Provisionally certificated civil aircraft: Operating limitations

This regulation governs aircraft with provisional airworthiness certificates—typically new aircraft designs still undergoing certification or testing. You can only operate such aircraft if you're eligible for a provisional certificate under Part 21, and operations are restricted to specific purposes like type certification work, crew training, manufacturer demonstrations, market surveys, equipment testing, or service testing.

Key restrictions include:

• No operations outside the U.S. without specific FAA and foreign country approval
• No air transportation operations without Flight Standards Service authorization
• Must follow all aircraft limitations and approved procedures
• Only persons with proper interest in the operation or specifically authorized may be aboard, and they must be informed the aircraft is provisionally certificated
• Crew must be properly certificated and familiar with the aircraft
• Must implement approved procedures for operations near populated areas

The manufacturer or FAA can require design changes before further flight, and the Administrator may impose additional limitations as needed.

*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.*