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887 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 101.13 

101.33

Operating limitations. 

101.35

Equipment and marking require-

ments. 

101.37

Notice requirements. 

101.39

Balloon position reports. 

A

UTHORITY

: 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 106(g), 40101 

note, 40103, 40113–40114, 45302, 44502, 44514, 
44701–44702, 44721, 46308. 

Subpart A—General 

§ 101.1

Applicability. 

(a) This part prescribes rules gov-

erning the operation in the United 
States, of the following: 

(1) Except as provided for in § 101.7, 

any balloon that is moored to the sur-
face of the earth or an object thereon 
and that has a diameter of more than 6 
feet or a gas capacity of more than 115 
cubic feet. 

(2) Except as provided for in § 101.7, 

any kite that weighs more than 5 
pounds and is intended to be flown at 
the end of a rope or cable. 

(3) Any amateur rocket except aerial 

firework displays. 

(4) Except as provided for in § 101.7, 

any unmanned free balloon that— 

(i) Carries a payload package that 

weighs more than four pounds and has 
a weight/size ratio of more than three 
ounces per square inch on any surface 
of the package, determined by dividing 
the total weight in ounces of the pay-
load package by the area in square 
inches of its smallest surface; 

(ii) Carries a payload package that 

weighs more than six pounds; 

(iii) Carries a payload, of two or more 

packages, that weighs more than 12 
pounds; or 

(iv) Uses a rope or other device for 

suspension of the payload that requires 
an impact force of more than 50 pounds 
to separate the suspended payload from 
the balloon. 

(b) For the purposes of this part, a 

gyroglider  attached to a vehicle on the 
surface of the earth is considered to be 
a kite. 

[Doc. No. 1580, 28 FR 6721, June 29, 1963, as 
amended by Amdt. 101–1, 29 FR 46, Jan. 3, 
1964; Amdt. 101–3, 35 FR 8213, May 26, 1970; 
Amdt. 101–8, 73 FR 73781, Dec. 4, 2008; 74 FR 
38092, July 31, 2009; Amdt. 101–9, 81 FR 42208, 
June 28, 2016; Amdt. Nos. 101-10, 85 FR 79826, 
Dec. 11, 2020] 

§ 101.3

Waivers. 

No person may conduct operations 

that require a deviation from this part 
except under a certificate of waiver 
issued by the Administrator. 

[Doc. No. 1580, 28 FR 6721, June 29, 1963] 

§ 101.5

Operations in prohibited or re-

stricted areas. 

No person may operate a moored bal-

loon, kite, amateur rocket, or un-
manned free balloon in a prohibited or 
restricted area unless he has permis-
sion from the using or controlling 
agency, as appropriate. 

[Doc. No. 1457, 29 FR 46, Jan. 3, 1964, as 
amended at 74 FR 38092, July 31, 2009] 

§ 101.7

Hazardous operations. 

(a) No person may operate any 

moored balloon, kite, amateur rocket, 
or unmanned free balloon in a manner 
that creates a hazard to other persons, 
or their property. 

(b) No person operating any moored 

balloon, kite, amateur rocket, or un-
manned free balloon may allow an ob-
ject to be dropped therefrom, if such 
action creates a hazard to other per-
sons or their property. 

(Sec. 6(c), Department of Transportation Act 
(49 U.S.C. 1655(c))) 

[Doc. No. 12800, 39 FR 22252, June 21, 1974, as 
amended at 74 FR 38092, July 31, 2009] 

Subpart B—Moored Balloons and 

Kites 

S

OURCE

: Docket No. 1580, 28 FR 6722, June 

29, 1963, unless otherwise noted. 

§ 101.11

Applicability. 

This subpart applies to the operation 

of moored balloons and kites. However, 
a person operating a moored balloon or 
kite within a restricted area must com-
ply only with § 101.19 and with addi-
tional limitations imposed by the using 
or controlling agency, as appropriate. 

§ 101.13

Operating limitations. 

(a) Except as provided in paragraph 

(b) of this section, no person may oper-
ate a moored balloon or kite— 

(1) Less than 500 feet from the base of 

any cloud; 

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