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471 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 135.225 

conditions at the estimated time of ar-
rival at the next airport of intended 
landing will be at or above authorized 
IFR landing minimums. 

§ 135.221 IFR: Alternate airport weath-

er minimums. 

(a) 

Aircraft other than rotorcraft. 

No 

person may designate an alternate air-
port unless the weather reports or fore-
casts, or any combination of them, in-
dicate that the weather conditions will 
be at or above authorized alternate air-
port landing minimums for that air-
port at the estimated time of arrival. 

(b) 

Rotorcraft. 

Unless otherwise au-

thorized by the Administrator, no per-
son may include an alternate airport in 
an IFR flight plan unless appropriate 
weather reports or weather forecasts, 
or a combination of them, indicate 
that, at the estimated time of arrival 
at the alternate airport, the ceiling 
and visibility at that airport will be at 
or above the following weather mini-
mums— 

(1) If, for the alternate airport, an in-

strument approach procedure has been 
published in part 97 of this chapter or 
a special instrument approach proce-
dure has been issued by the FAA to the 
certificate holder, the ceiling is 200 feet 
above the minimum for the approach 
to be flown, and visibility is at least 1 
statute mile but never less than the 
minimum visibility for the approach to 
be flown. 

(2) If, for the alternate airport, no in-

strument approach procedure has been 
published in part 97 of this chapter and 
no special instrument approach proce-
dure has been issued by the FAA to the 
certificate holder, the ceiling and visi-
bility minimums are those allowing de-
scent from the minimum enroute alti-
tude (MEA), approach, and landing 
under basic VFR. 

[Doc. No. FAA–2010–0982, 79 FR 9974, Feb. 21, 
2014] 

§ 135.223 IFR: Alternate airport re-

quirements. 

(a) Except as provided in paragraph 

(b) of this section, no person may oper-
ate an aircraft in IFR conditions unless 
it carries enough fuel (considering 
weather reports or forecasts or any 
combination of them) to— 

(1) Complete the flight to the first 

airport of intended landing; 

(2) Fly from that airport to the alter-

nate airport; and 

(3) Fly after that for 45 minutes at 

normal cruising speed or, for heli-
copters, fly after that for 30 minutes at 
normal cruising speed. 

(b) Paragraph (a)(2) of this section 

does not apply if part 97 of this chapter 
prescribes a standard instrument ap-
proach procedure for the first airport 
of intended landing and, for at least 
one hour before and after the estimated 
time of arrival, the appropriate weath-
er reports or forecasts, or any combina-
tion of them, indicate that— 

(1) The ceiling will be at least 1,500 

feet above the lowest circling approach 
MDA; or 

(2) If a circling instrument approach 

is not authorized for the airport, the 
ceiling will be at least 1,500 feet above 
the lowest published minimum or 2,000 
feet above the airport elevation, which-
ever is higher; and 

(3) Visibility for that airport is fore-

cast to be at least three miles, or two 
miles more than the lowest applicable 
visibility minimums, whichever is the 
greater, for the instrument approach 
procedure to be used at the destination 
airport. 

[Doc. No. 16097, 43 FR 46783, Oct. 10, 1978, as 
amended by Amdt. 135–20, 51 FR 40710, Nov. 7, 
1986] 

§ 135.225 IFR: Takeoff, approach and 

landing minimums. 

(a) Except to the extent permitted by 

paragraphs (b) and (j) of this section, 
no pilot may begin an instrument ap-
proach procedure to an airport unless— 

(1) That airport has a weather report-

ing facility operated by the U.S. Na-
tional Weather Service, a source ap-
proved by U.S. National Weather Serv-
ice, or a source approved by the Admin-
istrator; and 

(2) The latest weather report issued 

by that weather reporting facility indi-
cates that weather conditions are at or 
above the authorized IFR landing mini-
mums for that airport. 

(b) A pilot conducting an eligible on- 

demand operation may begin and con-
duct an instrument approach procedure 
to an airport that does not have a 
weather reporting facility operated by 

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472 

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition) 

§ 135.225 

the U.S. National Weather Service, a 
source approved by the U.S. National 
Weather Service, or a source approved 
by the Administrator if— 

(1) The alternate airport has a weath-

er reporting facility operated by the 
U.S. National Weather Service, a 
source approved by the U.S. National 
Weather Service, or a source approved 
by the Administrator; and 

(2) The latest weather report issued 

by the weather reporting facility in-
cludes a current local altimeter setting 
for the destination airport. If no local 
altimeter setting for the destination 
airport is available, the pilot may use 
the current altimeter setting provided 
by the facility designated on the ap-
proach chart for the destination air-
port. 

(c) Except as provided in paragraph 

(j) of this section, no pilot may begin 
the final approach segment of an in-
strument approach procedure to an air-
port unless the latest weather reported 
by the facility described in paragraph 
(a)(1) of this section indicates that 
weather conditions are at or above the 
authorized IFR landing minimums for 
that procedure. 

