title-14-part-121-sec121-590

228

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition)

§ 121.590

airplane unless each passenger’s bag-
gage has been scanned to control the
size and amount carried on board in ac-
cordance with an approved carry-on
baggage program in its operations
specifications. In addition, no pas-
senger may board an airplane if his/her
carry-on baggage exceeds the baggage
allowance prescribed in the carry-on
baggage program in the certificate
holder’s operations specifications.

(b) No certificate holder may allow

all passenger entry doors of an airplane
to be closed in preparation for taxi or
pushback unless at least one required
crewmember has verified that each ar-
ticle of baggage is stowed in accord-
ance with this section and § 121.285 (c)
and (d).

an airplane to take off or land unless
each article of baggage is stowed:

(1) In a suitable closet or baggage or

cargo stowage compartment placarded
for its maximum weight and providing
proper restraint for all baggage or
cargo stowed within, and in a manner
that does not hinder the possible use of
any emergency equipment; or

(2) As provided in § 121.285 (c) and (d);

(3) Under a passenger seat.
(d) Baggage, other than articles of

loose clothing, may not be placed in an
overhead rack unless that rack is
equipped with approved restraining de-
vices or doors.

(e) Each passenger must comply with

instructions given by crewmembers re-
garding compliance with paragraphs
(a), (b), (c), (d), and (g) of this section.

(f) Each passenger seat under which

baggage is allowed to be stowed shall
be fitted with a means to prevent arti-
cles of baggage stowed under it from
sliding forward. In addition, each aisle
seat shall be fitted with a means to
prevent articles of baggage stowed
under it from sliding sideward into the
aisle under crash impacts severe
enough to induce the ultimate inertia
forces specified in the emergency land-
ing condition regulations under which
the airplane was type certificated.

(g) In addition to the methods of

stowage in paragraph (c) of this sec-
tion, flexible travel canes carried by
blind individuals may be stowed—

(1) Under any series of connected pas-

senger seats in the same row, if the
cane does not protrude into an aisle
and if the cane is flat on the floor; or

(2) Between a nonemergency exit

window seat and the fuselage, if the
cane is flat on the floor; or

(3) Beneath any two nonemergency

exit window seats, if the cane is flat on
the floor; or

(4) In accordance with any other

method approved by the Adminis-
trator.

[Doc. No. 24996, 52 FR 21476, June 5, 1987, as
amended by Amdt. 121–251, 60 FR 65935, Dec.
20, 1995]

§ 121.590 Use of certificated land air-

ports in the United States.

(a) Except as provided in paragraphs

(b) or (c) of this section, or unless au-
thorized by the Administrator under 49
U.S.C. 44706(c), no air carrier and no
pilot being used by an air carrier may
operate, in the conduct of a domestic
type operation, flag type operation, or
supplemental type operation, an air-
plane at a land airport in any State of
the United States, the District of Co-
lumbia, or any territory or possession
of the United States unless that air-
port is certificated under part 139 of
this chapter. Further, after June 9, 2005
for Class I airports and after December
9, 2005 for Class II, III, and IV airports,
when an air carrier and a pilot being
used by the air carrier are required to
operate at an airport certificated under
part 139 of this chapter, the air carrier
and the pilot may only operate at that
airport if the airport is classified under
part 139 to serve the type airplane to be
operated and the type of operation to
be conducted.

(b)(1) An air carrier and a pilot being

used by the air carrier in the conduct
of a domestic type operation, flag type
operation, or supplemental type oper-
ation may designate and use as a re-
quired alternate airport for departure
or destination an airport that is not
certificated under part 139 of this chap-
ter.

(2) Until December 9, 2005, an air car-

rier and a pilot being used by the air
carrier in the conduct of domestic type
operations and flag type operations,
may operate an airplane designed for
more than 9 but less than 31 passenger

229

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT

§ 121.590

seats, at a land airport, in any State of
the United States, the District of Co-
lumbia, or any territory or possession
of the United States, that does not
hold an airport operating certificate
issued under part 139 of this chapter,
and that serves small air carrier air-
craft (as defined under ‘‘Air carrier air-
craft’’ and ‘‘Class III airport’’ in § 139.5
of this Chapter).

the air carrier in conducting a domes-
tic type operation, flag type operation,
or supplemental type operation may
operate an airplane at an airport oper-
ated by the U.S. Government that is
not certificated under part 139 of this
chapter, only if that airport meets the
equivalent—

(1) Safety standards for airports cer-

tificated under part 139 of this chapter;
and

(2) Airport classification require-

ments under part 139 to serve the type
airplane to be operated and the type of
operation to be conducted.

(d) An air carrier, a commercial oper-

ator, and a pilot being used by the air
carrier or the commercial operator—
when conducting a passenger-carrying
airplane operation under this part that
is not a domestic type operation, a flag
type operation, or a supplemental type
operation—may operate at a land air-
port not certificated under part 139 of
this chapter only when the following
conditions are met:

(1) The airport is adequate for the

proposed operation, considering such
items as size, surface, obstructions,
and lighting.

(2) For an airplane carrying pas-

sengers at night, the pilot may not
take off from, or land at, an airport un-
less—

(i) The pilot has determined the wind

direction from an illuminated wind di-
rection indicator or local ground com-
munications or, in the case of takeoff,
that pilot’s personal observations; and

(ii) The limits of the area to be used

for landing or takeoff are clearly
shown by boundary or runway marker
lights. If the area to be used for takeoff
or landing is marked by flare pots or
lanterns, their use must be authorized
by the Administrator.

