Transport category civil airplane weight limitations

This regulation sets weight limitations for transport category airplanes, with different rules based on aircraft certification date.

For older transport aircraft (certificated before October 1958, excluding turbine-powered ones), pilots must ensure takeoff weight doesn't exceed authorized maximums for the departure airport's elevation, and that fuel burn will reduce weight to authorized landing limits at destination and alternates.

For turbine-powered transport aircraft certificated after September 1958, stricter requirements apply. You must follow the Airplane Flight Manual and account for:

• Takeoff weight limits based on elevation and temperature
• Landing weight limits considering fuel burn to destination and alternates
• Takeoff distance requirements factoring in elevation, runway length, gradient, temperature, wind, and surface conditions
• Clearway limitations (if used, cannot exceed half the takeoff run or runway length, depending on certification date)

For the newest aircraft (certificated after August 1959), you must also verify that accelerate-stop distance fits within runway plus stopway, takeoff distance fits within runway plus clearway, and takeoff run fits within the runway itself.

*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.*