(d) Except as provided in paragraph 

(j) of this section, a pilot who has 
begun the final approach segment of an 
instrument approach to an airport 
under paragraph (c) of this section, and 
receives a later weather report indi-
cating that conditions have worsened 
to below the minimum requirements, 
may continue the approach only if the 
following conditions are met— 

(1) The later weather report is re-

ceived when the aircraft is in one of 
the following approach phases: 

(i) The aircraft is on an ILS final ap-

proach and has passed the final ap-
proach fix; 

(ii) The aircraft is on an ASR or PAR 

final approach and has been turned 
over to the final approach controller; 
or 

(iii) The aircraft is on a non-preci-

sion final approach and the aircraft— 

(A) Has passed the appropriate facil-

ity or final approach fix; or 

(B) Where a final approach fix is not 

specified, has completed the procedure 
turn and is established inbound toward 
the airport on the final approach 

course within the distance prescribed 
in the procedure; and 

(2) The pilot in command finds, on 

reaching the authorized MDA or DA/ 
DH, that the actual weather conditions 
are at or above the minimums pre-
scribed for the procedure being used. 

(e) The MDA or DA/DH and visibility 

landing minimums prescribed in part 97 
of this chapter or in the operator’s op-
erations specifications are increased by 
100 feet and 

1

2

mile respectively, but 

not to exceed the ceiling and visibility 
minimums for that airport when used 
as an alternate airport, for each pilot 
in command of a turbine-powered air-
plane who has not served at least 100 
hours as pilot in command in that type 
of airplane. 

(f) Each pilot making an IFR takeoff 

or approach and landing at a military 
or foreign airport shall comply with 
applicable instrument approach proce-
dures and weather minimums pre-
scribed by the authority having juris-
diction over that airport. In addition, 
unless authorized by the certificate 
holder’s operations specifications, no 
pilot may, at that airport— 

(1) Take off under IFR when the visi-

bility is less than 1 mile; or 

(2) Make an instrument approach 

when the visibility is less than 

1

2

mile. 

(g) If takeoff minimums are specified 

in part 97 of this chapter for the take- 
off airport, no pilot may take off an 
aircraft under IFR when the weather 
conditions reported by the facility de-
scribed in paragraph (a)(1) of this sec-
tion are less than the takeoff mini-
mums specified for the takeoff airport 
in part 97 or in the certificate holder’s 
operations specifications. 

(h) Except as provided in paragraph 

(i) of this section, if takeoff minimums 
are not prescribed in part 97 of this 
chapter for the takeoff airport, no pilot 
may takeoff an aircraft under IFR 
when the weather conditions reported 
by the facility described in paragraph 
(a)(1) of this section are less than that 
prescribed in part 91 of this chapter or 
in the certificate holder’s operations 
specifications. 

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473 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 135.227 

(i) At airports where straight-in in-

strument approach procedures are au-
thorized, a pilot may takeoff an air-
craft under IFR when the weather con-
ditions reported by the facility de-
scribed in paragraph (a)(1) of this sec-
tion are equal to or better than the 
lowest straight-in landing minimums, 
unless otherwise restricted, if— 

(1) The wind direction and velocity at 

the time of takeoff are such that a 
straight-in instrument approach can be 
made to the runway served by the in-
strument approach; 

(2) The associated ground facilities 

upon which the landing minimums are 
predicated and the related airborne 
equipment are in normal operation; 
and 

(3) The certificate holder has been 

approved for such operations. 

(j) A pilot may begin an instrument 

approach procedure, or continue an ap-
proach, at an airport when the visi-
bility 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. 

[Doc. No. 16097, 43 FR 46783, Oct. 10, 1978, as 
amended by Amdt. 135–91, 68 FR 54586, Sept. 
17, 2003; Amdt. 135–93, 69 FR 1641, Jan. 9, 2004; 
Amdt. 135–110, 72 FR 31685, June 7, 2007; 
Amdt. 135–126, 77 FR 1632, Jan. 11, 2012; Dock-
et FAA–2013–0485, Amdt. 135–135, 81 FR 90177, 
Dec. 13, 2016] 

§ 135.227 Icing conditions: Operating 

limitations. 

(a) No pilot may take off an aircraft 

that has frost, ice, or snow adhering to 
any rotor blade, propeller, windshield, 
stabilizing or control surface; to a pow-
erplant installation; or to an airspeed, 
altimeter, rate of climb, flight attitude 
instrument 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 all applicable training as re-

quired by § 135.341 and unless one of the 
following 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 rotor blade, propeller, windshield, 
wing, stabilizing or control surface, 
and each airspeed, altimeter, rate of 
climb, or flight attitude instrument 
system; 

(2) The airplane has ice protection 

provisions that meet section 34 of ap-
pendix A 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) No pilot may fly a helicopter 

under IFR into known or forecast icing 
conditions or under VFR into known 
icing conditions unless it has been type 
certificated and appropriately equipped 
for operations in icing conditions. 

(e) Except for an airplane that has 

ice protection provisions that meet 
section 34 of appendix A, or those for 
transport category airplane type cer-
tification, no pilot may fly an aircraft 
into known or forecast severe icing 
conditions. 

(f) 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