title-14-part-91-sec91-176

710

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition)

§ 91.176

RVR (feet)

Visibility

(statute

miles)

1,600 ..................................................................

⁄

2,400 ..................................................................

⁄

3,200 ..................................................................

⁄

4,000 ..................................................................

⁄

4,500 ..................................................................

⁄

5,000 ..................................................................

6,000 ..................................................................

⁄

(i)

Operations on unpublished routes

and use of radar in instrument approach
procedures. When radar is approved at
certain locations for ATC purposes, it
may be used not only for surveillance
and precision radar approaches, as ap-
plicable, but also may be used in con-
junction with instrument approach
procedures predicated on other types of
radio navigational aids. Radar vectors
may be authorized to provide course
guidance through the segments of an
approach to the final course or fix.
When operating on an unpublished
route or while being radar vectored,
the pilot, when an approach clearance
is received, shall, in addition to com-
plying with § 91.177, maintain the last
altitude assigned to that pilot until the
aircraft is established on a segment of
a published route or instrument ap-
proach procedure unless a different al-
titude is assigned by ATC. After the
aircraft is so established, published al-
titudes apply to descent within each
succeeding route or approach segment
unless a different altitude is assigned
by ATC. Upon reaching the final ap-
proach course or fix, the pilot may ei-
ther complete the instrument approach
in accordance with a procedure ap-
proved for the facility or continue a
surveillance or precision radar ap-
proach to a landing.

(j)

Limitation on procedure turns. In

the case of a radar vector to a final ap-
proach course or fix, a timed approach
from a holding fix, or an approach for
which the procedure specifies ‘‘No PT,’’
no pilot may make a procedure turn
unless cleared to do so by ATC.

(k)

ILS components. The basic compo-

nents of an ILS are the localizer, glide
slope, and outer marker, and, when in-
stalled for use with Category II or Cat-
egory III instrument approach proce-
dures, an inner marker. The following
means may be used to substitute for
the outer marker: Compass locator;
precision approach radar (PAR) or air-

port surveillance radar (ASR); DME,
VOR, or nondirectional beacon fixes
authorized in the standard instrument
approach procedure; or a suitable
RNAV system in conjunction with a fix
identified in the standard instrument
approach procedure. Applicability of,
and substitution for, the inner marker
for a Category II or III approach is de-
termined by the appropriate 14 CFR
part 97 approach procedure, letter of
authorization, or operations specifica-
tions issued to an operator.

[Doc. No. 18334, 54 FR 34294, Aug. 18, 1989, as
amended by Amdt. 91–267, 66 FR 21066, Apr.
27, 2001; Amdt. 91–281, 69 FR 1640, Jan. 9, 2004;
Amdt. 91–296, 72 FR 31678, June 7, 2007; Amdt.
91–306, 74 FR 20205, May 1, 2009; Docket FAA–
2013–0485, Amdt. 91–345, 81 FR 90172, Dec. 13,
2016; Amdt. 91–345B, 83 FR 10568, Mar. 12, 2018]

§ 91.176

Straight-in landing operations

below DA/DH or MDA using an en-
hanced flight vision system (EFVS)
under IFR.

(a)

EFVS operations to touchdown and

rollout. Unless otherwise authorized by
the Administrator to use an MDA as a
DA/DH with vertical navigation on an
instrument approach procedure, or un-
less paragraph (d) of this section ap-
plies, no person may conduct an EFVS
operation in an aircraft, except a mili-
tary aircraft of the United States, at
any airport below the authorized DA/
DH to touchdown and rollout unless
the minimums used for the particular
approach procedure being flown include
a DA or DH, and the following require-
ments are met:

(1)

Equipment. (i) The aircraft must

be equipped with an operable EFVS
that meets the applicable airworthi-
ness requirements. The EFVS must:

(A) Have an electronic means to pro-

vide a display of the forward external
scene topography (the applicable nat-
ural or manmade features of a place or
region especially in a way to show
their relative positions and elevation)
through the use of imaging sensors, in-
cluding but not limited to forward-
looking infrared, millimeter wave
radiometry, millimeter wave radar, or
low-light level image intensification.

(B) Present EFVS sensor imagery,

aircraft flight information, and flight
symbology on a head up display, or an
equivalent display, so that the im-
agery, information and symbology are

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§ 91.176

clearly visible to the pilot flying in his
or her normal position with the line of
vision looking forward along the flight
path. Aircraft flight information and
flight symbology must consist of at
least airspeed, vertical speed, aircraft
attitude, heading, altitude, height
above ground level such as that pro-
vided by a radio altimeter or other de-
vice capable of providing equivalent
performance, command guidance as ap-
propriate for the approach to be flown,
path deviation indications, flight path
vector, and flight path angle reference
cue. Additionally, for aircraft other
than rotorcraft, the EFVS must dis-
play flare prompt or flare guidance.

sor imagery, attitude symbology, flight
path vector, and flight path angle ref-
erence cue, and other cues, which are
referenced to the EFVS sensor imagery
and external scene topography, so that
they are aligned with, and scaled to,
the external view.

