[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 14, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 14CFR61.3]

[Page 11-15]
 
                     TITLE 14--AERONAUTICSAND SPACE
 
CHAPTER I--FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 
                               (CONTINUED)
 
PART 61--CERTIFICATION: PILOTS, FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS, AND GROUND INSTRUCTORS--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 61.3  Requirement for certificates, ratings, and authorizations.

    (a) Pilot certificate. A person may not act as pilot in command or 
in any other capacity as a required pilot flight crewmember of a civil 
aircraft of U.S. registry, unless that person--
    (1) Has a valid pilot certificate or special purpose pilot 
authorization issued under this part in that person's physical 
possession or readily accessible in the aircraft when exercising the 
privileges of that pilot certificate or authorization. However, when the 
aircraft is operated within a foreign country, a current pilot license 
issued by the country in which the aircraft is operated may be used; and
    (2) Has a photo identification that is in that person's physical 
possession or readily accessible in the aircraft when exercising the 
privileges of that pilot certificate or authorization. The photo 
identification must be a:
    (i) Valid driver's license issued by a State, the District of 
Columbia, or territory or possession of the United States;
    (ii) Government identification card issued by the Federal 
government, a State, the District of Columbia, or a territory or 
possession of the United States;
    (iii) U.S. Armed Forces' identification card;
    (iv) Official passport;
    (v) Credential that authorizes unescorted access to a security 
identification display area at an airport regulated under 49 CFR part 
1542; or
    (vi) Other form of identification that the Administrator finds 
acceptable.
    (b) Required pilot certificate for operating a foreign-registered 
aircraft. A person may not act as pilot in command or in any other 
capacity as a required

[[Page 12]]

pilot flight crewmember of a civil aircraft of foreign registry within 
the United States, unless that person's pilot certificate:
    (1) Is valid and in that person's physical possession, or readily 
accessible in the aircraft when exercising the privileges of that pilot 
certificate; and
    (2) Has been issued under this part, or has been issued or validated 
by the country in which the aircraft is registered.
    (c) Medical certificate.(1) Except as provided for in paragraph 
(c)(2) of this section, a person may not act as pilot in command or in 
any other capacity as a required pilot flight crewmember of an aircraft, 
under a certificate issued to that person under this part, unless that 
person has a current and appropriate medical certificate that has been 
issued under part 67 of this chapter, or other documentation acceptable 
to the Administrator, which is in that person's physical possession or 
readily accessible in the aircraft.
    (2) A person is not required to meet the requirements of paragraph 
(c)(1) of this section if that person--
    (i) Is exercising the privileges of a student pilot certificate 
while seeking a pilot certificate with a glider category rating or 
balloon class rating;
    (ii) Is holding a pilot certificate with a balloon class rating and 
is piloting or providing training in a balloon as appropriate;
    (iii) Is holding a pilot certificate or a flight instructor 
certificate with a glider category rating, and is piloting or providing 
training in a glider, as appropriate;
    (iv) Except as provided in paragraph (c)(2)(iii) of this section, is 
exercising the privileges of a flight instructor certificate, provided 
the person is not acting as pilot in command or as a required pilot 
flight crewmember;
    (v) Is exercising the privileges of a ground instructor certificate;
    (vi) Is operating an aircraft within a foreign country using a pilot 
license issued by that country and possesses evidence of current medical 
qualification for that license; or
    (vii) Is operating an aircraft with a U.S. pilot certificate, issued 
on the basis of a foreign pilot license, issued under Sec. 61.75 of this 
part, and holds a current medical certificate issued by the foreign 
country that issued the foreign pilot license, which is in that person's 
physical possession or readily accessible in the aircraft when 
exercising the privileges of that airman certificate.
    (d) Flight instructor certificate. (1) A person who holds a flight 
instructor certificate issued under this part must have that 
certificate, or other documentation acceptable to the Administrator, in 
that person's physical possession or readily accessible in the aircraft 
when exercising the privileges of that flight instructor certificate.
    (2) Except as provided in paragraph (d)(3) of this section, no 
person other than the holder of a flight instructor certificate issued 
under this part with the appropriate rating on that certificate may--
    (i) Give training required to qualify a person for solo flight and 
solo cross-country flight;
    (ii) Endorse an applicant for a--
    (A) Pilot certificate or rating issued under this part;
    (B) Flight instructor certificate or rating issued under this part; 
or
    (C) Ground instructor certificate or rating issued under this part;
    (iii) Endorse a pilot logbook to show training given; or
    (iv) Endorse a student pilot certificate and logbook for solo 
operating privileges.
    (3) A flight instructor certificate issued under this part is not 
necessary--
    (i) Under paragraph (d)(2) of this section, if the training is given 
by the holder of a commercial pilot certificate with a lighter-than-air 
rating, provided the training is given in accordance with the privileges 
of the certificate in a lighter-than-air aircraft;
    (ii) Under paragraph (d)(2) of this section, if the training is 
given by the holder of an airline transport pilot certificate with a 
rating appropriate to the aircraft in which the training is given, 
provided the training is given in accordance with the privileges of the 
certificate and conducted in accordance with an approved air carrier 
training program approved under part 121 or part 135 of this chapter;