(e) A commercial operator and a pilot

used by the commercial operator in

conducting a domestic type operation,
flag type operation, or supplemental
type operation may operate an airplane
at an airport operated by the U.S. Gov-
ernment that is not certificated under
part 139 of this chapter only if that air-
port meets the equivalent—

(1) Safety standards for airports cer-

tificated under part 139 of this chapter;
and

(2) Airport classification require-

ments under part 139 of this chapter to
serve the type airplane to be operated
and the type of operation to be con-
ducted.

(f) For the purpose of this section,

the terms—

Domestic type operation

means any do-

mestic operation conducted with—

(1) An airplane designed for at least

31 passenger seats (as determined by
the aircraft type certificate issued by a
competent civil aviation authority) at
any land airport in any State of the
United States, the District of Colum-
bia, or any territory or possession of
the United States; or

(2) An airplane designed for more

than 9 passenger seats but less than 31
passenger seats (as determined by the
aircraft type certificate issued by a
competent civil aviation authority) at
any land airport in any State of the
United States (except Alaska), the Dis-
trict of Columbia, or any territory or
possession of the United States.

Flag type operation

means any flag op-

eration conducted with—

(1) An airplane designed for at least

(2) An airplane designed for more

Supplemental type operation

means

any supplemental operation (except an
all-cargo operation) conducted with an

230

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition)

§ 121.591

airplane designed for at least 31 pas-
senger seats (as determined by the air-
craft type certificate issued by a com-
petent civil aviation authority) at any
land airport in any State of the United
States, the District of Columbia, or
any territory or possession of the
United States.

United States

means the States of the

United States, the District of Colum-
bia, and the territories and possessions
of the United States.

OTE

: Special Statutory Requirement to

Operate to or From a Part 139 Airport. Each
air carrier that provides—in an aircraft (e.g.,
airplane, rotorcraft, etc.) designed for more
than 9 passenger seats—regularly scheduled
charter air transportation for which the pub-
lic is provided in advance a schedule con-
taining the departure location, departure
time, and arrival location of the flight must
operate to and from an airport certificated
under part 139 of this chapter in accordance
with 49 U.S.C. 41104(b). That statutory provi-
sion contains stand-alone requirements for
such air carriers and special exceptions for
operations in Alaska and outside the United
States. Nothing in § 121.590 exempts the air
carriers described in this note from the re-
quirements of 49 U.S.C. 41104(b). Certain op-
erations by air carriers that conduct public
charter operations under 14 CFR part 380 are
covered by the statutory requirements to op-
erate to and from part 139 airports.

See

U.S.C. 41104(b).

[Doc. No. FAA–2000–7479, 69 FR 6424, Feb. 10,
2004; Amdt. 121–304, 69 FR 31522, June 4, 2004]

Subpart U—Dispatching and Flight

Release Rules

OURCE

: Docket No. 6258, 29 FR 19222, Dec.

31, 1964, unless otherwise noted.

§ 121.591 Applicability.

This subpart prescribes dispatching

rules for domestic and flag operations
and flight release rules for supple-
mental operations.

[Doc. No. 28154, 61 FR 2614, Jan. 26, 1996]

§ 121.593 Dispatching authority: Do-

mestic operations.

Except when an airplane lands at an

intermediate airport specified in the
original dispatch release and remains
there for not more than one hour, no
person may start a flight unless an air-
craft dispatcher specifically authorizes
that flight.

§ 121.595 Dispatching authority: Flag

operations.

(a) No person may start a flight un-

less an aircraft dispatcher specifically
authorizes that flight.

(b) No person may continue a flight

from an intermediate airport without
redispatch if the airplane has been on
the ground more than six hours.

§ 121.597 Flight release authority: Sup-

plemental operations.

(a) No person may start a flight

under a flight following system with-
out specific authority from the person
authorized by the operator to exercise
operational control over the flight.

(b) No person may start a flight un-

less the pilot in command or the person
authorized by the operator to exercise
operational control over the flight has
executed a flight release setting forth
the conditions under which the flights
will be conducted. The pilot in com-
mand may sign the flight release only
when he and the person authorized by
the operator to exercise operational
control believe that the flight can be
made with safety.

from an intermediate airport without a
new flight release if the aircraft has
been on the ground more than six
hours.

[Doc. No. 6258, 29 FR 19222, Dec. 31, 1964, as
amended by Amdt. 121–3, 30 FR 3639, Mar. 19,
1965]

§ 121.599 Familiarity with weather

conditions.

(a)

Domestic and flag operations.

aircraft dispatcher may release a flight
unless he is thoroughly familiar with
reported and forecast weather condi-
tions on the route to be flown.

(b)

Supplemental operations.

No pilot

in command may begin a flight unless
he is thoroughly familiar with reported
and forecast weather conditions on the
route to be flown.

[Doc. No. 6258, 29 FR 19222, Dec. 31, 1964, as
amended by Amdt. 121–253, 61 FR 2614, Jan.
26, 1996]

§ 121.601 Aircraft dispatcher informa-

tion to pilot in command: Domestic

and flag operations.

(a) The aircraft dispatcher shall pro-

vide the pilot in command all available