(D) Display the flight path angle ref-

erence cue with a pitch scale. The
flight path angle reference cue must be
selectable by the pilot to the desired
descent angle for the approach and be
sufficient to monitor the vertical flight
path of the aircraft.

(E) Display the EFVS sensor im-

agery, aircraft flight information, and
flight symbology such that they do not
adversely obscure the pilot’s outside
view or field of view through the cock-
pit window.

(F) Have display characteristics, dy-

namics, and cues that are suitable for
manual control of the aircraft to
touchdown in the touchdown zone of
the runway of intended landing and
during rollout.

(ii) When a minimum flightcrew of

more than one pilot is required, the
aircraft must be equipped with a dis-
play that provides the pilot monitoring
with EFVS sensor imagery. Any sym-
bology displayed may not adversely ob-
scure the sensor imagery of the runway
environment.

(2)

Operations. (i) The pilot con-

ducting the EFVS operation may not
use circling minimums.

(ii) Each required pilot flightcrew

member must have adequate knowl-
edge of, and familiarity with, the air-

craft, the EFVS, and the procedures to
be used.

(iii) The aircraft must be equipped

with, and the pilot flying must use, an
operable EFVS that meets the equip-
ment requirements of paragraph (a)(1)
of this section.

(iv) When a minimum flightcrew of

more than one pilot is required, the
pilot monitoring must use the display
specified in paragraph (a)(1)(ii) to mon-
itor and assess the safe conduct of the
approach, landing, and rollout.

(v) The aircraft must continuously be

in a position from which a descent to a
landing on the intended runway can be
made at a normal rate of descent using
normal maneuvers.

(vi) The descent rate must allow

touchdown to occur within the touch-
down zone of the runway of intended
landing.

(vii) Each required pilot flightcrew

member must meet the following re-
quirements—

(A) A person exercising the privileges

of a pilot certificate issued under this
chapter, any person serving as a re-
quired pilot flightcrew member of a
U.S.-registered aircraft, or any person
serving as a required pilot flightcrew
member for a part 121, 125, or 135 oper-
ator, must be qualified in accordance
with part 61 and, as applicable, the
training, testing, and qualification pro-
visions of subpart K of this part, part
121, 125, or 135 of this chapter that
apply to the operation; or

(B) Each person acting as a required

pilot flightcrew member for a foreign
air carrier subject to part 129, or any
person serving as a required pilot
flightcrew member of a foreign reg-
istered aircraft, must be qualified in
accordance with the training require-
ments of the civil aviation authority of
the State of the operator for the EFVS
operation to be conducted.

(viii) A person conducting operations

under this part must conduct the oper-
ation in accordance with a letter of au-
thorization for the use of EFVS unless
the operation is conducted in an air-
craft that has been issued an experi-
mental certificate under § 21.191 of this
chapter for the purpose of research and
development or showing compliance
with regulations, or the operation is
being conducted by a person otherwise

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14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition)

§ 91.176

authorized to conduct EFVS operations
under paragraphs (a)(2)(ix) through
(xii) of this section. A person applying
to the FAA for a letter of authoriza-
tion must submit an application in a
form and manner prescribed by the Ad-
ministrator.

(ix) A person conducting operations

under subpart K of this part must con-
duct the operation in accordance with
management specifications authorizing
the use of EFVS.

(x) A person conducting operations

under part 121, 129, or 135 of this chap-
ter must conduct the operation in ac-
cordance with operations specifications
authorizing the use of EFVS.

(xi) A person conducting operations

under part 125 of this chapter must
conduct the operation in accordance
with operations specifications author-
izing the use of EFVS or, for a holder
of a part 125 letter of deviation author-
ity, a letter of authorization for the
use of EFVS.

(xii) A person conducting an EFVS

operation during an authorized Cat-
egory II or Category III operation must
conduct the operation in accordance
with operations specifications, man-
agement specifications, or a letter of
authorization authorizing EFVS oper-
ations during authorized Category II or
Category III operations.

(3)

Visibility and visual reference re-

quirements. No pilot operating under
this section or §§ 121.651, 125.381, or
135.225 of this chapter may continue an
approach below the authorized DA/DH
and land unless:

(i) The pilot determines that the en-

hanced flight visibility observed by use
of an EFVS is not less than the visi-
bility prescribed in the instrument ap-
proach procedure being used.