[[Page 13]]

    (iii) Under paragraph (d)(2) of this section, if the training is 
given by a person who is qualified in accordance with subpart C of part 
142 of this chapter, provided the training is conducted in accordance 
with an approved part 142 training program;
    (iv) Under paragraphs (d)(2)(i), (d)(2)(ii)(C), and (d)(2)(iii) of 
this section, if the training is given by the holder of a ground 
instructor certificate in accordance with the privileges of the 
certificate; or
    (v) Under paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this section, if the training is 
given by an authorized flight instructor under Sec. 61.41 of this part.
    (e) Instrument rating. No person may act as pilot in command of a 
civil aircraft under IFR or in weather conditions less than the minimums 
prescribed for VFR flight unless that person holds:
    (1) The appropriate aircraft category, class, type (if required), 
and instrument rating on that person's pilot certificate for any 
airplane, helicopter, or powered-lift being flown;
    (2) An airline transport pilot certificate with the appropriate 
aircraft category, class, and type rating (if required) for the aircraft 
being flown;
    (3) For a glider, a pilot certificate with a glider category rating 
and an airplane instrument rating; or
    (4) For an airship, a commercial pilot certificate with a lighter-
than-air category rating and airship class rating.
    (f) Category II pilot authorization. Except for a pilot conducting 
Category II operations under part 121 or part 135, a person may not:
    (1) Act as pilot in command of a civil aircraft during Category II 
operations unless that person--
    (i) Holds a current Category II pilot authorization for that 
category or class of aircraft, and the type of aircraft, if applicable; 
or
    (ii) In the case of a civil aircraft of foreign registry, is 
authorized by the country of registry to act as pilot in command of that 
aircraft in Category II operations.
    (2) Act as second in command of a civil aircraft during Category II 
operations unless that person--
    (i) Holds a valid pilot certificate with category and class ratings 
for that aircraft and a current instrument rating for that category 
aircraft;
    (ii) Holds an airline transport pilot certificate with category and 
class ratings for that aircraft; or
    (iii) In the case of a civil aircraft of foreign registry, is 
authorized by the country of registry to act as second in command of 
that aircraft during Category II operations.
    (g) Category III pilot authorization. Except for a pilot conducting 
Category III operations under part 121 or part 135, a person may not:
    (1) Act as pilot in command of a civil aircraft during Category III 
operations unless that person--
    (i) Holds a current Category III pilot authorization for that 
category or class of aircraft, and the type of aircraft, if applicable; 
or
    (ii) In the case of a civil aircraft of foreign registry, is 
authorized by the country of registry to act as pilot in command of that 
aircraft in Category III operations.
    (2) Act as second in command of a civil aircraft during Category III 
operations unless that person--
    (i) Holds a valid pilot certificate with category and class ratings 
for that aircraft and a current instrument rating for that category 
aircraft;
    (ii) Holds an airline transport pilot certificate with category and 
class ratings for that aircraft; or
    (iii) In the case of a civil aircraft of foreign registry, is 
authorized by the country of registry to act as second in command of 
that aircraft during Category III operations.
    (h) Category A aircraft pilot authorization. The Administrator may 
issue a certificate of authorization for a Category II or Category III 
operation to the pilot of a small aircraft that is a Category A 
aircraft, as identified in Sec. 97.3(b)(1) of this chapter if:
    (1) The Administrator determines that the Category II or Category 
III operation can be performed safely by that pilot under the terms of 
the certificate of authorization; and
    (2) The Category II or Category III operation does not involve the 
carriage of persons or property for compensation or hire.

