197 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 121.441 

(2) Consist of at least one flight over 

a part of a Federal airway, foreign air-
way, or advisory route over which the 
pilot may be assigned. 

[Doc. No. 9509, 35 FR 96, Jan. 3, 1970, as 
amended by Amdt. 121–143, 43 FR 22642, May 
25, 1978; Amdt. 121–253, 61 FR 2612, Jan. 26, 
1996; Amdt. 121–344, 74 FR 34235, July 15, 2009; 
Amdt. 121–359, 77 FR 34785, June 12, 2012] 

§ 121.441 Proficiency checks. 

(a) No certificate holder may use any 

person nor may any person serve as a 
required pilot flight crewmember un-
less that person has satisfactorily com-
pleted either a proficiency check, or an 
approved FFS course of training under 
§ 121.409, as follows: 

(1) For a pilot in command— 
(i) Before March 12, 2019, 
(A) A proficiency check within the 

preceding 12 calendar months and, 

(B) In addition, within the preceding 

6 calendar months, either a proficiency 
check or the approved FFS course of 
training. 

(ii) Beginning on March 12, 2019, 
(A) A proficiency check within the 

preceding 12 calendar months in the 
aircraft type in which the person is to 
serve and, 

(B) In addition, within the preceding 

6 calendar months, either a proficiency 
check or the approved FFS course of 
training. 

(2) For all other pilots— 
(i) Within the preceding 24 calendar 

months either a proficiency check or 
the line-oriented flight training course 
under § 121.409; and 

(ii) Within the preceding 12 calendar 

months, either a proficiency check or 
any FFS training course under § 121.409 

(b) Except as provided in paragraphs 

(c) and (d) of this section, a proficiency 
check must meet the following require-
ments: 

(1) It must include at least the proce-

dures and maneuvers set forth in ap-
pendix F to this part unless otherwise 
specifically provided in that appendix. 

(2) It must be given by the Adminis-

trator or a pilot check airman. 

(c) An approved FFS or FTD may be 

used in the conduct of a proficiency 
check as provided in appendix F to this 
part. 

(d) A person giving a proficiency 

check may, in his or her discretion, 

waive any of the maneuvers or proce-
dures for which a specific waiver au-
thority is set forth in Appendix F of 
this part if the conditions in para-
graphs (d)(1) through (3) of this section 
are satisfied: 

(1) The Administrator has not specifi-

cally required the particular maneuver 
or procedure to be performed. 

(2) The pilot being checked is, at the 

time of the check, employed by a cer-
tificate holder as a pilot. 

(3) The pilot being checked meets one 

of the following conditions: 

(i) The pilot is currently qualified for 

operations under this part in the par-
ticular type airplane and flightcrew 
member position. 

(ii) The pilot has, within the pre-

ceding six calendar months, satisfac-
torily completed an approved training 
curriculum, except for an upgrade 
training curriculum in accordance with 
§§ 121.420 and 121.426, for the particular 
type airplane. 

(e) If the pilot being checked fails 

any of the required maneuvers, the per-
son giving the proficiency check may 
give additional training to the pilot 
during the course of the proficiency 
check. In addition to repeating the ma-
neuvers failed, the person giving the 
proficiency check may require the 
pilot being checked to repeat any other 
maneuvers he finds are necessary to de-
termine the pilot’s proficiency. If the 
pilot being checked is unable to dem-
onstrate satisfactory performance to 
the person conducting the check, the 
certificate holder may not use him nor 
may he serve in operations under this 
part until he has satisfactorily com-
pleted a proficiency check. 

(f) Deviation authority based upon 

designation of related aircraft in ac-
cordance with § 121.418(b) of this part. 

(1) The Administrator may authorize 

a deviation from the proficiency check 
requirements of paragraphs (a), (b)(1), 
and (c) of this section based upon a des-
ignation of related aircraft in accord-
ance with § 121.418(b) of this part and a 
determination that the certificate 
holder can demonstrate an equivalent 
level of safety. 

(2) A request for deviation from para-

graphs (a), (b)(1), and (c) of this section 

198 

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition) 

§ 121.443 

must be submitted to the Adminis-
trator. The request must include the 
following: 

(i) Identification of aircraft operated 

by the certificate holder designated as 
related aircraft. 

