title-14-part-101-sec101-39

891

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT

§ 101.39

The operator shall activate the appro-
priate devices required by paragraphs
(a) (1) and (2) of this section when
weather conditions are less than those
prescribed for operation under this sub-
part, or if a malfunction or any other
reason makes the further operation
hazardous to other air traffic or to per-
sons and property on the surface.

(b) No person may operate an un-

manned free balloon below 60,000 feet
standard pressure altitude between
sunset and sunrise (as corrected to the
altitude of operation) unless the bal-
loon and its attachments and payload,
whether or not they become separated
during the operation, are equipped with
lights that are visible for at least 5
miles and have a flash frequency of at
least 40, and not more than 100, cycles
per minute.

manned free balloon that is equipped
with a trailing antenna that requires
an impact force of more than 50 pounds
to break it at any point, unless the an-
tenna has colored pennants or stream-
ers that are attached at not more than
50 foot intervals and that are visible
for at least one mile.

(d) No person may operate between

sunrise and sunset an unmanned free
balloon that is equipped with a suspen-
sion device (other than a highly con-
spicuously colored open parachute)
more than 50 feet along, unless the sus-
pension device is colored in alternate
bands of high conspicuity colors or has
colored pennants or streamers attached
which are visible for at least one mile.

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

[Doc. No. 1457, 29 FR 47, Jan. 3, 1964, as
amended by Amdt. 101–2, 32 FR 5254, Mar. 29,
1967; Amdt. 101–4, 39 FR 22252, June 21, 1974]

§ 101.37

Notice requirements.

(a)

Prelaunch notice: Except as pro-

vided in paragraph (b) of this section,
no person may operate an unmanned
free balloon unless, within 6 to 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:

(1) The balloon identification.
(2) The estimated date and time of

launching, amended as necessary to re-
main within plus or minus 30 minutes.

(3) The location of the launching site.
(4) The cruising altitude.
(5) The forecast trajectory and esti-

mated time to cruising altitude or
60,000 feet standard pressure altitude,
whichever is lower.

(6) The length and diameter of the

balloon, length of the suspension de-
vice, weight of the payload, and length
of the trailing antenna.

(7) The duration of flight.
(8) The forecast time and location of

impact with the surface of the earth.

(b) For solar or cosmic disturbance

investigations involving a critical time
element, the information in paragraph
(a) of this section shall be given within
30 minutes to 24 hours before beginning
the operation.

(c)

Cancellation notice: If the oper-

ation is canceled, the person who in-
tended to conduct the operation shall
immediately notify the nearest FAA
ATC facility.

(d)

Launch notice: Each person oper-

ating an unmanned free balloon shall
notify the nearest FAA or military
ATC facility of the launch time imme-
diately after the balloon is launched.

§ 101.39

Balloon position reports.

(a) Each person operating an un-

manned free balloon shall:

(1) Unless ATC requires otherwise,

monitor the course of the balloon and
record its position at least every two
hours; and

(2) Forward any balloon position re-

ports requested by ATC.

(b) One hour before beginning de-

scent, each person operating an un-
manned free balloon shall forward to
the nearest FAA ATC facility the fol-
lowing information regarding the bal-
loon:

(1) The current geographical position.
(2) The altitude.
(3) The forecast time of penetration

of 60,000 feet standard pressure altitude
(if applicable).

(4) The forecast trajectory for the

balance of the flight.

(5) The forecast time and location of

impact with the surface of the earth.

recorded for any two-hour period of
flight, the person operating an un-
manned free balloon shall immediately
notify the nearest FAA ATC facility.

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892

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition)

Pt. 103

The notice shall include the last re-
corded position and any revision of the
forecast trajectory. The nearest FAA
ATC facility shall be notified imme-
diately when tracking of the balloon is
re-established.

(d) Each person operating an un-

manned free balloon shall notify the
nearest FAA ATC facility when the op-
eration is ended.

PART 103—ULTRALIGHT VEHICLES

Subpart A—General

Sec.
103.1

Applicability.

103.3

Inspection requirements.

103.5

Waivers.

103.7

Certification and registration.

Subpart B—Operating Rules

103.9

Hazardous operations.

103.11

Daylight operations.

103.13

Operation near aircraft; right-of-way

rules.

103.15

Operations over congested areas.

103.17

Operations in certain airspace.

103.19

Operations in prohibited or restricted

areas.

103.20

Flight restrictions in the proximity

of certain areas designated by notice to
airmen.

103.21

Visual reference with the surface.

103.23

Flight visibility and cloud clearance

requirements.

UTHORITY

: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40103–40104,

40113, 44701.

OURCE

: Docket No. 21631, 47 FR 38776,

Sept. 2, 1982, unless otherwise noted.

Subpart A—General

§ 103.1

Applicability.

This part prescribes rules governing

the operation of ultralight vehicles in
the United States. For the purposes of
this part, an ultralight vehicle is a ve-
hicle that:

(a) Is used or intended to be used for

manned operation in the air by a single
occupant;

(b) Is used or intended to be used for

recreation or sport purposes only;

airworthiness certificate; and

(d) If unpowered, weighs less than 155

pounds; or

(e) If powered:

(1) Weighs less than 254 pounds empty

weight, excluding floats and safety de-
vices which are intended for deploy-
ment in a potentially catastrophic sit-
uation;

(2) Has a fuel capacity not exceeding

5 U.S. gallons;

(3) Is not capable of more than 55

knots calibrated airspeed at full power
in level flight; and

(4) Has a power-off stall speed which

does not exceed 24 knots calibrated air-
speed.

§ 103.3

Inspection requirements.

(a) Any person operating an ultra-

light vehicle under this part shall,
upon request, allow the Administrator,
or his designee, to inspect the vehicle
to determine the applicability of this
part.

(b) The pilot or operator of an ultra-

light vehicle must, upon request of the
Administrator, furnish satisfactory
evidence that the vehicle is subject
only to the provisions of this part.

§ 103.5

Waivers.

No person may conduct operations

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

§ 103.7

Certification and registration.

(a) Notwithstanding any other sec-

tion pertaining to certification of air-
craft or their parts or equipment,
ultralight vehicles and their compo-
nent parts and equipment are not re-
quired to meet the airworthiness cer-
tification standards specified for air-
craft or to have certificates of air-
worthiness.

(b) Notwithstanding any other sec-

tion pertaining to airman certification,
operators of ultralight vehicles are not
required to meet any aeronautical
knowledge, age, or experience require-
ments to operate those vehicles or to
have airman or medical certificates.

tion pertaining to registration and
marking of aircraft, ultralight vehicles
are not required to be registered or to
bear markings of any type.