Federal Aircraft Regulations, Part 103:
PART 103--ULTRALIGHT VEHICLES
Special Federal Aviation Regulation No. 45-1 [Note]
Subpart A--General
Sec.
103.1 Applicability.
103.3 Inspection requirements.
103.5 Waivers.
103.7 Certification and registration.
Subpart B--Operating Rules
103.9 Hazardous operations.
103.11 Daylight operations.
103.13 Operation near aircraft; right-of-way rules.
103.15 Operations over congested areas.
103.17 Operations in certain airspace.
103.19 Operations in prohibited or restricted areas.
103.20 Flight restrictions in the proximity of certain areas designated by
notice to airmen.
103.21 Visual reference with the surface.
103.23 Flight visibility and cloud clearance requirements.
Authority: 49 U.S.C. app. 1348, 1354(a), 1421(a), 1422, and 1423; 49
U.S.C. app. 1655(c).
Source: Docket No. 21631, 47 FR 38776, Sept. 2, 1982, unless otherwise
noted.
Special Federal Aviation Regulation No. 45-1
Editorial Note: For the text of SFAR No. 45-1, see Part 71 of this
chapter.
Subpart A--General
Sec. 103.1 Applicability.
This part prescribes rules governing the operation of ultralight vehicles
in the United States. For the purposes of this part, an ultralight vehicle
is a vehicle that:
(a) Is used or intended to be used for manned operation in the air by a
single occupant;
(b) Is used or intended to be used for recreation or sport purposes only;
(c) Does not have any U.S. or foreign airworthiness certificate; and
(d) If unpowered, weighs less than 155 pounds; or
(e) If powered:
(1) Weighs less than 254 pounds empty weight, excluding floats and safety
devices which are intended for deployment in a potentially catastrophic
situation;
(2) Has a fuel capacity not exceeding 5 U.S. gallons;
(3) Is not capable of more than 55 knots calibrated airspeed at full
power in level flight; and
(4) Has a power-off stall speed which does not exceed 24 knots calibrated
airspeed.
Sec. 103.3 Inspection requirements.
(a) Any person operating an ultralight vehicle under this part shall,
upon request, allow the Administrator, or his designee, to inspect
the vehicle to determine the applicability of this part.
(b) The pilot or operator of an ultralight vehicle must, upon request of
the Administrator, furnish satisfactory evidence that the vehicle is
subject only to the provisions of this part.
Sec. 103.5 Waivers.
No person may conduct operations that require a deviation from this part
except under a written waiver issued by the Administrator.
Sec. 103.7 Certification and registration.
(a) Notwithstanding any other section pertaining to certification of
aircraft or their parts or equipment, ultralight vehicles and their
component parts and equipment are not required to meet the airworthiness
certification standards specified for aircraft or to have certificates
of airworthiness.
(b) Notwithstanding any other section pertaining to airman certification,
operators of ultralight vehicles are not required to meet any aeronautical
knowledge, age, or experience requirements to operate those vehicles or to
have airman or medical certificates.
(c) Notwithstanding any other section pertaining to registration and
marking of aircraft, ultralight vehicles are not required to be registered
or to bear markings of any type.
Subpart B--Operating Rules
Sec. 103.9 Hazardous operations.
(a) No person may operate any ultralight vehicle in a manner that creates
a hazard to other persons or property.
(b) No person may allow an object to be dropped from an ultralight
vehicle if such action creates a hazard to other persons or property.
Sec. 103.11 Daylight operations.
(a) No person may operate an ultralight vehicle except between the hours
of sunrise and sunset.
(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this section, ultralight vehicles
may be operated during the twilight periods 30 minutes before official
sunrise and 30 minutes after official sunset or, in Alaska, during the
period of civil twilight as defined in the Air Almanac, if:
(1) The vehicle is equipped with an operating anticollision light visible
for at least 3 statute miles; and
(2) All operations are conducted in uncontrolled airspace.
Sec. 103.13 Operation near aircraft; right-of-way rules.
(a) Each person operating an ultralight vehicle shall maintain vigilance
so as to see and avoid aircraft and shall yield the right-of-way to all
aircraft.
