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14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition) 

§ 121.542 

§ 121.542 Flight crewmember duties. 

(a) No certificate holder shall re-

quire, nor may any flight crewmember 
perform, any duties during a critical 
phase of flight except those duties re-
quired for the safe operation of the air-
craft. Duties such as company required 
calls made for such nonsafety related 
purposes as ordering galley supplies 
and confirming passenger connections, 
announcements made to passengers 
promoting the air carrier or pointing 
out sights of interest, and filling out 
company payroll and related records 
are not required for the safe operation 
of the aircraft. 

(b) No flight crewmember may en-

gage in, nor may any pilot in command 
permit, any activity during a critical 
phase of flight which could distract 
any flight crewmember from the per-
formance of his or her duties or which 
could interfere in any way with the 
proper conduct of those duties. Activi-
ties such as eating meals, engaging in 
nonessential conversations within the 
cockpit and nonessential communica-
tions between the cabin and cockpit 
crews, and reading publications not re-
lated to the proper conduct of the 
flight are not required for the safe op-
eration of the aircraft. 

(c) For the purposes of this section, 

critical phases of flight includes all 
ground operations involving taxi, take-
off and landing, and all other flight op-
erations conducted below 10,000 feet, 
except cruise flight. 

N

OTE

: Taxi is defined as ‘‘movement of an 

airplane under its own power on the surface 
of an airport.’’ 

(d) During all flight time as defined 

in 14 CFR 1.1, no flight crewmember 
may use, nor may any pilot in com-
mand permit the use of, a personal 
wireless communications device (as de-
fined in 49 U.S.C. 44732(d)) or laptop 
computer while at a flight crewmember 
duty station unless the purpose is di-
rectly related to operation of the air-
craft, or for emergency, safety-related, 
or employment-related communica-
tions, in accordance with air carrier 
procedures approved by the Adminis-
trator. 

[Doc. No. 20661, 46 FR 5502, Jan. 19, 1981, as 
amended by Amdt. 121–369, 79 FR 8263, Feb. 
12, 2014] 

§ 121.543 Flight crewmembers at con-

trols. 

(a) Except as provided in paragraph 

(b) of this section, each required flight 
crewmember on flight deck duty must 
remain at the assigned duty station 
with seat belt fastened while the air-
craft is taking off or landing, and while 
it is en route. 

(b) A required flight crewmember 

may leave the assigned duty station— 

(1) If the crewmember’s absence is 

necessary for the performance of duties 
in connection with the operation of the 
aircraft; 

(2) If the crewmember’s absence is in 

connection with physiological needs; or 

(3) If the crewmember is taking a rest 

period, and relief is provided— 

(i) In the case of the assigned pilot in 

command during the en route cruise 
portion of the flight, by a pilot who 
holds an airline transport pilot certifi-
cate not subject to the limitations in 
§ 61.167 of this chapter and an appro-
priate type rating, is currently quali-
fied as pilot in command or second in 
command, and is qualified as pilot in 
command of that aircraft during the en 
route cruise portion of the flight. A 
second in command qualified to act as 
a pilot in command en route need not 
have completed the following pilot in 
command requirements: The 6-month 
recurrent flight training required by 
§ 121.433(c)(1)(iii); the operating experi-
ence required by § 121.434; the takeoffs 
and landings required by § 121.439; the 
line check required by § 121.440; and the 
6-month proficiency check or simu-
lator training required by § 121.441(a)(1); 
and 

(ii) In the case of the assigned second 

in command, by a pilot qualified to act 
as second in command of that aircraft 
during en route operations. However, 
the relief pilot need not meet the re-
cent experience requirements of 
§ 121.439(b). 

[Doc. No. 16383, 43 FR 22648, May 25, 1978, as 
amended by Amdt. 121–179, 47 FR 33390, Aug. 
2, 1982; Amdt. 121–365, 78 FR 42378, July 15, 
2013] 

§ 121.544 Pilot monitoring. 

Each pilot who is seated at the pilot 

controls of the aircraft, while not fly-
ing the aircraft, must accomplish pilot