Wet leasing of aircraft and other arrangements for transportation by air

This regulation governs wet leases (where one carrier leases an aircraft with crew from another) and similar substitute operations for Part 119 certificate holders.

Wet leases: Before executing a wet lease, certificate holders must provide the FAA with a copy of the agreement. The FAA then determines which party has operational control based on factors like crewmember training, maintenance responsibility, dispatch, and scheduling. Both parties' operations specifications are amended accordingly to reflect who controls what aspects of the operation. Certificate holders cannot wet lease from foreign carriers or unauthorized operators.

Substitute operations: A certificate holder may operate flights on behalf of another carrier only if it holds the necessary economic authority and its operations specifications authorize the same type of operations. The substitute operator must follow the operating rules of the carrier it's substituting for and stay within authorized airports or areas.

Special provisions allow carriers to conduct rescue flights for stranded passengers when scheduled flights are cancelled, subject to DOT and FAA approval.

*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.*