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.