title-14-part-91-sec91-123

693

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT

§ 91.123

(d)

Helicopters, powered parachutes,

and weight-shift-control aircraft. If the
operation is conducted without hazard
to persons or property on the surface—

(1) A helicopter may be operated at

less than the minimums prescribed in
paragraph (b) or (c) of this section, pro-
vided each person operating the heli-
copter complies with any routes or al-
titudes specifically prescribed for heli-
copters by the FAA; and

(2) A powered parachute or weight-

shift-control aircraft may be operated
at less than the minimums prescribed
in paragraph (c) of this section.

[Doc. No. 18334, 54 FR 34294, Aug. 18, 1989, as
amended by Amdt. 91–311, 75 FR 5223, Feb. 1,
2010]

§ 91.121

Altimeter settings.

(a) Each person operating an aircraft

shall maintain the cruising altitude or
flight level of that aircraft, as the case
may be, by reference to an altimeter
that is set, when operating—

(1) Below 18,000 feet MSL, to—
(i) The current reported altimeter

setting of a station along the route and
within 100 nautical miles of the air-
craft;

(ii) If there is no station within the

area prescribed in paragraph (a)(1)(i) of
this section, the current reported al-
timeter setting of an appropriate avail-
able station; or

(iii) In the case of an aircraft not

equipped with a radio, the elevation of
the departure airport or an appropriate
altimeter setting available before de-
parture; or

(2) At or above 18,000 feet MSL, to

29.92

″

Hg.

(b) The lowest usable flight level is

determined by the atmospheric pres-
sure in the area of operation as shown
in the following table:

Current altimeter setting

Lowest

usable

flight
level

29.92 (or higher) ......................................................

180

29.91 through 29.42 ................................................

185

29.41 through 28.92 ................................................

190

28.91 through 28.42 ................................................

195

28.41 through 27.92 ................................................

200

27.91 through 27.42 ................................................

205

27.41 through 26.92 ................................................

210

scribed under §§ 91.119 and 91.177 to the

minimum flight level, the pilot shall
take the flight level equivalent of the
minimum altitude in feet and add the
appropriate number of feet specified
below, according to the current re-
ported altimeter setting:

Current altimeter setting

Adjust-

ment

factor

29.92 (or higher) ......................................................

None

29.91 through 29.42 ................................................

500

29.41 through 28.92 ................................................

1,000

28.91 through 28.42 ................................................

1,500

28.41 through 27.92 ................................................

2,000

27.91 through 27.42 ................................................

2,500

27.41 through 26.92 ................................................

3,000

§ 91.123

Compliance with ATC clear-

ances and instructions.

(a) When an ATC clearance has been

obtained, no pilot in command may de-
viate from that clearance unless an
amended clearance is obtained, an
emergency exists, or the deviation is in
response to a traffic alert and collision
avoidance system resolution advisory.
However, except in Class A airspace, a
pilot may cancel an IFR flight plan if
the operation is being conducted in
VFR weather conditions. When a pilot
is uncertain of an ATC clearance, that
pilot shall immediately request clari-
fication from ATC.

(b) Except in an emergency, no per-

son may operate an aircraft contrary
to an ATC instruction in an area in
which air traffic control is exercised.

emergency, or in response to a traffic
alert and collision avoidance system
resolution advisory, deviates from an
ATC clearance or instruction shall no-
tify ATC of that deviation as soon as
possible.

(d) Each pilot in command who

(though not deviating from a rule of
this subpart) is given priority by ATC
in an emergency, shall submit a de-
tailed report of that emergency within
48 hours to the manager of that ATC
facility, if requested by ATC.

(e) Unless otherwise authorized by

ATC, no person operating an aircraft
may operate that aircraft according to
any clearance or instruction that has

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694

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition)

§ 91.125

been issued to the pilot of another air-
craft for radar air traffic control pur-
poses.

(Approved by the Office of Management and
Budget under control number 2120–0005)

[Doc. No. 18834, 54 FR 34294, Aug. 18, 1989, as
amended by Amdt. 91–227, 56 FR 65658, Dec.
17, 1991; Amdt. 91–244, 60 FR 50679, Sept. 29,
1995]

§ 91.125

ATC light signals.

ATC light signals have the meaning

shown in the following table:

Color and type of

signal

Meaning with re-

spect to aircraft on

the surface

Meaning with re-

spect to aircraft in

flight

Steady green ........

Cleared for takeoff

Cleared to land.

Flashing green ......

Cleared to taxi ......

Return for landing

(to be followed
by steady green
at proper time).

Steady red ............

Stop ......................

Give way to other

aircraft and con-
tinue circling.

Flashing red ..........

Taxi clear of run-

way in use.

Airport unsafe—do

not land.

Flashing white ......

Return to starting

point on airport.

Not applicable.

Alternating red and

green.

Exercise extreme

caution.

Exercise extreme

caution.

§ 91.126

Operating on or in the vicinity

of an airport in Class G airspace.

(a)

General. Unless otherwise author-

ized or required, each person operating
an aircraft on or in the vicinity of an
airport in a Class G airspace area must
comply with the requirements of this
section.

(b)

Direction of turns. When approach-

ing to land at an airport without an op-
erating control tower in Class G air-
space—

(1) Each pilot of an airplane must

make all turns of that airplane to the
left unless the airport displays ap-
proved light signals or visual markings
indicating that turns should be made
to the right, in which case the pilot
must make all turns to the right; and

(2) Each pilot of a helicopter or a

powered parachute must avoid the flow
of fixed-wing aircraft.

(c)

Flap settings. Except when nec-

essary for training or certification, the
pilot in command of a civil turbojet-
powered aircraft must use, as a final
flap setting, the minimum certificated
landing flap setting set forth in the ap-
proved performance information in the
Airplane Flight Manual for the appli-

cable conditions. However, each pilot
in command has the final authority
and responsibility for the safe oper-
ation of the pilot’s airplane, and may
use a different flap setting for that air-
plane if the pilot determines that it is
necessary in the interest of safety.

(d)

Communications with control tow-

ers. Unless otherwise authorized or re-
quired by ATC, no person may operate
an aircraft to, from, through, or on an
airport having an operational control
tower unless two-way radio commu-
nications are maintained between that
aircraft and the control tower. Commu-
nications must be established prior to 4
nautical miles from the airport, up to
and including 2,500 feet AGL. However,
if the aircraft radio fails in flight, the
pilot in command may operate that
aircraft and land if weather conditions
are at or above basic VFR weather
minimums, visual contact with the
tower is maintained, and a clearance to
land is received. If the aircraft radio
fails while in flight under IFR, the
pilot must comply with § 91.185.

[Doc. No. 24458, 56 FR 65658, Dec. 17, 1991, as
amended by Amdt. 91–239, 59 FR 11693, Mar.
11, 1994; Amdt. 91–282, 69 FR 44880, July 27,
2004]

§ 91.127

Operating on or in the vicinity

of an airport in Class E airspace.

(a) Unless otherwise required by part

93 of this chapter or unless otherwise
authorized or required by the ATC fa-
cility having jurisdiction over the
Class E airspace area, each person op-
erating an aircraft on or in the vicinity
of an airport in a Class E airspace area
must comply with the requirements of
§ 91.126.

(b)

Departures. Each pilot of an air-

craft must comply with any traffic pat-
terns established for that airport in
part 93 of this chapter.

(c)