366 

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition) 

§ 125.319 

in conducting en route inspections is 
determined by the Administrator. 

§ 125.319 Emergencies. 

(a) In an emergency situation that 

requires immediate decision and ac-
tion, the pilot in command may take 
any action considered necessary under 
the circumstances. In such a case, the 
pilot in command 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 ground radio 
station fully informed of the progress 
of the flight. The person declaring the 
emergency shall send a written report 
of any deviation, through the opera-
tor’s director of operations, to the Ad-
ministrator within 10 days, exclusive of 
Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holi-
days, after the flight is completed or, 
in the case of operations outside the 
United States, upon return to the home 
base. 

§ 125.321 Reporting potentially haz-

ardous meteorological conditions 
and irregularities of ground and 
navigation facilities. 

Whenever the pilot in command en-

counters a meteorological condition or 
an irregularity in a ground facility or 
navigation aid in flight, the knowledge 
of which the pilot in command con-
siders essential to the safety of other 
flights, the pilot in command shall no-

tify an appropriate ground station as 
soon as practicable. 

[Doc. No. 19779, 45 FR 67235, Oct. 9, 1980, as 
amended by Amdt. 125–52, 72 FR 31683, June 
7, 2007] 

§ 125.323 Reporting mechanical irreg-

ularities. 

The pilot in command shall ensure 

that all mechanical irregularities oc-
curring during flight are entered in the 
maintenance log of the airplane at the 
next place of landing. Before each 
flight, the pilot in command shall as-
certain the status of each irregularity 
entered in the log at the end of the pre-
ceding flight. 

§ 125.325 Instrument approach proce-

dures and IFR landing minimums. 

Except as specified in § 91.176 of this 

chapter, no person may make an in-
strument approach at an airport except 
in accordance with IFR weather mini-
mums and unless the type of instru-
ment approach procedure to be used is 
listed in the certificate holder’s oper-
ations specifications. 

[Docket FAA–2013–0485, Amdt. 125–66, 81 FR 
90176, Dec. 13, 2016] 

§ 125.327 Briefing of passengers before 

flight. 

(a) Before each takeoff, each pilot in 

command of an airplane carrying pas-
sengers shall ensure that all passengers 
have been orally briefed on— 

(1) 

Smoking. 

Each passenger shall be 

briefed on when, where, and under what 
conditions smoking is prohibited. This 
briefing shall include a statement that 
the Federal Aviation Regulations re-
quire passenger compliance with the 
lighted passenger information signs, 
posted placards, areas designated for 
safety purposes as no smoking areas, 
and crewmember instructions with re-
gard to these items. 

(2) 

The use of safety belts, including in-

structions on how to fasten and unfasten 
the safety belts. 

Each passenger shall be 

briefed on when, where, and under what 
conditions the safety belt must be fas-
tened about him or her. This briefing 

367 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 125.329 

shall include a statement that the Fed-
eral Aviation Regulations require pas-
senger compliance with lighted pas-
senger information signs and crew-
member instructions concerning the 
use of safety belts. 

(3) The placement of seat backs in an 

upright position before takeoff and 
landing; 

(4) Location and means for opening 

the passenger entry door and emer-
gency exits; 

(5) Location of survival equipment; 
(6) If the flight involves extended 

overwater operation, ditching proce-
dures and the use of required flotation 
equipment; 

(7) If the flight involves operations 

above 12,000 feet MSL, the normal and 
emergency use of oxygen; and 

(8) Location and operation of fire ex-

tinguishers. 

(b) Before each takeoff, the pilot in 

command shall ensure that each person 
who may need the assistance of an-
other person to move expeditiously to 
an exit if an emergency occurs and 
that person’s attendant, if any, has re-
ceived a briefing as to the procedures 
to be followed if an evacuation occurs. 
This paragraph does not apply to a per-
son who has been given a briefing be-
fore a previous leg of a flight in the 
same airplane. 

(c) The oral briefing required by 

paragraph (a) of this section shall be 
given by the pilot in command or a 
member of the crew. It shall be supple-
mented by printed cards for the use of 
each passenger containing— 

(1) A diagram and method of oper-

ating the emergency exits; and 

(2) Other instructions necessary for 

the use of emergency equipment on 
board the airplane. 
Each card used under this paragraph 
must be carried in the airplane in loca-
tions convenient for the use of each 
passenger and must contain informa-
tion that is appropriate to the airplane 
on which it is to be used. 

(d) The certificate holder shall de-

scribe in its manual the procedure to 
be followed in the briefing required by 
paragraph (a) of this section. 

(e) If the airplane does not proceed 

directly over water after takeoff, no 
part of the briefing required by para-
graph (a)(6) of this section has to be 

given before takeoff but the briefing 
required by paragraph (a)(6) must be 
given before reaching the overwater 
part of the flight. 

[Doc. No. 19779, 45 FR 67235, Oct. 9, 1980, as 
amended by Amdt. 125–17, 57 FR 42675, Sept. 
15, 1992] 

§ 125.328 Prohibition on crew inter-

ference. 

No person may assault, threaten, in-

timidate, or interfere with a crew-
member in the performance of the 
crewmember’s duties aboard an air-
craft being operated under this part. 

[Doc. No. FAA–1998–4954, 64 FR 1080, Jan. 7, 
1999] 

§ 125.329 Minimum altitudes for use of 

autopilot. 

(a) 

Definitions. 

For purpose of this 

section— 

(1) Altitudes for takeoff/initial climb 

and go-around/missed approach are de-
fined as above the airport elevation. 

(2) Altitudes for enroute operations 

are defined as above terrain elevation. 

(3) Altitudes for approach are defined 

as above the touchdown zone elevation 
(TDZE), unless the altitude is specifi-
cally in reference to DA (H) or MDA, in 
which case the altitude is defined by 
reference to the DA(H) or MDA itself. 

(b) 

Takeoff and initial climb. 

No person 

may use an autopilot for takeoff or ini-
tial climb below the higher of 500 feet 
or an altitude that is no lower than 
twice the altitude loss specified in the 
Airplane Flight Manual (AFM), except 
as follows— 

(1) At a minimum engagement alti-

tude specified in the AFM; or 

(2) At an altitude specified by the Ad-

ministrator, whichever is greater. 

(c) 

Enroute. 

No person may use an 

autopilot enroute, including climb and 
descent, below the following— 

(1) 500 feet; 
(2) At an altitude that is no lower 

than twice the altitude loss specified in 
the AFM for an autopilot malfunction 
in cruise conditions; or 

(3) At an altitude specified by the Ad-

ministrator, whichever is greater. 

(d) 

Approach. 

No person may use an 

autopilot at an altitude lower than 50 
feet below the DA(H) or MDA for the 
instrument procedure being flown, ex-
cept as follows—