Agricultural and fire fighting airplanes: Noise operating limitations

This regulation restricts where you can fly certain agricultural and firefighting airplanes that haven't been certified to meet noise standards under Part 36.

It applies specifically to small, propeller-driven airplanes with standard airworthiness certificates designed for agricultural operations (as defined in 1966) or firefighting.

If the airplane's Flight Manual or placards indicate it hasn't been shown to comply with Part 36 noise limits, you can only operate it for:

• The actual agricultural or firefighting work it was designed to do
• Training flight crewmembers in that specific special-purpose operation
• Non-dispensing aerial work operations under §137.29(c)

In practical terms, this means you cannot use these non-noise-compliant aircraft for general transportation or other purposes unrelated to their agricultural or firefighting mission. The restriction exists because these specialized aircraft may be noisier than standard aircraft, so their operation is limited to their intended purpose.

*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.*