the conditions under which aircraft built to that design may be operated.
Plain English
It is the FAA's official sign-off that a specific aircraft design is safe and legal to build and fly. The design itself is approved, not each individual airplane.
Context Anchor
Seen when FAA material discusses whether an aircraft design, system, or added equipment is part of an approved design, such as equipment related to angle of attack indication.
Derivation
"Type" refers to a specific model or design of aircraft (a Cessna 172, for example), and "certification" comes from the Latin certus, meaning "sure" or "settled." Together the phrase means the design has been formally settled as meeting the rules.
Why Pilots Care
Only aircraft that have received type certification may be legally flown in most operations, because the process confirms the design itself is airworthy.
Intuition Check
Do not read type certification as a pilot certificate or as a one-time inspection of one airplane. It is approval of the design for that aircraft type or model.
Example Sentence 1
The angle of attack indicator was not part of the airplane's original type certification, so the manufacturer had to obtain additional FAA approval before it could be installed.
Example Sentence 2
Before accepting the delivery flight, the pilot confirmed the airplane model held a valid type certificate.