242 

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition) 

§ 121.652 

following visual references for the in-
tended runway is distinctly visible and 
identifiable to the pilot: 

(i) The approach light system, except 

that the pilot may not descend below 
100 feet above the touchdown zone ele-
vation using the approach lights as a 
reference unless the red terminating 
bars or the red side row bars are also 
distinctly visible and identifiable. 

(ii) The threshold. 
(iii) The threshold markings. 
(iv) The threshold lights. 
(v) The runway end identifier lights. 
(vi) The visual approach slope indi-

cator. 

(vii) The touchdown zone or touch-

down zone markings. 

(viii) The touchdown zone lights. 
(ix) The runway or runway markings. 
(x) The runway lights. 
(e) A pilot may begin the final ap-

proach segment of an instrument ap-
proach procedure, or continue that ap-
proach procedure, at an airport when 
the visibility is reported to be less than 
the visibility minimums prescribed for 
that procedure if the pilot uses an op-
erable EFVS in accordance with § 91.176 
of this chapter and the certificate hold-
er’s operations specifications for EFVS 
operations. 

(f) For the purpose of this section, 

the final approach segment begins at 
the final approach fix or facility pre-
scribed in the instrument approach 
procedure. When a final approach fix is 
not prescribed for a procedure that in-
cludes a procedure turn, the final ap-
proach segment begins at the point 
where the procedure turn is completed 
and the aircraft is established inbound 
toward the airport on the final ap-
proach course within the distance pre-
scribed in the procedure. 

(g) Unless otherwise authorized in 

the certificate holder’s operations 
specifications, each pilot making an 
IFR takeoff, approach, or landing at a 
foreign airport shall comply with the 
applicable instrument approach proce-
dures and weather minimums pre-
scribed by the authority having juris-
diction over the airport. 

[Doc. No. 20060, 46 FR 2291, Jan. 8, 1981, as 
amended by Amdt. 121–303, 69 FR 1641, Jan. 9, 
2004; Amdt. 121–333, 72 FR 31682, June 7, 2007; 
Docket FAA–2013–0485, Amdt. 121–376, 81 FR 
90175, Dec. 13, 2016] 

§ 121.652 Landing weather minimums: 

IFR: All certificate holders. 

(a) If the pilot in command of an air-

plane has not served 100 hours as pilot 
in command in operations under this 
part in the type of airplane he is oper-
ating, the MDA or DA/DH and visi-
bility landing minimums in the certifi-
cate holder’s operations specification 
for regular, provisional, or refueling 
airports are increased by 100 feet and 
one-half mile (or the RVR equivalent). 
The MDA or DA/DH and visibility 
minimums need not be increased above 
those applicable to the airport when 
used as an alternate airport, but in no 
event may the landing minimums be 
less than 300 and 1. However, a Pilot in 
command employed by a certificate 
holder conducting operations in large 
aircraft under part 135 of this chapter, 
may credit flight time acquired in op-
erations conducted for that operator 
under part 91 in the same type airplane 
for up to 50 percent of the 100 hours of 
pilot in command experience required 
by this paragraph. 

(b) The 100 hours of pilot in command 

experience required by paragraph (a) of 
this section may be reduced (not to ex-
ceed 50 percent) by substituting one 
landing in operations under this part in 
the type of airplane for 1 required hour 
of pilot in command experience, if the 
pilot has at least 100 hours as pilot in 
command of another type airplane in 
operations under this part. 

(c) Category II minimums and the 

sliding scale when authorized in the 
certificate holder’s operations speci-
fications do not apply until the pilot in 
command subject to paragraph (a) of 
this section meets the requirements of 
that paragraph in the type of airplane 
he is operating. 

[Doc. No. 7594, 33 FR 10843, July 31, 1968, as 
amended by Amdt. 121–143, 43 FR 22642, May 
25, 1978; Amdt. 121–253, 61 FR 2615, Jan. 26, 
1996; Amdt. 121–333, 72 FR 31682, June 7, 2007] 

§ 121.653 [Reserved] 

§ 121.655 Applicability of reported 

weather minimums. 

