214 

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition) 

§ 121.548 

(6) A technical representative of the 

manufacturer of the aircraft or its 
components whose duties are directly 
related to 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 
the Administrator and by a responsible 
supervisor of the operations depart-
ment of the part 119 certificate holder, 
listed in the Operations Manual as hav-
ing that authority. 

[Doc. No. 6258, 29 FR 19220, Dec. 31, 1964, as 
amended by Doc. No. 8084, 32 FR 5769, Apr. 11, 
1967; Amdt. 121–253, 61 FR 2613, Jan. 26, 1996; 
Amdt. 121–288, 67 FR 2127, Jan. 15, 2002; Amdt. 
121–298, 68 FR 41217, July 10, 2003] 

§ 121.548 Aviation safety inspector’s 

credentials: Admission to pilot’s 

compartment. 

Whenever, in performing the duties 

of conducting an inspection, an inspec-
tor of the Federal Aviation Adminis-
tration presents form FAA 110A, 
‘‘Aviation Safety Inspector’s Creden-
tial,’’ to the pilot in command of an 
aircraft operated by a certificate hold-
er, the inspector must be given free and 
uninterrupted access to the pilot’s 
compartment of that aircraft. 

[Doc. No. 28154, 61 FR 2613, Jan. 26, 1996] 

§ 121.548a DOD Commercial Air Car-

rier Evaluator’s Credential. 

Whenever, in performing the duties 

of conducting an evaluation, a DOD 
commercial air carrier evaluator pre-
sents S&A Form 110B, ‘‘DOD Commer-
cial Air Carrier Evaluator’s Creden-
tial,’’ to the pilot in command of an 
airplane operated by the certificate 
holder, the evaluator must be given 
free and uninterrupted access to the pi-
lot’s compartment of that airplane. 

[Doc. No. FAA–2003–15571, 68 FR 41217, July 
10, 2003] 

§ 121.549 Flying equipment. 

(a) The pilot in command shall en-

sure that appropriate aeronautical 
charts containing adequate informa-
tion concerning navigation aids and in-
strument approach procedures are 
aboard the aircraft for each flight. 

(b) Each crewmember shall, on each 

flight, have readily available for his 

use a flashlight that is in good working 
order. 

§ 121.550 Secret Service Agents: Admis-

sion to flight deck. 

Whenever an Agent of the Secret 

Service who is assigned the duty of 
protecting a person aboard an aircraft 
operated by a certificate holder con-
siders it necessary in the performance 
of his duty to ride on the flight deck of 
the aircraft, he must, upon request and 
presentation of his Secret Service cre-
dentials to the pilot in command of the 
aircraft, be admitted to the flight deck 
and permitted to occupy an observer 
seat thereon. 

[Doc. No. 9031, 35 FR 12061, July 28, 1970, as 
amended by Amdt. 121–253, 61 FR 2613, Jan. 
26, 1996] 

§ 121.551 Restriction or suspension of 

operation: Domestic and flag oper-
ations. 

When a certificate holder conducting 

domestic or flag operations knows of 
conditions, including airport and run-
way conditions, that are a hazard to 
safe operations, it shall restrict or sus-
pend operations until those conditions 
are corrected. 

[Doc. No. 28154, 61 FR 2613, Jan. 26, 1996] 

§ 121.553 Restriction or suspension of 

operation: Supplemental oper-
ations. 

When a certificate holder conducting 

supplemental operations or pilot in 
command knows of conditions, includ-
ing airport and runway conditions, 
that are a hazard to safe operations, 
the certificate holder or pilot in com-
mand, as the case may be, shall re-
strict or suspend operations until those 
conditions are corrected. 

[Doc. No. 28154, 61 FR 2613, Jan. 26, 1996] 

§ 121.555 Compliance with approved 

routes and limitations: Domestic 
and flag operations. 

No pilot may operate an airplane in 

scheduled air transportation— 

(a) Over any route or route segment 

unless it is specified in the certificate 
holder’s operations specifications; or 

215 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 121.561 

(b) Other than in accordance with the 

limitations in the operations specifica-
tions. 

