---
kind: "range"
citation: "14 C.F.R. §§ 135.263–135.271"
title: "14"
from: "135.263"
to: "135.271"
count: 5
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/14/135.263..135.271"
---

# §135.263. Flight time limitations and rest requirements: All certificate holders.

- (a) A certificate holder may assign a flight crewmember and a flight crewmember may accept an assignment for flight time only when the applicable requirements of [§§ 135.263 through 135.271](/cfr/14/135.263..135.271.md) are met.
- (b) No certificate holder may assign any flight crewmember to any duty with the certificate holder during any required rest period.
- (c) Time spent in transportation, not local in character, that a certificate holder requires of a flight crewmember and provides to transport the crewmember to an airport at which he is to serve on a flight as a crewmember, or from an airport at which he was relieved from duty to return to his home station, is not considered part of a rest period.
- (d) A flight crewmember is not considered to be assigned flight time in excess of flight time limitations if the flights to which he is assigned normally terminate within the limitations, but due to circumstances beyond the control of the certificate holder or flight crewmember (such as adverse weather conditions), are not at the time of departure expected to reach their destination within the planned flight time.

# §135.265. Flight time limitations and rest requirements: Scheduled operations.

- (a) No certificate holder may schedule any flight crewmember, and no flight crewmember may accept an assignment, for flight time in scheduled operations or in other commercial flying if that crewmember's total flight time in all commercial flying will exceed—
  - (1) 1,200 hours in any calendar year.
  - (2) 120 hours in any calendar month.
  - (3) 34 hours in any 7 consecutive days.
  - (4) 8 hours during any 24 consecutive hours for a flight crew consisting of one pilot.
  - (5) 8 hours between required rest periods for a flight crew consisting of two pilots qualified under this part for the operation being conducted.
- (b) Except as provided in [paragraph (c)](#c) of this section, no certificate holder may schedule a flight crewmember, and no flight crewmember may accept an assignment, for flight time during the 24 consecutive hours preceding the scheduled completion of any flight segment without a scheduled rest period during that 24 hours of at least the following:
  - (1) 9 consecutive hours of rest for less than 8 hours of scheduled flight time.
  - (2) 10 consecutive hours of rest for 8 or more but less than 9 hours of scheduled flight time.
  - (3) 11 consecutive hours of rest for 9 or more hours of scheduled flight time.
- (c) A certificate holder may schedule a flight crewmember for less than the rest required in [paragraph (b)](#b) of this section or may reduce a scheduled rest under the following conditions:
  - (1) A rest required under [paragraph (b)(1)](#b-1) of this section may be scheduled for or reduced to a minimum of 8 hours if the flight crewmember is given a rest period of at least 10 hours that must begin no later than 24 hours after the commencement of the reduced rest period.
  - (2) A rest required under [paragraph (b)(2)](#b-2) of this section may be scheduled for or reduced to a minimum of 8 hours if the flight crewmember is given a rest period of at least 11 hours that must begin no later than 24 hours after the commencement of the reduced rest period.
  - (3) A rest required under [paragraph (b)(3)](#b-3) of this section may be scheduled for or reduced to a minimum of 9 hours if the flight crewmember is given a rest period of at least 12 hours that must begin no later than 24 hours after the commencement of the reduced rest period.
- (d) Each certificate holder shall relieve each flight crewmember engaged in scheduled air transportation from all further duty for at least 24 consecutive hours during any 7 consecutive days.

# §135.267. Flight time limitations and rest requirements: Unscheduled one- and two-pilot crews.

- (a) No certificate holder may assign any flight crewmember, and no flight crewmember may accept an assignment, for flight time as a member of a one- or two-pilot crew if that crewmember's total flight time in all commercial flying will exceed—
  - (1) 500 hours in any calendar quarter.
  - (2) 800 hours in any two consecutive calendar quarters.
  - (3) 1,400 hours in any calendar year.
- (b) Except as provided in [paragraph (c)](#c) of this section, during any 24 consecutive hours the total flight time of the assigned flight when added to any other commercial flying by that flight crewmember may not exceed—
  - (1) 8 hours for a flight crew consisting of one pilot; or
  - (2) 10 hours for a flight crew consisting of two pilots qualified under this part for the operation being conducted.
- (c) A flight crewmember's flight time may exceed the flight time limits of [paragraph (b)](#b) of this section if the assigned flight time occurs during a regularly assigned duty period of no more than 14 hours and—
  - (1) If this duty period is immediately preceded by and followed by a required rest period of at least 10 consecutive hours of rest;
  - (2) If flight time is assigned during this period, that total flight time when added to any other commercial flying by the flight crewmember may not exceed—
    - (i) 8 hours for a flight crew consisting of one pilot; or
    - (ii) 10 hours for a flight crew consisting of two pilots; and
  - (3) If the combined duty and rest periods equal 24 hours.
- (d) Each assignment under [paragraph (b)](#b) of this section must provide for at least 10 consecutive hours of rest during the 24-hour period that precedes the planned completion time of the assignment.
- (e) When a flight crewmember has exceeded the daily flight time limitations in this section, because of circumstances beyond the control of the certificate holder or flight crewmember (such as adverse weather conditions), that flight crewmember must have a rest period before being assigned or accepting an assignment for flight time of at least—
  - (1) 11 consecutive hours of rest if the flight time limitation is exceeded by not more than 30 minutes;
  - (2) 12 consecutive hours of rest if the flight time limitation is exceeded by more than 30 minutes, but not more than 60 minutes; and
  - (3) 16 consecutive hours of rest if the flight time limitation is exceeded by more than 60 minutes.
- (f) The certificate holder must provide each flight crewmember at least 13 rest periods of at least 24 consecutive hours each in each calendar quarter.

