--- kind: "section" citation: "14 C.F.R. § 121.157" title: "14" number: "121.157" heading: "Aircraft certification and equipment requirements." url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/14/121.157" --- # §121.157. Aircraft certification and equipment requirements. - (a) **Airplanes certificated before July 1, 1942.** No certificate holder may operate an airplane that was type certificated before July 1, 1942, unless— - (1) That airplane meets the requirements of [§ 121.173(c)](/cfr/14/121.173.md?p=c), or - (2) That airplane and all other airplanes of the same or related type operated by that certificate holder meet the performance requirements of [sections 4a.737-T through 4a.750-T](/cfr/14/4a.737-T..4a.750-T.md) of the Civil Air Regulations as in effect on January 31, 1965; or [§§ 25.45 through 25.75](/cfr/14/25.45..25.75.md) and § [121.173(a)](/cfr/14/121.173.md?p=a), [(b)](/cfr/14/121.173.md?p=b), [(d)](/cfr/14/121.173.md?p=d), and [(e)](/cfr/14/121.173.md?p=e) of this title. - (b) **Airplanes certificated after June 30, 1942.** Except as provided in paragraphs [(c)](#c), [(d)](#d), [(e)](#e), and [(f)](#f) of this section, no certificate holder may operate an airplane that was type certificated after June 30, 1942, unless it is certificated as a transport category airplane and meets the requirements of § [121.173(a)](/cfr/14/121.173.md?p=a), [(b)](/cfr/14/121.173.md?p=b), [(d)](/cfr/14/121.173.md?p=d), and [(e)](/cfr/14/121.173.md?p=e). - (c) **C-46 type airplanes: passenger-carrying operations.** No certificate holder may operate a C-46 airplane in passenger-carrying operations unless that airplane is operated in accordance with the operating limitations for transport category airplanes and meets the requirements of [paragraph (b)](#b) of this section or meets the requirements of [part 4b](/cfr/14/part4b.md), as in effect July 20, 1950, and the requirements of § [121.173 (a)](/cfr/14/121.173.md?p=a), [(b)](/cfr/14/121.173.md?p=b), [(d)](/cfr/14/121.173.md?p=d) and [(e)](/cfr/14/121.173.md?p=e), except that— - (1) The requirements of [sections 4b.0 through 4b.19](/cfr/14/4b.0..4b.19.md) as in effect May 18, 1954, must be complied with; - (2) The birdproof windshield requirements of [section 4b.352](/cfr/14/4b.352.md) need not be complied with; - (3) The provisions of [sections 4b.480 through 4b.490](/cfr/14/4b.480..4b.490.md) (except sections [4b.484(a)(1)](/cfr/14/4b.484.md?p=a-1) and [4b.487(e)](/cfr/14/4b.487.md?p=e)), as in effect May 16, 1953, must be complied with; and - (4) The provisions of paragraph 4b.484(a)(1), as in effect July 20, 1950, must be complied with. - (d) **C-46 type airplanes: cargo operations.** No certificate holder may use a nontransport category C-46 type airplane in cargo operations unless— - (1) It is certificated at a maximum gross weight that is not greater than 48,000 pounds; - (2) It meets the requirements of [§§ 121.199 through 121.205](/cfr/14/121.199..121.205.md) using the performance data in appendix C to this part; - (3) Before each flight, each engine contains at least 25 gallons of oil; and - (4) **After December 31, 1964—** - (i) It is powered by a type and model engine as set forth in appendix C of this part, when certificated at a maximum gross takeoff weight greater than 45,000 pounds; and - (ii) It complies with the special airworthiness requirement set forth in [§§ 121.213 through 121.287](/cfr/14/121.213..121.287.md) of this part or in appendix C of this part. - (e) **Commuter category airplanes.** Except as provided in [paragraph (f)](#f) of this section, no certificate holder may operate under this part a nontransport category airplane type certificated after December 31, 1964, and before March 30, 1995, unless it meets the applicable requirements of § [121.173 (a)](/cfr/14/121.173.md?p=a), [(b)](/cfr/14/121.173.md?p=b), [(d)](/cfr/14/121.173.md?p=d), and [(e)](/cfr/14/121.173.md?p=e), and was type certificated in the commuter category. - (f) **Other nontransport category airplanes.** No certificate holder may operate under this part a nontransport category airplane type certificated after December 31, 1964, unless it meets the applicable requirements of § [121.173 (a)](/cfr/14/121.173.md?p=a), [(b)](/cfr/14/121.173.md?p=b), [(d)](/cfr/14/121.173.md?p=d), and [(e)](/cfr/14/121.173.md?p=e), was manufactured before March 20, 1997, and meets one of the following: - (1) **Until December 20, 2010—** - (i) The airplane was type certificated in the normal category before July 1, 1970, and meets special conditions issued by the Administrator for airplanes intended for use in operations under [part 135](/cfr/14/part135.md) of this chapter. - (ii) The airplane was type certificated in the normal category before July 19, 1970, and meets the additional airworthiness standards in SFAR No. 23, [14 CFR part 23](/cfr/14/part23.md). - (iii) The airplane was type certificated in the normal category and meets the additional airworthiness standards in appendix A of [part 135](/cfr/14/part135.md) of this chapter. - (iv) The airplane was type certificated in the normal category and complies with either [section 1](/cfr/14/1.md).(a) or 1.(b) of SFAR No. 41 of [14 CFR part 21](/cfr/14/part21.md). - (2) The airplane was type certificated in the normal category, meets the additional requirements described in [paragraphs (f)(1)(i) through (f)(1)(iv)](#f-1-i..f-1-iv) of this section, and meets the performance requirements in appendix K of this part. - (g) **Certain newly manufactured airplanes.** No certificate holder may operate an airplane under this part that was type certificated as described in [paragraphs (f)(1)(i) through (f)(1)(iv)](#f-1-i..f-1-iv) of this section and that was manufactured after March 20, 1997, unless it meets the performance requirements in appendix K of this part. - (h) **Newly type certificated airplanes.** No person may operate under this part an airplane for which the application for a type certificate is submitted after March 29, 1995, unless the airplane is type certificated under [part 25](/cfr/14/part25.md) of this chapter. ## Notes ### Amendments [Docket 6258, 29 FR 19197, Dec. 31, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 121-251, 60 FR 65927, Dec. 20, 1995; Amdt. 121-256, 61 FR 30434, June 14, 1996] ### Source Source: Docket 6258, 29 FR 19197, Dec. 31, 1964, unless otherwise noted. ### Authority Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40103, 40113, 40119, 41706, 42301 preceding note added by Pub. L. 112-95, sec. 412, 126 Stat. 89, 44101, 44701-44702, 44705, 44709-44711, 44713, 44716-44717, 44722, 44729, 44732; 46105; Pub. L. 111-216, 124 Stat. 2348 (49 U.S.C. 44701 note); Pub. L. 112-95, 126 Stat. 62 (49 U.S.C. 44732 note); Pub. L. 115-254, 132 Stat. 3186 (49 U.S.C. 44701 note). ### Amendments [Docket 6258, 29 FR 19197, Dec. 31, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 121-251, 60 FR 65927, Dec. 20, 1995; Amdt. 121-256, 61 FR 30434, June 14, 1996]