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The Pilots Desk
US-FAA14 CFR 117.7

Fatigue risk management system

Read the official rule

This regulation allows certificate holders (airlines and operators under Part 117) to exceed the standard flight and duty time limits—but only if the FAA approves their Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS). The FRMS must provide safety equal to or better than the standard rules.

An approved FRMS must include six components:

  • A fatigue risk management policy
  • Education and awareness training for crew
  • A system for crew to report fatigue
  • Monitoring of flightcrew fatigue levels
  • An incident reporting process
  • Performance evaluation of the system

In practice, this means operators can't simply ignore Part 117 limits. They need FAA approval and must implement a comprehensive, data-driven program to manage fatigue risks. This provides flexibility for operations that might not fit standard rules while maintaining safety through systematic fatigue management rather than rigid time limits alone.

*This is a plain-English summary for study only. The official 14 CFR text on this page is controlling — always read the current regulation and consult a CFI.*

This is an original plain-English explanation for training and reference, not legal advice and not for navigation. Always rely on the current official rule linked above. Last reviewed June 20, 2026.