(b) No person may operate an ultralight vehicle in a manner that creates
a collision hazard with respect to any aircraft.
(c) Powered ultralights shall yield the right-of-way to unpowered
ultralights.
Sec. 103.15 Operations over congested areas.
No person may operate an ultralight vehicle over any congested area of a
city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons.
Sec. 103.17 Operations in certain airspace.
No person may operate an ultralight vehicle within Class A, Class B,
Class C, or Class D airspace or within the lateral boundaries of the surface area
of Class E airspace designated for an airport unless that person has prior
authorization from the ATC facility having jurisdiction over that airspace.
EFFECTIVE DATE NOTE: Amdt. 103-4, 56 FR 65662, Dec. 17, 1991, revised
Sec. 103.17 effective September 16, 1993. The text of Sec. 130.17 in effect
until September 16, 1993 reads as follows:
Sec. 103.17 Operations in certain airspace.
No person may operate an ultralight vehicle within an airport traffic
area, control zone, airport radar service area, terminal control area, or
positive control area unless that person has prior authorization from the air
traffic control facility having jurisdiction over that airspace.
[Doc. No. 23708, 50 FR 9259, Mar. 6, 1985]
56 FR 65638, No. 242, Dec. 17, 1991
SUMMARY: This final rule amends the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) to
adopt certain recommendations of the National Airspace Review (NAR)
concerning changes to regulations and procedures in regard to airspace
classifications. These changes are intended to: (1) Simplify airspace
designations; (2) achieve international commonality of airspace
designations; (3) increase standardization of equipment requirements for
operations in various classifications of airspace; (4) describe appropriate
pilot certificate requirements, visual flight rules (VFR) visibility and
distance from cloud rules, and air traffic services offered in each class of
airspace; and (5) satisfy the responsibilities of the United States as a member
of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The final rule also
amends the requirement for minimum distance from clouds in certain airspace
areas and the requirements for communications with air traffic control (ATC) in
certain airspace areas; eliminates airport radar service areas (ARSAs),
control zones, and terminal control areas (TCAs) as airspace
classifications; and eliminates the term "airport traffic area." The FAA
believes simplified airspace classifications will reduce existing airspace
complexity and thereby enhance safety.
EFFECTIVE DATE: These regulations become effective September 16, 1993,
except that Secs. 11.61(c), 91.215(d), 71.601, 71.603, 71.605, 71.607, and
71.609 and Part 75 become effective December 12, 1991, and except that
amendatory instruction number 20, Sec. 71.1, is effective as of December 17,
1991 through September 15, 1993, and that Secs. 71.11 and 71.19 become
effective October 15, 1992. The incorporation by reference of FAA Order
7400.7 in Sec. 71.1 (amendatory instruction number 20) is approved by the
Director of the Federal Register as of December 17, 1991, through September
15, 1993. The incorporation by reference of FAA Order 7400.9 in Sec. 71.1
(amendatory instruction number 24) is approved by the Director of the
Federal Register as of September 16, 1993 through September 15, 1994.
Sec. 103.19 Operations in prohibited or restricted areas.
No person may operate an ultralight vehicle in prohibited or restricted
areas unless that person has permission from the using or controlling
agency, as appropriate.
Sec. 103.20 Flight restrictions in the proximity of certain areas
designated by notice to airmen.
No person may operate an ultralight vehicle in areas designated in a
Notice to Airmen under Sec. 91.143 or Sec. 91.141 of this chapter, unless
authorized by ATC.
[Doc. No. 24454, 50 FR 4969, Feb. 5, 1985, as amended by Amdt. 103-3, 54 FR
34331, Aug. 18, 1989]
Effective Date Note: At 54 FR 34331, August 18, 1989, Sec. 103.20 was
amended by changing the cross reference "Sec. 91.102 or Sec. 91.104" to
read "Sec. 91.143 or Sec. 91.141", effective August 18, 1990.
Sec. 103.21 Visual reference with the surface.
No person may operate an ultralight vehicle except by visual reference
with the surface.
Sec. 103.23 Flight visibility and cloud clearance requirements.
No person may operate an ultralight vehicle when the flight visibility or
distance from clouds is less than that in the table found below. All
operations in Class A, Class B, Class C, and Class D airspace or Class E
airspace designated for an airport must receive prior ATC authorization as
required in Sec. 103.17 of this part.
