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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14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition) 

§ 101.15 

(2) More than 500 feet above the sur-

face of the earth; 

(3) From an area where the ground 

visibility is less than three miles; or 

(4) Within five miles of the boundary 

of any airport. 

(b) Paragraph (a) of this section does 

not apply to the operation of a balloon 
or kite below the top of any structure 
and within 250 feet of it, if that shield-
ed operation does not obscure any 
lighting on the structure. 

§ 101.15

Notice requirements. 

No person may operate an unshielded 

moored balloon or kite more than 150 
feet above the surface of the earth un-
less, at least 24 hours before beginning 
the operation, he gives the following 
information to the FAA ATC facility 
that is nearest to the place of intended 
operation: 

(a) The names and addresses of the 

owners and operators. 

(b) The size of the balloon or the size 

and weight of the kite. 

(c) The location of the operation. 
(d) The height above the surface of 

the earth at which the balloon or kite 
is to be operated. 

(e) The date, time, and duration of 

the operation. 

§ 101.17

Lighting and marking require-

ments. 

(a) No person may operate a moored 

balloon or kite, between sunset and 
sunrise unless the balloon or kite, and 
its mooring lines, are lighted so as to 
give a visual warning equal to that re-
quired for obstructions to air naviga-
tion in the FAA publication ‘‘Obstruc-
tion Marking and Lighting’’. 

(b) No person may operate a moored 

balloon or kite between sunrise and 
sunset unless its mooring lines have 
colored pennants or streamers attached 
at not more than 50 foot intervals be-
ginning at 150 feet above the surface of 
the earth and visible for at least one 
mile. 

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

[Doc. No. 1580, 28 FR 6722, June 29, 1963, as 
amended by Amdt. 101–4, 39 FR 22252, June 
21, 1974] 

§ 101.19

Rapid deflation device. 

No person may operate a moored bal-

loon unless it has a device that will 
automatically and rapidly deflate the 
balloon if it escapes from its moorings. 
If the device does not function prop-
erly, the operator shall immediately 
notify the nearest ATC facility of the 
location and time of the escape and the 
estimated flight path of the balloon. 

Subpart C— Amateur Rockets 

§ 101.21

Applicability. 

(a) This subpart applies to operating 

unmanned rockets. However, a person 
operating an unmanned rocket within 
a restricted area must comply with 
§ 101.25(g)(2)) and with any additional 
limitations imposed by the using or 
controlling agency. 

(b) A person operating an unmanned 

rocket other than an amateur rocket 
as defined in § 1.1 of this chapter must 
comply with 14 CFR Chapter III. 

[Doc. No. FAA–2007–27390, 73 FR 73781, Dec. 4, 
2008, as amended by Docket No. FAA–2022– 
1355, Amdt. No. 101–11, 87 FR 75846, Dec. 9, 
2022] 

§ 101.22

Definitions. 

The following definitions apply to 

this subpart: 

(a) 

Class 1—Model Rocket means an 

amateur rocket that: 

(1) Uses no more than 125 grams (4.4 

ounces) of propellant; 

(2) Uses a slow-burning propellant; 
(3) Is made of paper, wood, or break-

able plastic; 

(4) Contains no substantial metal 

parts; and 

(5) Weighs no more than 1,500 grams 

(53 ounces), including the propellant. 

(b) 

Class 2—High-Power Rocket means 

an amateur rocket other than a model 
rocket that is propelled by a motor or 
motors having a combined total im-
pulse of 40,960 Newton-seconds (9,208 
pound-seconds) or less. 

(c) 

Class 3—Advanced High-Power 

Rocket  means an amateur rocket other 
than a model rocket or high-power 
rocket. 

[Doc. No. FAA–2007–27390, 73 FR 73781, Dec. 4, 
2008] 

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