In conducting operations under 

§§ 121.649 through 121.653, the ceiling 
and visibility values in the main body 
of the latest weather report control for 
VFR and IFR takeoffs and landings and 

243 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 121.661 

for instrument approach procedures on 
all runways of an airport. However, if 
the latest weather report, including an 
oral report from the control tower, 
contains a visibility value specified as 
runway visibility or runway visual 
range for a particular runway of an air-
port, that specified value controls for 
VFR and IFR landings and takeoffs and 
straight-in instrument approaches for 
that runway. 

§ 121.657 Flight altitude rules. 

(a) 

General. 

Notwithstanding § 91.119 

or any rule applicable outside the 
United States, no person may operate 
an aircraft below the minimums set 
forth in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this 
section, except when necessary for 
takeoff or landing, or except when, 
after considering the character of the 
terrain, the quality and quantity of 
meteorological services, the naviga-
tional facilities available, and other 
flight conditions, the Administrator 
prescribes other minimums for any 
route or part of a route where he finds 
that the safe conduct of the flight re-
quires other altitudes. Outside of the 
United States the minimums pre-
scribed in this section are controlling 
unless higher minimums are prescribed 
in the certificate holder’s operations 
specifications or by the foreign country 
over which the aircraft is operating. 

(b) 

Day VFR operations. 

No certificate 

holder conducting domestic operations 
may operate a passenger-carrying air-
craft and no certificate holder con-
ducting flag or supplemental oper-
ations may operate any aircraft under 
VFR during the day at an altitude less 
than 1,000 feet above the surface or less 
than 1,000 feet from any mountain, hill, 
or other obstruction to flight. 

(c) 

Night VFR, IFR, and over-the-top 

operations. 

No person may operate an 

aircraft under IFR including over-the- 
top or at night under VFR at an alti-
tude less than 1,000 feet above the high-
est obstacle within a horizontal dis-
tance of five miles from the center of 
the intended course, or, in designated 
mountainous areas, less than 2,000 feet 
above the highest obstacle within a 
horizontal distance of five miles from 
the center of the intended course. 

(d) 

Day over-the-top operations below 

minimum en route altitudes. 

A person 

may conduct day over-the-top oper-
ations in an airplane at flight altitudes 
lower than the minimum en route IFR 
altitudes if— 

(1) The operation is conducted at 

least 1,000 feet above the top of lower 
broken or overcast cloud cover; 

(2) The top of the lower cloud cover is 

generally uniform and level; 

(3) Flight visibility is at least five 

miles; and 

(4) The base of any higher broken or 

overcast cloud cover is generally uni-
form and level and is at least 1,000 feet 
above the minimum en route IFR alti-
tude for that route segment. 

[Doc. No. 6258, 29 FR 19222, Dec. 31, 1964, as 
amended by Amdt. 121–144, 43 FR 22649, May 
25, 1978; Amdt. 121–206, 54 FR 34331, Aug. 18, 
1989; Amdt. 121–253, 61 FR 2615, Jan. 26, 1996] 

§ 121.659 Initial approach altitude: Do-

mestic and supplemental oper-

ations. 

(a) Except as provided in paragraph 

(b) of this section, when making an ini-
tial approach to a radio navigation fa-
cility under IFR, no person may de-
scend an aircraft below the pertinent 
minimum altitude for initial approach 
(as specified in the instrument ap-
proach procedure for that facility) 
until his arrival over that facility has 
been definitely established. 

(b) When making an initial approach 

on a flight being conducted under 
§ 121.657(d), no pilot may commence an 
instrument approach until his arrival 
over the radio facility has definitely 
been established. In making an instru-
ment approach under these cir-
cumstances no person may descend an 
aircraft lower than 1,000 feet above the 
top of the lower cloud or the minimum 
altitude determined by the Adminis-
trator for that part of the IFR ap-
proach, whichever is lower. 

§ 121.661 Initial approach altitude: 

Flag operations. 

When making an initial approach to 

a radio navigation facility under IFR, 
no person may descend below the perti-
nent minimum altitude for initial ap-
proach (as specified in the instrument 
approach procedure for that facility) 
until his arrival over that facility has 
been definitely established.