Type Certificate (TC)
Type certification is the approval of the design of the aircraft and all component parts (including propellers, engines, control stations, etc.). It signifies the design is in compliance with applicable airworthiness, noise, fuel venting, and exhaust emissions standards.
An original FAA design approval is a five-phase process in which an applicant applies for, and the FAA may issue, a type certificate or design approval of a product or a major design change to a product. A product is an aircraft, an aircraft engine or, an aircraft propeller. The process, if approved, results in the issue of a type certificate, a supplemental type certificate or an amendment to either a type certificate or supplemental type certificate as contained in 14 CFR part 21.
The principles of up-front planning, project management, and documenting the certification process are applicable to all applicants. A major change to the design of a type-certificated product is approved by a separate process and issued on a supplemental type certificate or an amended type certificate.