Performance requirements: Land aircraft operated over water

This regulation restricts when Part 135 operators can fly land aircraft with passengers over water. The basic rule is you cannot operate over water unless one of four conditions is met:

You must either fly at an altitude where you could glide back to land if the engine fails, or be in the process of taking off or landing. Alternatively, if you're flying a multiengine aircraft, you can operate over water at any altitude as long as the aircraft is light enough to climb at least 50 feet per minute at 1,000 feet above the surface with one engine failed. Helicopters get a fourth option—they can operate over water if equipped with flotation devices.

The practical impact is that single-engine aircraft carrying passengers must stay close enough to shore to glide back to land, while multiengine aircraft have more flexibility if they meet the climb performance requirement. This ensures passengers have reasonable protection against engine failure over water.

*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.*