# §135.269. Flight time limitations and rest requirements: Unscheduled three- and four-pilot crews.

- (a) No certificate holder may assign any flight crewmember, and no flight crewmember may accept an assignment, for flight time as a member of a three- or four-pilot crew if that crewmember's total flight time in all commercial flying will exceed—
  - (1) 500 hours in any calendar quarter.
  - (2) 800 hours in any two consecutive calendar quarters.
  - (3) 1,400 hours in any calendar year.
- (b) No certificate holder may assign any pilot to a crew of three or four pilots, unless that assignment provides—
  - (1) At least 10 consecutive hours of rest immediately preceding the assignment;
  - (2) No more than 8 hours of flight deck duty in any 24 consecutive hours;
  - (3) No more than 18 duty hours for a three-pilot crew or 20 duty hours for a four-pilot crew in any 24 consecutive hours;
  - (4) No more than 12 hours aloft for a three-pilot crew or 16 hours aloft for a four-pilot crew during the maximum duty hours specified in [paragraph (b)(3)](#b-3) of this section;
  - (5) Adequate sleeping facilities on the aircraft for the relief pilot;
  - (6) Upon completion of the assignment, a rest period of at least 12 hours;
  - (7) **For a three-pilot crew, a crew which consists of at least the following—**
    - (i) A pilot in command (PIC) who meets the applicable flight crewmember requirements of [subpart E of part 135](/cfr/14/part135-subpartE.md);
    - (ii) A PIC who meets the applicable flight crewmember requirements of [subpart E of part 135](/cfr/14/part135-subpartE.md), except those prescribed in §§ [135.244](/cfr/14/135.244.md) and [135.247](/cfr/14/135.247.md); and
    - (iii) A second in command (SIC) who meets the SIC qualifications of [§ 135.245](/cfr/14/135.245.md).
  - (8) For a four-pilot crew, at least three pilots who meet the conditions of [paragraph (b)(7)](#b-7) of this section, plus a fourth pilot who meets the SIC qualifications of [§ 135.245](/cfr/14/135.245.md).
- (c) When a flight crewmember has exceeded the daily flight deck duty limitation in this section by more than 60 minutes, because of circumstances beyond the control of the certificate holder or flight crewmember, that flight crewmember must have a rest period before the next duty period of at least 16 consecutive hours.
- (d) A certificate holder must provide each flight crewmember at least 13 rest periods of at least 24 consecutive hours each in each calendar quarter.

# §135.271. Helicopter hospital emergency medical evacuation service (HEMES).

- (a) No certificate holder may assign any flight crewmember, and no flight crewmember may accept an assignment for flight time if that crewmember's total flight time in all commercial flight will exceed—
  - (1) 500 hours in any calendar quarter.
  - (2) 800 hours in any two consecutive calendar quarters.
  - (3) 1,400 hours in any calendar year.
- (b) No certificate holder may assign a helicopter flight crewmember, and no flight crewmember may accept an assignment, for hospital emergency medical evacuation service helicopter operations unless that assignment provides for at least 10 consecutive hours of rest immediately preceding reporting to the hospital for availability for flight time.
- (c) No flight crewmember may accrue more than 8 hours of flight time during any 24-consecutive hour period of a HEMES assignment, unless an emergency medical evacuation operation is prolonged. Each flight crewmember who exceeds the daily 8 hour flight time limitation in this paragraph must be relieved of the HEMES assignment immediately upon the completion of that emergency medical evacuation operation and must be given a rest period in compliance with [paragraph (h)](#h) of this section.
- (d) Each flight crewmember must receive at least 8 consecutive hours of rest during any 24 consecutive hour period of a HEMES assignment. A flight crewmember must be relieved of the HEMES assignment if he or she has not or cannot receive at least 8 consecutive hours of rest during any 24 consecutive hour period of a HEMES assignment.
- (e) A HEMES assignment may not exceed 72 consecutive hours at the hospital.
- (f) An adequate place of rest must be provided at, or in close proximity to, the hospital at which the HEMES assignment is being performed.
- (g) No certificate holder may assign any other duties to a flight crewmember during a HEMES assignment.
- (h) Each pilot must be given a rest period upon completion of the HEMES assignment and prior to being assigned any further duty with the certificate holder of—
  - (1) **At least 12 consecutive hours for an assignment of less than 48 hours.**
  - (2) **At least 16 consecutive hours for an assignment of more than 48 hours.**
    - (i) The certificate holder must provide each flight crewmember at least 13 rest periods of at least 24 consecutive hours each in each calendar quarter.