104 

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition) 

§ 121.197 

and the runway. For the purpose of de-
termining the allowable landing weight 
at the destination airport the following 
is assumed: 

(1) The airplane is landed on the most 

favorable runway and in the most fa-
vorable direction, in still air. 

(2) The airplane is landed on the most 

suitable runway considering the prob-
able wind velocity and direction and 
the ground handling characteristics of 
the airplane, and considering other 
conditions such as landing aids and ter-
rain. 

(c) A turbopropeller powered airplane 

that would be prohibited from being 
taken off because it could not meet the 
requirements of paragraph (b)(2) of this 
section, may be taken off if an alter-
nate airport is specified that meets all 
the requirements of this section except 
that the airplane can accomplish a full 
stop landing within 70 percent of the 
effective length of the runway. 

(d) Unless, based on a showing of ac-

tual operating landing techniques on 
wet runways, a shorter landing dis-
tance (but never less than that re-
quired by paragraph (b) of this section) 
has been approved for a specific type 
and model airplane and included in the 
Airplane Flight Manual, no person may 
takeoff a turbojet powered airplane 
when the appropriate weather reports 
and forecasts, or a combination there-
of, indicate that the runways at the 
destination airport may be wet or slip-
pery at the estimated time of arrival 
unless the effective runway length at 
the destination airport is at least 115 
percent of the runway length required 
under paragraph (b) of this section. 

(e) A turbojet powered airplane that 

would be prohibited from being taken 
off because it could not meet the re-
quirements of paragraph (b)(2) of this 
section may be taken off if an alter-
nate airport is specified that meets all 
the requirements of paragraph (b) of 
this section. 

[Doc. No. 6258, 29 FR 19198, Dec. 31, 1964, as 
amended by Amdt. 121–9, 30 FR 8572, July 7, 
1965] 

§ 121.197 Airplanes: Turbine engine 

powered: Landing limitations: Al-

ternate airports. 

No person may list an airport as an 

alternate airport in a dispatch or flight 

release for a turbine engine powered 
airplane unless (based on the assump-
tions in § 121.195 (b)) that airplane at 
the weight anticipated at the time of 
arrival can be brought to a full stop 
landing within 70 percent of the effec-
tive length of the runway for turbo-
propeller powered airplanes and 60 per-
cent of the effective length of the run-
way for turbojet powered airplanes, 
from a point 50 feet above the intersec-
tion of the obstruction clearance plane 
and the runway. In the case of an alter-
nate airport for departure, as provided 
in § 121.617, allowance may be made for 
fuel jettisoning in addition to normal 
consumption of fuel and oil when deter-
mining the weight anticipated at the 
time of arrival. 

[Doc. No. 6258, 29 FR 19198, Dec. 31, 1964, as 
amended by Amdt. 121–9, 30 FR 8572, July 7, 
1965; Amdt. 121–179, 47 FR 33390, Aug. 2, 1982] 

§ 121.198 Cargo service airplanes: In-

creased zero fuel and landing 

weights. 

(a) Notwithstanding the applicable 

structural provisions of the airworthi-
ness regulations but subject to para-
graphs (b) through (g) of this section, a 
certificate holder may operate (for 
cargo service only) any of the following 
airplanes (certificated under part 4b of 
the Civil Air Regulations effective be-
fore March 13, 1956) at increased zero 
fuel and landing weights— 

(1) DC–6A, DC–6B, DC–7B, and DC–7C; 

and 

(2) L1049B, C, D, E, F, G, and H, and 

the L1649A when modified in accord-
ance with supplemental type certifi-
cate SA 4–1402. 

(b) The zero fuel weight (maximum 

weight of the airplane with no dispos-
able fuel and oil) and the structural 
landing weight may be increased be-
yond the maximum approved in full 
compliance with applicable regulations 
only if the Administrator finds that— 

(1) The increase is not likely to re-

duce seriously the structural strength; 

(2) The probability of sudden fatigue 

failure is not noticeably increased; 

(3) The flutter, deformation, and vi-

bration characteristics do not fall 
below those required by applicable reg-
ulations; and 

(4) All other applicable weight limi-

tations will be met. 