[Doc. No. 6258, 29 FR 19219, Dec. 31, 1964, as 
amended by Amdt. 121–253, 61 FR 2614, Jan. 
26, 1996] 

§ 121.557 Emergencies: Domestic and 

flag operations. 

(a) In an emergency situation that 

requires immediate decision and action 
the pilot in command may take any ac-
tion that he considers necessary under 
the circumstances. In such a case he 
may deviate from prescribed oper-
ations procedures and methods, weath-
er minimums, and this chapter, to the 
extent required in the interests of safe-
ty. 

(b) In an emergency situation arising 

during flight that requires immediate 
decision and action by an aircraft dis-
patcher, and that is known to him, the 
aircraft dispatcher shall advise the 
pilot in command of the emergency, 
shall ascertain the decision of the pilot 
in command, and shall have the deci-
sion recorded. If the aircraft dispatcher 
cannot communicate with the pilot, he 
shall declare an emergency and take 
any action that he considers necessary 
under the circumstances. 

(c) Whenever a pilot in command or 

dispatcher exercises emergency author-
ity, he shall keep the appropriate ATC 
facility and dispatch centers fully in-
formed of the progress of the flight. 
The person declaring the emergency 
shall send a written report of any devi-
ation through the certificate holder’s 
operations manager, to the Adminis-
trator. A dispatcher shall send his re-
port within 10 days after the date of 
the emergency, and a pilot in command 
shall send his report within 10 days 
after returning to his home base. 

[Doc. No. 6258, 29 FR 19219, Dec. 31, 1964, as 
amended by Amdt. 121–253, 61 FR 2614, Jan. 
26, 1996] 

§ 121.559 Emergencies: Supplemental 

operations. 

(a) In an emergency situation that 

requires immediate decision and ac-
tion, the pilot in command may take 
any action that he considers necessary 
under the circumstances. In such a 
case, he may deviate from prescribed 
operations, procedures and methods, 

weather minimums, and this chapter, 
to the extent required in the interests 
of safety. 

(b) In an emergency situation arising 

during flight that requires immediate 
decision and action by appropriate 
management personnel in the case of 
operations conducted with a flight fol-
lowing service and which is known to 
them, those personnel shall advise the 
pilot in command of the emergency, 
shall ascertain the decision of the pilot 
in command, and shall have the deci-
sion recorded. If they cannot commu-
nicate with the pilot, they shall de-
clare an emergency and take any ac-
tion that they consider necessary 
under the circumstances. 

(c) Whenever emergency authority is 

exercised, the pilot in command or the 
appropriate management personnel 
shall keep the appropriate communica-
tion facility fully informed of the 
progress of the flight. The person de-
claring the emergency shall send a 
written report of any deviation, 
through the certificate holder’s direc-
tor of operations, to the Administrator 
within 10 days after the flight is com-
pleted or, in the case of operations out-
side the United States, upon return to 
the home base. 

[Doc. No. 6258, 29 FR 19219, Dec. 31, 1964, as 
amended by Amdt. 121–253, 61 FR 2614, Jan. 
26, 1996; Amdt. 121–333, 72 FR 31682, June 7, 
2007] 

§ 121.561 Reporting potentially haz-

ardous meteorological conditions 
and irregularities of ground facili-
ties or navigation aids. 

(a) Whenever he encounters a mete-

orological condition or an irregularity 
in aground facility or navigation aid, 
in flight, the knowledge of which he 
considers essential to the safety of 
other flights, the pilot in command 
shall notify an appropriate ground sta-
tion as soon as practicable. 

(b) The ground radio station that is 

notified under paragraph (a) of this sec-
tion shall report the information to the 
agency directly responsible for oper-
ating the facility. 

[Doc. No. 6258, 29 FR 19219, Dec. 31, 1964, as 
amended by Amdt. 121–333, 72 FR 31682, June 
7, 2007]