Pilot certification in the United States
In the United States, pilots must be certified to fly most aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), regulates certification to ensure safety and standardization. Pilots can earn certification under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) Part 61 or, if attending an approved school, under 14 CFR Part 141. Those operating commercial drones must obtain certification under 14 CFR Part 107.
An FAA-issued pilot certificate grants official authorization to operate an aircraft. However, it is just one of several kinds of airman certificates issued by the FAA to aviation professionals. The FAA also certifies flight engineers, flight instructors, ground instructors, flight dispatchers, aircraft maintenance technicians, parachute riggers, air traffic controllers, flight navigators, and flight attendants.