Final compliance: Civil subsonic airplanes

This regulation establishes the final compliance deadline for noise standards at U.S. airports. Since December 31, 1999, you cannot operate certain civil subsonic jet airplanes to or from airports in the contiguous United States unless the aircraft meets Stage 3, Stage 4, or Stage 5 noise requirements.

This applies to airplanes covered by §91.801(c)—generally larger turbojets over 75,000 pounds. The rule effectively phased out older, noisier Stage 2 aircraft from the contiguous U.S., though some exceptions exist under §91.873.

In practical terms, if you're operating a large jet, you need to verify it meets modern noise standards before flying into or out of the lower 48 states. Stage 3 represents the minimum acceptable noise level, while Stage 4 and Stage 5 are progressively quieter. This matters because non-compliant aircraft cannot legally serve most U.S. destinations.

*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.*