Passenger occupancy of pilot seat

This regulation restricts who can occupy a pilot seat on certain Part 135 aircraft. It applies only to aircraft that:

• Were type certificated after October 15, 1971, AND
• Have more than eight passenger seats (not counting pilot seats)

On these aircraft, the only people allowed to sit in a pilot seat are:

• The pilot in command
• A second in command
• A company check pilot
• An authorized FAA representative
• A National Transportation Safety Board representative
• A U.S. Postal Service representative

This means passengers, even if they're pilots themselves, cannot occupy the cockpit jump seat on larger Part 135 aircraft. The rule ensures that only crew members and authorized officials have access to flight controls and cockpit operations on aircraft with significant passenger capacity. Smaller aircraft (eight seats or fewer) and older aircraft (certificated before October 1971) are not subject to this restriction.

*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.*