105 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 121.201 

(c) No zero fuel weight may be in-

creased by more than five percent, and 
the increase in the structural landing 
weight may not exceed the amount, in 
pounds, of the increase in zero fuel 
weight. 

(d) Each airplane must be inspected 

in accordance with the approved spe-
cial inspection procedures, for oper-
ations at increased weights, estab-
lished and issued by the manufacturer 
of the type of airplane. 

(e) Each airplane operated under this 

section must be operated in accordance 
with the passenger-carrying perform-
ance operating limitations prescribed 
in this part. 

(f) The Airplane Flight Manual for 

each airplane operated under this sec-
tion must be appropriately revised to 
include the operating limitations and 
information needed for operation at 
the increased weights. 

(g) Except as provided for the car-

rying of persons under § 121.583 each 
airplane operated at an increased 
weight under this section must, before 
it is used in passenger service, be in-
spected under the special inspection 
procedures for return to passenger 
service established and issued by the 
manufacturer and approved by the Ad-
ministrator. 

§ 121.199 Nontransport category air-

planes: Takeoff limitations. 

(a) No person operating a non-

transport category airplane may take 
off that airplane at a weight greater 
than the weight that would allow the 
airplane to be brought to a safe stop 
within the effective length of the run-
way, from any point during the takeoff 
before reaching 105 percent of min-
imum control speed (the minimum 
speed at which an airplane can be safe-
ly controlled in flight after an engine 
becomes inoperative) or 115 percent of 
the power off stalling speed in the 
takeoff configuration, whichever is 
greater. 

(b) For the purposes of this section— 
(1) It may be assumed that takeoff 

power is used on all engines during the 
acceleration; 

(2) Not more than 50 percent of the 

reported headwind component, or not 
less than 150 percent of the reported 

tailwind component, may be taken into 
account; 

(3) The average runway gradient (the 

difference between the elevations of 
the endpoints of the runway divided by 
the total length) must be considered if 
it is more than one-half of 1 percent; 

(4) It is assumed that the airplane is 

operating in standard atmosphere; and 

(5) The 

effective length of the runway 

for takeoff means the distance from 
the end of the runway at which the 
takeoff is started to a point at which 
the obstruction clearance plane associ-
ated with the other end of the runway 
intersects the runway centerline. 

[Doc. No. 6258, 29 FR 19198, Dec. 31, 1964, as 
amended by Amdt. 121–132, 41 FR 55475, Dec. 
20, 1976] 

§ 121.201 Nontransport category air-

planes: En route limitations: One 

engine inoperative. 

(a) Except as provided in paragraph 

(b) of this section, no person operating 
a nontransport category airplane may 
take off that airplane at a weight that 
does not allow a rate of climb of at 
least 50 feet a minute, with the critical 
engine inoperative, at an altitude of at 
least 1,000 feet above the highest ob-
struction within five miles on each side 
of the intended track, or 5,000 feet, 
whichever is higher. 

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of 

this section, if the Administrator finds 
that safe operations are not impaired, 
a person may operate the airplane at 
an altitude that allows the airplane, in 
case of engine failure, to clear all ob-
structions within 5 miles on each side 
of the intended track by 1,000 feet. If 
this procedure is used, the rate of de-
scent for the appropriate weight and 
altitude is assumed to be 50 feet a 
minute greater than the rate in the ap-
proved performance data. Before ap-
proving such a procedure, the Adminis-
trator considers the following for the 
route, route segment, or area con-
cerned: 

(1) The reliability of wind and weath-

er forecasting. 

(2) The location and kinds of naviga-

tion aids. 

(3) The prevailing weather condi-

tions, particularly the frequency and 
amount of turbulence normally en-
countered.