Maintaining a principal base of operations, main operations base, and main maintenance base; change of address

This regulation requires air carriers and commercial operators to maintain a principal base of operations—essentially their headquarters location. They may also establish separate locations for their main operations base (where flight operations are managed) and main maintenance base (where aircraft maintenance is performed). These can all be at the same location or spread across different sites.

The key practical requirement is the 30-day advance notice rule: before establishing or changing any of these three base locations, the certificate holder must notify their assigned FAA Flight Standards office in writing. This gives the FAA time to update records, adjust oversight activities, and ensure proper inspector assignment.

This matters because the FAA needs to know where to conduct inspections, where to send official communications, and which regional office should oversee the operator. The 30-day window prevents operational disruptions and ensures the FAA maintains proper regulatory oversight during location changes.

*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.*