Responsibility for operational control

This regulation establishes that the Part 135 certificate holder (the company) bears ultimate responsibility for operational control—the exercise of authority over initiating, conducting, or terminating a flight. The company cannot delegate this responsibility away, even though it may authorize specific individuals to exercise operational control on its behalf.

The regulation requires the company to document in its operations manual the names and titles of everyone authorized to make operational control decisions. This creates a clear chain of authority and accountability. In practice, this typically includes directors of operations, chief pilots, and flight coordinators who decide whether flights should proceed based on weather, maintenance status, crew qualifications, and other safety factors.

This matters because it establishes who has the legal authority to say "go" or "no-go" for a flight, and ensures the FAA and company personnel know exactly who holds this critical safety responsibility.

*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.*