SUBPART H

Aircraft Requirements and Performance Limitations

 

121.151 Applicability

This subpart prescribes aircraft requirements and performance limitations for all certificate holders.

 

121.153 Aircraft requirements: General

(a)  Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, no certificate holder may operate an aircraft unless that aircraft:

(1)   Is registered as a civil aircraft of Egypt and carries an appropriate current airworthiness certificate; and

(2)   Is in an airworthy condition and meets the applicable airworthiness requirements including those relating to identification and equipment.

(b) A certificate holder may use an approved weight and balance control system based on average, assumed, or estimated weight to comply with applicable airworthiness requirements and operating limitations.

(c)  A certificate holder may operate in common carriage, and for the carriage of mail, a civil aircraft which is leased or chartered to it without crew and is registered in a country which is a party to the Convention on International Civil Aviation ” ICAO" if:

(1)   The aircraft carries an appropriate airworthiness certificate issued by the country of registration and meets the registration and identification requirements of that country;

(2)   The aircraft is of a type design which is approved by the ECAA and complies with all of the requirements that would be applicable to that aircraft were it registered in Egypt, including the requirements which must be met for issuance of standard airworthiness certificate (including type design conformity, condition for safe operation, and the noise, fuel venting, and engine emission requirements), except that an Egyptian registration certificate and standard airworthiness certificate will not be issued for the aircraft;

(3)   The aircraft is operated by crewmembers employed by the certificate holder, with ECAA licenses validated by the country of registration; and

(4)   The certificate holder files a copy of the aircraft lease or charter agreement with the ECAA.

 

121.155 Use of foreign aircrew

The ECAA may grant a deviation from the crewmembers requirements of 121.153 (c) (3) if the certificate holder provides adequate justification for using foreign licensed crewmembers or crewmembers not employed by the certificate holder.

 

121.157 Aircraft certification and equipment requirements

(a)  No certificate holder may operate an aircraft unless that aircraft was type certificated as a transport category aircraft under Part 25, or helicopter type certificated under Parts 27 or 29, or as a commuter category aircraft under Part 23, or equivalent and meets the performance requirements of its type certificate data sheet and the aircraft meets the requirements of 121.173 (c).

(b) All aircraft operated by an air taxi certificate holder must meet the performance requirements of its type certificate data sheet, if available, and all performance data must be approved by the ECAA.

 

121.159 Single-engine aircraft prohibited

No air carrier certificate holder may operate a single engine aircraft. Single engine aircraft operated by air taxi certificate holders shall only be operated in conditions of weather and light, and over such routes and diversions therefrom, that permit a safe forced landing to be executed in the event of engine failure.

 


121.161 Aircraft limitation: Extended range operations

(a)  Unless authorized by the ECAA for extended range, based on the character of the terrain, the kind of operation, or the performance of the aircraft to be used, no certificate holder may operate two-engine aircraft over a route that contains a point farther than 1 hour flying time (in still air at normal cruising speed with one engine inoperative) from an adequate airport.

(b) No certificate holder may operate a land aircraft in an extended overwater operation unless it is certificated or approved as adequate for ditching.

(c)  For extended range operations, refer to Part 91 appendix A.

 

121.163 Aircraft proving tests

(a)  No air carrier or air taxi certificate holder may operate an aircraft before that aircraft has been proven for use in air carrier or air taxi operations, as appropriate, unless an aircraft of that type has had, in addition to the aircraft certification tests, at least 100 hours of proving tests acceptable to the ECAA. If the ECAA determines that a satisfactory level of proficiency has been demonstrated, it may reduce the number of hours required. The ECAA has the authority to accept, modify or reject the operator’s plan for the proving tests. At least 10 hours of proving tests must be flown at night.

(b) A certificate holder may not operate an aircraft of a type that has been proven for use in its class of operation if it has not previously proved that type, or if that aircraft has been materially altered in design, unless:

(1)   The aircraft has had at least 50 hours of tests acceptable to the ECAA, including a representative number of flights into enroute airports; or

(2)   The ECAA specifically authorizes deviations when special circumstances make full compliance with this paragraph unnecessary in a particular case.

(c)  An air taxi operator may, with ECAA approval, operate a helicopter that has not before been proven for use in air taxi operations if the helicopter has been used extensively in the services of the armed forces and meets the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section.

(d) For the purposes of paragraph (b) of this section, a type of aircraft is considered to be materially altered in design if the alterations include:

(1)   The installation of powerplants other than those of a type similar to those with which it is certificated; or.

(2)   Alterations to the aircraft or its components have been made, that materially affect flight characteristics.

(e)  No certificate holder may carry passengers in an aircraft during proving tests, except for those needed to make the test and those designated by ECAA, However, it may carry mail, express, or other cargo, when approved.