Manipulation of controls

This regulation restricts who may manipulate the flight controls of an aircraft operated under Part 121 (scheduled air carrier operations). The pilot in command must not allow anyone to touch the controls unless they fall into one of three categories:

Who may manipulate controls:

• Qualified pilots employed by the airline operating that specific aircraft
• FAA or NTSB safety inspectors who are qualified in the aircraft type, have PIC permission, and are conducting official checks
• Pilots from other airlines who are qualified in that aircraft, have PIC permission, and have authorization from the operating airline

This means passengers, off-duty pilots not qualified in type, or pilots from other airlines without proper authorization cannot manipulate the controls. The rule ensures only properly qualified and authorized individuals handle the aircraft during flight, maintaining safety standards in commercial airline operations.

*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.*