(ii) From the authorized DA/DH to

100 feet above the touchdown zone ele-
vation of the runway of intended land-
ing, any approach light system or both
the runway threshold and the touch-
down zone are distinctly visible and
identifiable to the pilot using an
EFVS.

(A) The pilot must identify the run-

way threshold using at least one of the
following visual references—

(

1) The beginning of the runway land-

ing surface;

(

2) The threshold lights; or

(

3) The runway end identifier lights.

(B) The pilot must identify the

touchdown zone using at least one of
the following visual references—

(

1) The runway touchdown zone land-

ing surface;

(

2) The touchdown zone lights;

(

3) The touchdown zone markings; or

(

4) The runway lights.

(iii) At 100 feet above the touchdown

zone elevation of the runway of in-
tended landing and below that altitude,
the enhanced flight visibility using
EFVS must be sufficient for one of the
following visual references to be dis-
tinctly visible and identifiable to the
pilot—

(A) The runway threshold;
(B) The lights or markings of the

threshold;

ing surface; or

(D) The lights or markings of the

touchdown zone.

(4)

Additional requirements. The Ad-

ministrator may prescribe additional
equipment, operational, and visibility
and visual reference requirements to
account for specific equipment charac-
teristics, operational procedures, or ap-
proach characteristics. These require-
ments will be specified in an operator’s
operations specifications, management
specifications, or letter of authoriza-
tion authorizing the use of EFVS.

(b)

EFVS operations to 100 feet above

the touchdown zone elevation. Except as
specified in paragraph (d) of this sec-
tion, no person may conduct an EFVS
operation in an aircraft, except a mili-
tary aircraft of the United States, at
any airport below the authorized DA/
DH or MDA to 100 feet above the touch-
down zone elevation unless the fol-
lowing requirements are met:

(1)

Equipment. (i) The aircraft must

be equipped with an operable EFVS
that meets the applicable airworthi-
ness requirements.

(ii) The EFVS must meet the require-

ments of paragraph (a)(1)(i)(A) through
(F) of this section, but need not present
flare prompt, flare guidance, or height
above ground level.

(2)

Operations. (i) The pilot con-

ducting the EFVS operation may not
use circling minimums.

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§ 91.176

(ii) Each required pilot flightcrew

member must have adequate knowl-
edge of, and familiarity with, the air-
craft, the EFVS, and the procedures to
be used.

(iii) The aircraft must be equipped

with, and the pilot flying must use, an
operable EFVS that meets the equip-
ment requirements of paragraph (b)(1)
of this section.

(iv) The aircraft must continuously

be in a position from which a descent
to a landing on the intended runway
can be made at a normal rate of de-
scent using normal maneuvers.

(v) For operations conducted under

part 121 or part 135 of this chapter, the
descent rate must allow touchdown to
occur within the touchdown zone of the
runway of intended landing.

(vi) Each required pilot flightcrew

member must meet the following re-
quirements—

(A) A person exercising the privileges

(B) Each person acting as a required

(vii) A person conducting operations

under subpart K of this part must con-
duct the operation in accordance with
management specifications authorizing
the use of EFVS.

(viii) A person conducting operations

under part 121, 129, or 135 of this chap-
ter must conduct the operation in ac-
cordance with operations specifications
authorizing the use of EFVS.

(ix) A person conducting operations

under part 125 of this chapter must
conduct the operation in accordance

with operations specifications author-
izing the use of EFVS or, for a holder
of a part 125 letter of deviation author-
ity, a letter of authorization for the
use of EFVS.

(x) A person conducting an EFVS op-

eration during an authorized Category
II or Category III operation must con-
duct the operation in accordance with
operations specifications, management
specifications, or a letter of authoriza-
tion authorizing EFVS operations dur-
ing authorized Category II or Category
III operations.

(3)

Visibility and Visual Reference Re-

quirements. No pilot operating under
this section or § 121.651, § 125.381, or
§ 135.225 of this chapter may continue
an approach below the authorized MDA
or continue an approach below the au-
thorized DA/DH and land unless:

(i) The pilot determines that the en-

hanced flight visibility observed by use
of an EFVS is not less than the visi-
bility prescribed in the instrument ap-
proach procedure being used.

(ii) From the authorized MDA or DA/

DH to 100 feet above the touchdown
zone elevation of the runway of in-
tended landing, any approach light sys-
tem or both the runway threshold and
the touchdown zone are distinctly visi-
ble and identifiable to the pilot using
an EFVS.