(ii) Based on review of the related 

aircraft, the operation, and the duty 
position: 

(A) For recurrent proficiency checks, 

the frequency of the related aircraft 
proficiency check, the maneuvers and 
procedures to be included in the related 
aircraft proficiency check, and the 
level of FSTD to be used for each ma-
neuver and procedure. 

(B) For qualification proficiency 

checks, the maneuvers and procedures 
to be included in the related aircraft 
proficiency check and the level of 
FSTD to be used for each maneuver 
and procedure. 

(3) The administrator may, at any 

time, terminate a grant of deviation 
authority issued under this paragraph 
(f). 

[Doc. No. 9509, 35 FR 96, Jan. 3, 1970, as 
amended by Amdt. 121–103, 38 FR 12203, May 
10, 1973, Amdt. 121–108, 38 FR 35446, Dec. 28, 
1973; Amdt. 121–144, 43 FR 22648, May 25, 1978; 
Amdt. 121–263, 62 FR 13791, Mar. 21, 1997; 
Amdt. 121–366, 78 FR 67841, Nov. 12, 2013; 
Docket FAA–2016–9526, Amdt. 121–377, 81 FR 
90983, Dec. 16, 2016; Amdt. 121–377A, 81 FR 
95860, Dec. 29, 2016; Amdt. 121–377B, 83 FR 
12475, Mar. 22, 2018; Amdt. 121–382, 85 FR 
10926, Feb. 25, 2020] 

§ 121.443 Pilot in command qualifica-

tion: Route and airports. 

(a) Each certificate holder shall pro-

vide a system acceptable to the Admin-
istrator for disseminating the informa-
tion required by paragraph (b) of this 
section to the pilot in command and 
appropriate flight operation personnel. 
The system must also provide an ac-
ceptable means for showing compliance 
with § 121.445. 

(b) No certificate holder may use any 

person, nor may any person serve, as 
pilot in command unless the certificate 
holder has provided that person cur-
rent information concerning the fol-
lowing subjects pertinent to the areas 
over which that person is to serve, and 
to each airport and terminal area into 
which that person is to operate, and 
ensures that that person has adequate 

knowledge of, and the ability to use, 
the information: 

(1) Weather characteristics appro-

priate to the season. 

(2) Navigation facilities. 
(3) Communication procedures, in-

cluding airport visual aids. 

(4) Kinds of terrain and obstructions. 
(5) Minimum safe flight levels. 
(6) En route and terminal area ar-

rival and departure procedures, holding 
procedures and authorized instrument 
approach procedures for the airports 
involved. 

(7) Congested areas and physical lay-

out of each airport in the terminal area 
in which the pilot will operate. 

(8) Notices to Airmen. 

[Doc. No. 17897, 45 FR 41594, June 19, 1980; 
Amdt. 121–159, 45 FR 43154, June 26, 1980] 

§ 121.445 Pilot in command airport 

qualification: Special areas and air-

ports. 

(a) The Administrator may deter-

mine that certain airports (due to 
items such as surrounding terrain, ob-
structions, or complex approach or de-
parture procedures) are special airports 
requiring special airport qualifications 
and that certain areas or routes, or 
both, require a special type of naviga-
tion qualification. 

(b) Except as provided in paragraph 

(c) of this section, no certificate holder 
may use any person, nor may any per-
son serve, as pilot in command to or 
from an airport determined to require 
special airport qualifications unless, 
within the preceding 12 calendar 
months: 

(1) The pilot in command or second in 

command has made an entry to that 
airport (including a takeoff and land-
ing) while serving as a pilot flight 
crewmember; or 

(2) The pilot in command has quali-

fied by using pictorial means accept-
able to the Administrator for that air-
port. 

(c) Paragraph (b) of this section does 

not apply when an entry to that air-
port (including a takeoff or a landing) 
is being made if the ceiling at that air-
port is at least 1,000 feet above the low-
est MEA or MOCA, or initial approach 
altitude prescribed for the instrument 
approach procedure for that airport,