Flight
Airspace visibility Distance from clouds
Class A Not applicable Not Applicable.
Class B 3 statute miles Clear of Clouds.
Class C 3 statute miles 500 feet below.
1,000 feet above.
2,000 feet horizontal.
Class D 3 statute miles 500 feet below.
1,000 feet above.
2,000 feet horizontal.
Class E:
Less than 10,000 feet MSL 3 statute miles 500 feet below.
1,000 feet above.
2,000 feet horizontal.
At or above 10,000 feet MSL 5 statute miles 1,000 feet below.
1,000 feet above.
1 statute mile horizontal.
Class G:
1,200 feet or less above the
surface (regardless of MSL
altitude) 1 statute mile Clear of clouds.
More than 1,200 feet above the
surface but less than 10,000
feet MSL 1 statute mile 500 feet below.
1,000 feet above.
2,000 feet horizontal.
More than 1,200 feet above the
surface and at or above 10,000
feet MSL 5 statute miles 1,000 feet below.
1,000 feet above.
1 statute mile horizontal.
EFFECTIVE DATE NOTE: Amdt. 103-4, 56 FR 65662, Dec. 17, 1991, revised
Sec. 103.23 effective September 16, 1993. The text of Sec. 103.23 in effect
until September 16, 1993 reads as follows:
Sec. 103.23 Flight visibility and cloud clearance requirements.
No person may operate an ultralight vehicle when the flight visibility or
distance from clouds is less than that in the following table, as
appropriate:
Minimum
flight
visibility
Flight altitudes /1/ Minimum distance from clouds
1,200 feet or less above the
surface regardless of MSL
altitude:
(1) Within controlled airspace 3 500 feet below, 1,000 feet above, 2,000 feet horizontal.
(2) Outside controlled airspace 1 Clear of clouds.
More than 1,200 feet above the
surface but less than 10,000
feet MSL:
(1) Within controlled airspace 3 500 feet below, 1,000 feet above, 2,000 feet horizontal.
(2) Outside controlled airspace 1 500 feet below, 1,000 feet
More than 1,200 feet above the 5 1,000 feet below, 1,000 feet
surface and at or above 10,000 above, 1 statute milehorizontal
feet MSL
/1/ Statute miles.
56 FR 65638, No. 242, Dec. 17, 1991
SUMMARY: This final rule amends the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) to
adopt certain recommendations of the National Airspace Review (NAR)
concerning changes to regulations and procedures in regard to airspace
classifications. These changes are intended to: (1) Simplify airspace
designations; (2) achieve international commonality of airspace
designations; (3) increase standardization of equipment requirements for
operations in various classifications of airspace; (4) describe appropriate
pilot certificate requirements, visual flight rules (VFR) visibility and
distance from cloud rules, and air traffic services offered in each class of
airspace; and (5) satisfy the responsibilities of the United States as a member
of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The final rule also
amends the requirement for minimum distance from clouds in certain airspace
areas and the requirements for communications with air traffic control (ATC)
in certain airspace areas; eliminates airport radar service areas (ARSAs),
control zones, and terminal control areas (TCAs) as airspace
classifications; and eliminates the term "airport traffic area." The FAA
believes simplified airspace classifications will reduce existing airspace
complexity and thereby enhance safety.
EFFECTIVE DATE: These regulations become effective September 16, 1993,
except that Secs. 11.61(c), 91.215(d), 71.601, 71.603, 71.605, 71.607, and
71.609 and Part 75 become effective December 12, 1991, and except that
amendatory instruction number 20, Sec. 71.1, is effective as of December 17,
1991 through September 15, 1993, and that Secs. 71.11 and 71.19 become
effective October 15, 1992. The incorporation by reference of FAA Order
7400.7 in Sec. 71.1 (amendatory instruction number 20) is approved by the
Director of the Federal Register as of December 17, 1991, through September
15, 1993. The incorporation by reference of FAA Order 7400.9 in Sec. 71.1
(amendatory instruction number 24) is approved by the Director of the
Federal Register as of September 16, 1993 through September 15, 1994.
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