(A) The pilot must identify the run-

way threshold using at least one of the
following visual references–

(

1) The beginning of the runway land-

ing surface;

(

2) The threshold lights; or

(

3) The runway end identifier lights.

(B) The pilot must identify the

touchdown zone using at least one of
the following visual references—

(

1) The runway touchdown zone land-

ing surface;

(

2) The touchdown zone lights;

(

3) The touchdown zone markings; or

(

4) The runway lights.

(iii) At 100 feet above the touchdown

zone elevation of the runway of in-
tended landing and below that altitude,
the flight visibility must be sufficient
for one of the following visual ref-
erences to be distinctly visible and
identifiable to the pilot without reli-
ance on the EFVS—

(A) The runway threshold;

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14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition)

§ 91.177

(B) The lights or markings of the

threshold;

ing surface; or

(D) The lights or markings of the

touchdown zone.

(4) Compliance Date. Beginning on

March 13, 2018, a person conducting an
EFVS operation to 100 feet above the
touchdown zone elevation must comply
with the requirements of paragraph (b)
of this section.

(c)

Public aircraft certification and

training requirements. A public aircraft
operator, other than the U.S. military,
may conduct an EFVS operation under
paragraph (a) or (b) of this section only
if:

(1) The aircraft meets all of the civil

certification and airworthiness re-
quirements of paragraph (a)(1) or (b)(1)
of this section, as applicable to the
EFVS operation to be conducted; and

(2) The pilot flightcrew member, or

any other person who manipulates the
controls of an aircraft during an EFVS
operation, meets the training, recent
flight experience and refresher training
requirements of § 61.66 of this chapter
applicable to EFVS operations.

(d)

Exception for Experimental Aircraft.

The requirement to use an EFVS that
meets the applicable airworthiness re-
quirements specified in paragraphs
(a)(1)(i), (a)(2)(iii), (b)(1)(i), and
(b)(2)(iii) of this section does not apply
to operations conducted in an aircraft
issued an experimental certificate
under § 21.191 of this chapter for the
purpose of research and development or
showing compliance with regulations,
provided the Administrator has deter-
mined that the operations can be con-
ducted safely in accordance with oper-
ating limitations issued for that pur-
pose.

[Docket FAA–2013–0485, Amdt. 91–345, 81 FR
90172, Dec. 13, 2016; 82 FR 2193, Jan. 9, 2017]

§ 91.177

Minimum altitudes for IFR op-

erations.

(a)

Operation of aircraft at minimum al-

titudes. Except when necessary for
takeoff or landing, or unless otherwise
authorized by the FAA, no person may
operate an aircraft under IFR below—

(1) The applicable minimum altitudes

prescribed in parts 95 and 97 of this
chapter. However, if both a MEA and a

MOCA are prescribed for a particular
route or route segment, a person may
operate an aircraft below the MEA
down to, but not below, the MOCA, pro-
vided the applicable navigation signals
are available. For aircraft using VOR
for navigation, this applies only when
the aircraft is within 22 nautical miles
of that VOR (based on the reasonable
estimate by the pilot operating the air-
craft of that distance); or

(2) If no applicable minimum altitude

is prescribed in parts 95 and 97 of this
chapter, then—

(i) In the case of operations over an

area designated as a mountainous area
in part 95 of this chapter, an altitude of
2,000 feet above the highest obstacle
within a horizontal distance of 4 nau-
tical miles from the course to be flown;
or

(ii) In any other case, an altitude of

1,000 feet above the highest obstacle
within a horizontal distance of 4 nau-
tical miles from the course to be flown.

(b)

Climb. Climb to a higher minimum

IFR altitude shall begin immediately
after passing the point beyond which
that minimum altitude applies, except
that when ground obstructions inter-
vene, the point beyond which that
higher minimum altitude applies shall
be crossed at or above the applicable
MCA.

[Doc. No. 18334, 54 FR 34294, Aug. 18, 1989, as
amended by Amdt. 91–296, 72 FR 31678, June
7, 2007; Amdt. 91–315, 75 FR 30690, June 2, 2010]

§ 91.179

IFR cruising altitude or flight

level.

Unless otherwise authorized by ATC,

the following rules apply—

(a)

In controlled airspace. Each person

operating an aircraft under IFR in
level cruising flight in controlled air-
space shall maintain the altitude or
flight level assigned that aircraft by
ATC. However, if the ATC clearance as-
signs ‘‘VFR conditions on-top,’’ that
person shall maintain an altitude or
flight level as prescribed by § 91.159.

(b)

In uncontrolled airspace. Except

while in a holding pattern of 2 minutes
or less or while turning, each person
operating an aircraft under IFR in
level cruising flight in uncontrolled
airspace shall maintain an appropriate
altitude as follows:

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