349 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 125.223 

the seat in front of the user, or in an-
other approved stowage location so 
that it does not block the aisle way or 
the entryway to the row. If the device 
is to be operated by the user, it must 
be operated only at a seat location that 
does not restrict any passenger’s access 
to, or use of, any required emergency 
or regular exit, or the aisle(s) in the 
passenger compartment. 

[Docket No. 19779, 45 FR 67235, Oct. 9, 1980, as 
amended by Docket FAA–2014–0554, Amdt. 
125–65, 81 FR 33119, May 24, 2016; Docket 
FAA–2018–0119, Amdt. 125–68, 83 FR 9173, Mar. 
5, 2018] 

§ 125.221 Icing conditions: Operating 

limitations. 

(a) No pilot may take off an airplane 

that has frost, ice, or snow adhering to 
any propeller, windshield, stabilizing 
or control surface; to a powerplant in-
stallation; or to an airspeed, altimeter, 
rate of climb, flight attitude instru-
ment system, or wing, except that 
takeoffs may be made with frost under 
the wing in the area of the fuel tanks 
if authorized by the FAA. 

(b) No certificate holder may author-

ize an airplane to take off and no pilot 
may take off an airplane any time con-
ditions are such that frost, ice, or snow 
may reasonably be expected to adhere 
to the airplane unless the pilot has 
completed the testing required under 
§ 125.287(a)(9) and unless one of the fol-
lowing requirements is met: 

(1) A pretakeoff contamination 

check, that has been established by the 
certificate holder and approved by the 
Administrator for the specific airplane 
type, has been completed within 5 min-
utes prior to beginning takeoff. A pre-
takeoff contamination check is a check 
to make sure the wings and control 
surfaces are free of frost, ice, or snow. 

(2) The certificate holder has an ap-

proved alternative procedure and under 
that procedure the airplane is deter-
mined to be free of frost, ice, or snow. 

(3) The certificate holder has an ap-

proved deicing/anti-icing program that 
complies with § 121.629(c) of this chap-
ter and the takeoff complies with that 
program. 

(c) No pilot may fly under IFR into 

known or forecast light or moderate 
icing conditions, or under VFR into 

known light or moderate icing condi-
tions, unless— 

(1) The aircraft has functioning deic-

ing or anti-icing equipment protecting 
each propeller, windshield, wing, stabi-
lizing or control surface, and each air-
speed, altimeter, rate of climb, or 
flight attitude instrument system; 

(2) The airplane has ice protection 

provisions that meet appendix C of this 
part; or 

(3) The airplane meets transport cat-

egory airplane type certification provi-
sions, including the requirements for 
certification for flight in icing condi-
tions. 

(d) Except for an airplane that has 

ice protection provisions that meet ap-
pendix C of this part or those for trans-
port category airplane type certifi-
cation, no pilot may fly an airplane 
into known or forecast severe icing 
conditions. 

(e) If current weather reports and 

briefing information relied upon by the 
pilot in command indicate that the 
forecast icing condition that would 
otherwise prohibit the flight will not 
be encountered during the flight be-
cause of changed weather conditions 
since the forecast, the restrictions in 
paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section 
based on forecast conditions do not 
apply. 

[45 FR 67235, Oct. 9, 1980, as amended by 
Amdt. 125–18, 58 FR 69629, Dec. 30, 1993; Amdt. 
125–58, 74 FR 62696, Dec. 1, 2009] 

§ 125.223 Airborne weather radar 

equipment requirements. 

(a) No person may operate an air-

plane governed by this part in pas-
senger-carrying operations unless ap-
proved airborne weather radar equip-
ment is installed in the airplane. 

(b) No person may begin a flight 

under IFR or night VFR conditions 
when current weather reports indicate 
that thunderstorms, or other poten-
tially hazardous weather conditions 
that can be detected with airborne 
weather radar equipment, may reason-
ably be expected along the route to be 
flown, unless the airborne weather 
radar equipment required by paragraph 
(a) of this section is in satisfactory op-
erating condition. 

(c) If the airborne weather radar 

equipment becomes inoperative en