Definition
The official compilation and codification of the general and permanent federal statutes of the United States, organized by subject matter into numbered titles. Aviation-related statutes are primarily found in Title 49 (Transportation), which provides the statutory authority underlying FAA regulations.
Plain English
The United States Code is the master book of federal laws passed by Congress, sorted by topic. The laws that give the FAA its authority over aviation are part of it.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA handbooks, legal references, enforcement discussions, aircraft registration material, and explanations of where aviation authority comes from.
Derivation
‘Code’ comes from the Latin codex, meaning a book or collection of laws. A ‘code’ in this legal sense is a single organized body of laws on a subject, rather than scattered individual acts.
Why Pilots Care
Certain sections establish the legal authority for FAA rules and enforcement actions that affect pilots.
Intuition Check
Do not read code here as a password, signal, or software instruction. In United States Code, code means an organized set of federal laws.
Example Sentence 1
The FAA’s authority to certify pilots and aircraft is established in Title 49 of the USC.
Example Sentence 2
A regulation may cite a specific part of the USC as its legal foundation.