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Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 121.547 

monitoring duties as appropriate in ac-
cordance with the certificate holder’s 
procedures contained in the manual re-
quired by § 121.133 of this part. Compli-
ance with this section is required no 
later than March 12, 2019. 

[Doc. No. FAA–2008–0677, 78 FR 67841, Nov. 12, 
2013] 

§ 121.545 Manipulation of controls. 

No pilot in command may allow any 

person to manipulate the controls of an 
aircraft during flight nor may any per-
son manipulate the controls during 
flight unless that person is— 

(a) A qualified pilot of the certificate 

holder operating that aircraft. 

(b) An authorized pilot safety rep-

resentative of the Administrator or of 
the National Transportation Safety 
Board who has the permission of the 
pilot in command, is qualified in the 
aircraft, and is checking flight oper-
ations; or 

(c) A pilot of another certificate 

holder who has the permission of the 
pilot in command, is qualified in the 
aircraft, and is authorized by the cer-
tificate holder operating the aircraft. 

[Doc. No. 6258, 29 FR 19220, Dec. 31, 1964, as 
amended by Doc. No. 8084, 32 FR 5769, Apr. 11, 
1967; Amdt. 121–144, 43 FR 22648, May 25, 1978] 

§ 121.547 Admission to flight deck. 

(a) No person may admit any person 

to the flight deck of an aircraft unless 
the person being admitted is— 

(1) A crewmember; 
(2) An FAA air carrier inspector, a 

DOD commercial air carrier evaluator, 
or an authorized representative of the 
National Transportation Safety Board, 
who is performing official duties; 

(3) Any person who— 
(i) Has permission of the pilot in 

command, an appropriate management 
official of the part 119 certificate hold-
er, and the Administrator; and 

(ii) Is an employee of— 
(A) The United States, or 
(B) A part 119 certificate holder and 

whose duties are such that admission 
to the flightdeck is necessary or advan-
tageous for safe operation; or 

(C) An aeronautical enterprise cer-

tificated by the Administrator and 
whose duties are such that admission 
to the flightdeck is necessary or advan-
tageous for safe operation. 

(4) Any person who has the permis-

sion of the pilot in command, an appro-
priate management official of the part 
119 certificate holder and the Adminis-
trator. Paragraph (a)(2) of this section 
does not limit the emergency authority 
of the pilot in command to exclude any 
person from the flightdeck in the inter-
ests of safety. 

(b) For the purposes of paragraph 

(a)(3) of this section, employees of the 
United States who deal responsibly 
with matters relating to safety and 
employees of the certificate holder 
whose efficiency would be increased by 
familiarity with flight conditions, may 
be admitted by the certificate holder. 
However, the certificate holder may 
not admit employees of traffic, sales, 
or other departments that are not di-
rectly related to flight operations, un-
less they are eligible under paragraph 
(a)(4) of this section. 

(c) No person may admit any person 

to the flight deck unless there is a seat 
available for his use in the passenger 
compartment, except— 

(1) An FAA air carrier inspector, a 

DOD commercial air carrier evaluator, 
or authorized representative of the Ad-
ministrator or National Transpor-
tation Safety Board who is checking or 
observing flight operations; 

(2) An air traffic controller who is au-

thorized by the Administrator to ob-
serve ATC procedures; 

(3) A certificated airman employed 

by the certificate holder whose duties 
require an airman certificate; 

(4) A certificated airman employed 

by another part 119 certificate holder 
whose duties with that part 119 certifi-
cate holder require an airman certifi-
cate and who is authorized by the part 
119 certificate holder operating the air-
craft to make specific trips over a 
route; 

(5) An employee of the part 119 cer-

tificate holder operating the aircraft 
whose duty is directly related to the 
conduct or planning of flight oper-
ations or the in-flight monitoring of 
aircraft equipment or operating proce-
dures, if his presence on the flightdeck 
is necessary to perform his duties and 
he has been authorized in writing by a 
responsible supervisor, listed in the Op-
erations Manual as having that author-
ity; and