---
kind: "section"
citation: "14 C.F.R. § 450.165"
title: "14"
number: "450.165"
heading: "Flight commit criteria."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/14/450.165"
---

# §450.165. Flight commit criteria.

- (a) **General.** For each launch or reentry, an operator must establish and observe flight commit criteria that identify each condition necessary prior to flight to satisfy the requirements of [§ 450.101](/cfr/14/450.101.md), and must include:
  - (1) Surveillance of any region of land, sea, or air in accordance with [§ 450.161](/cfr/14/450.161.md);
  - (2) **Monitoring of any meteorological condition necessary to—**
    - (i) Be consistent with any safety analysis required by this part; and
    - (ii) If necessary in accordance with [§ 450.163](/cfr/14/450.163.md), mitigate the potential for a launch or reentry vehicle intercepting a lightning strike, or encountering a nearby discharge;
  - (3) Implementation of any launch or reentry window closure in the launch or reentry window for the purpose of collision avoidance in accordance with [§ 450.169](/cfr/14/450.169.md);
  - (4) Confirmation that any safety-critical system is ready for flight;
  - (5) Confirmation from the FAA that the risk to critical assets satisfies the requirements of § [450.101(a)(4)](/cfr/14/450.101.md?p=a-4) or [(b)(4)](/cfr/14/450.101.md?p=b-4);
  - (6) For any reentry vehicle, except a suborbital vehicle, monitoring by the operator or an onboard system that the status of safety-critical systems is healthy before enabling reentry flight, to assure the vehicle can reenter safely to Earth; and
  - (7) **Any other hazard controls derived from any safety analysis required by this part.**
- (b) **Application requirements.** An applicant must submit a list of all flight commit criteria.

## Notes

### Authority

Authority: 51 U.S.C. 50901-50923.

### Source

Source: Docket No. FAA-2019-0229, Amdt. 450-2, 85 FR 79719, Dec. 10, 202085 FR 79739, Dec. 10, 2020, unless otherwise noted.