Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
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Short answer: A type certificate data sheet (TCDS) is the record of an aircraft, engine or propeller type’s identifying data, certification basis and limitations. Under 14 CFR 21.41, each FAA type certificate is considered to include the certificate data sheet, alongside the type design and operating limitations. EASA publishes its own TCDS for each type it certifies.
Definition and scope
A TCDS belongs to a type, not to an individual aircraft. It describes the approved design and the conditions under which that design was certified. The U.S. rule, 14 CFR 21.41 (eCFR, version dated 2026-01-01, read 2026-11-08), states: “Each type certificate is considered to include the type design, the operating limitations, the certificate data sheet, the applicable regulations of this subchapter with which the FAA records compliance, and any other conditions or limitations prescribed for the product in this subchapter.”
That makes the data sheet one of the legal components of the type certificate, not a summary written afterwards. It is also the document where compliance with the applicable regulations is recorded in a form users can look up.
What an EASA TCDS contains
The EASA TCDS for the ATR 42 / ATR 72 (No. EASA.A.084, Issue 14, dated 23 February 2026, read 2026-11-08) shows the layout in practice. Each series is described in numbered sections:
| Section | Content in the ATR 42 / ATR 72 sheet | Question it answers |
|---|---|---|
| I. General | Type, model and variant; performance class; certifying authority; manufacturer; application date; type certification date | What exactly is this type and who certified it? |
| II. Certification Basis | Reference date for applicable requirements; EASA type certification basis; special conditions; deviations; equivalent safety findings; environmental protection | Which rules was it certified against? |
| III. Technical Characteristics and Operational Limitations | Type design definition, description, dimensions, engines, propellers, fluids and capacities, airspeed limits, flight envelope, maximum certified masses, centre of gravity range, minimum crew, seating, baggage and cargo, wheels and tyres, ETOPS | What are the approved limits and characteristics? |
| IV. Operating and Service Instructions | References to the Aircraft Flight Manual, Instructions for Continued Airworthiness and Airworthiness Limitations, and the Weight and Balance Manual | Which documents carry the detailed operating and maintenance requirements? |
| V. Operational Suitability Data | Master Minimum Equipment List, flight crew data, cabin crew data | What data support operational approval? |
| VI. Notes | Designations and notes | What else applies to specific models? |
The header carries the TCDS number, issue number and date, and a final administrative section lists acronyms, the type certificate holder record and general notes. The sheet also records certificate history: the ATR entry shows primary certification by the French DGAC under TC No. 176, transferred to EASA on 28 September 2003 under EASA TC A.084.
How it is used in practice
The data sheet is a reference point more than a working document. It points to the manuals that hold operational detail (Section IV above), and it fixes the certification basis against which later changes are compared. The EASA sheet’s own footer reads: “Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA-Internet/Intranet.” Anyone relying on a printed or saved copy therefore needs to confirm that the issue is current.
A checklist for reading one
- Issue and date. Read the header and confirm the issue is the latest published for that type.
- Model applicability. Find the section for your exact model or variant; limits are listed per series.
- Certification basis. Note the reference date for applicable requirements, plus special conditions, deviations and equivalent safety findings.
- Referenced documents. Follow Section IV to the Flight Manual, Instructions for Continued Airworthiness and Weight and Balance Manual rather than restating limits from memory.
- Holder and history. Check the type certificate holder and any transfer between authorities.
Where it matters for labs, test facilities and programmes
For engineering teams, test laboratories and equipment programmes that work on aircraft products, the data sheet is the controlled starting point for questions about the approved configuration and limits. This is an editorial reading, not a regulatory requirement: the practice mirrors ordinary document control, where a reference is only as reliable as its confirmed revision status. Teams that record measurements or test conditions against a type should cite the TCDS issue they used, in the same way a laboratory cites the calibration status behind a result (see calibration certificates and traceability). Safety management and the wider regulatory setting are covered in aviation safety: SMS definition and regulation, and written controls in a standard operating procedure should reference current TCDS issues where a type’s limits matter.
Common misunderstandings
- It is not an airworthiness certificate. The TCDS belongs to the type; airworthiness certification concerns individual aircraft.
- It is not a maintenance or flight manual. It references those documents (Section IV) and does not replace them.
- A saved copy is not automatically current. The EASA sheet states that copies are not controlled and that revision status must be confirmed.
- It is not only a summary. Under 14 CFR 21.41 it is part of the type certificate itself.
Frequently asked questions
Is the TCDS part of the type certificate?
Yes. 14 CFR 21.41 says each type certificate is considered to include the certificate data sheet, together with the type design, the operating limitations and the other items it lists.
Does a TCDS cover one aircraft or a whole type?
A type. The EASA ATR 42 / ATR 72 sheet, for example, covers several models and variants in one document, with limits listed per series.
How do I know whether my copy is current?
Check the issue number and date in the header and confirm against the issuing authority’s publication. EASA’s own footer says copies are not controlled and revision status should be confirmed on its website.
Sources
- 14 CFR 21.41, Type certificate. eCFR (version 2026-01-01), ecfr.gov. Read 2026-11-08.
- EASA, Type-Certificate Data Sheet No. EASA.A.084, ATR 42 / ATR 72, Issue 14, 23 February 2026, easa.europa.eu. Read 2026-11-08.