[[Page 14]]

    (i) Ground instructor certificate. (1) Each person who holds a 
ground instructor certificate issued under this part or part 143 must 
have that certificate in that person's physical possession or 
immediately accessible when exercising the privileges of that 
certificate.
    (2) Except as provided in paragraph (i)(3) of this section, no 
person other than the holder of a ground instructor certificate, issued 
under this part or part 143, with the appropriate rating on that 
certificate may--
    (i) Give ground training required to qualify a person for solo 
flight and solo cross-country flight;
    (ii) Endorse an applicant for a knowledge test required for a pilot, 
flight instructor, or ground instructor certificate or rating issued 
under this part; or
    (iii) Endorse a pilot logbook to show ground training given.
    (3) A ground instructor certificate issued under this part is not 
necessary--
    (i) Under paragraph (i)(2) of this section, if the training is given 
by the holder of a flight instructor certificate issued under this part 
in accordance with the privileges of that certificate;
    (ii) Under paragraph (i)(2) of this section, if the training is 
given by the holder of a commercial pilot certificate with a lighter-
than-air rating, provided the training is given in accordance with the 
privileges of the certificate in a lighter-than-air aircraft;
    (iii) Under paragraph (i)(2) of this section, if the training is 
given by the holder of an airline transport pilot certificate with a 
rating appropriate to the aircraft in which the training is given, 
provided the training is given in accordance with the privileges of the 
certificate and conducted in accordance with an approved air carrier 
training program approved under part 121 or part 135 of this chapter;
    (iv) Under paragraph (i)(2) of this section, if the training is 
given by a person who is qualified in accordance with subpart C of part 
142 of this chapter, provided the training is conducted in accordance 
with an approved part 142 training program; or
    (v) Under paragraph (i)(2)(iii) of this section, if the training is 
given by an authorized flight instructor under Sec. 61.41 of this part.
    (j) Age limitation for certain operations.
    (1) Age limitation. Except as provided in paragraph (j)(3) of this 
section, no person who holds a pilot certificate issued under this part 
shall serve as a pilot on a civil airplane of U.S. registry in the 
following operations if the person has reached his or her 60th birthday-
-
    (i) Scheduled international air services carrying passengers in 
turbojet-powered airplanes;
    (ii) Scheduled international air services carrying passengers in 
airplanes having a passenger-seat configuration of more than nine 
passenger seats, excluding each crewmember seat;
    (iii) Nonscheduled international air transportation for compensation 
or hire in airplanes having a passenger-seat configuration of more than 
30 passenger seats, excluding each crewmember seat; or
    (iv) Scheduled international air services, or nonscheduled 
international air transportation for compensation or hire, in airplanes 
having a payload capacity of more than 7,500 pounds.
    (2) Definitions. (i) ``International air service,'' as used in 
paragraph (j) of this section, means scheduled air service performed in 
airplanes for the public transport of passengers, mail, or cargo, in 
which the service passes through the airspace over the territory of more 
than one country.
    (ii) ``International air transportation,'' as used in paragraph (j) 
of this section, means air transportation performed in airplanes for the 
public transport of passengers, mail, or cargo, in which the service 
passes through the airspace over the territory of more than one country.
    (3) Delayed pilot age limitation. Until December 20, 1999, a person 
may serve as a pilot in operations covered by this paragraph after that 
person has reached his or her 60th birthday if, on March 20, 1997, that 
person was employed as a pilot in operations covered by this paragraph.
    (k) Special purpose pilot authorization. Any person that is required 
to hold a special purpose pilot authorization, issued in accordance with 
Sec. 61.77 of this part, must have that authorization and

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the person's foreign pilot license in that person's physical possession 
or have it readily accessible in the aircraft when exercising the 
privileges of that authorization.
    (l) Inspection of certificate. Each person who holds an airman 
certificate, medical certificate, authorization, or license required by 
this part must present it and their photo identification as described in 
paragraph (a)(2) of this section for inspection upon a request from:
    (1) The Administrator;
    (2) An authorized representative of the National Transportation 
Safety Board;
    (3) Any Federal, State, or local law enforcement officer; or
    (4) An authorized representative of the Transportation Security 
Administration.

[Doc. No. 25910, 62 FR 16298, Apr. 4, 1997; Amdt. 61-103, 62 FR 40894, 
July 30, 1997; Amdt. 61-107, 67 FR 65861, Oct. 28, 2002]