§ 129.28 - Flightdeck security.

§ 129.28 Flightdeck security.

(a) After August 20, 2002, except for a newly manufactured airplane on a non-revenue delivery flight, no foreign air carrier covered by § 129.1(a), may operate:

(1) A passenger carrying transport category airplane within the United States, except for overflights, unless the airplane is equipped with a door between the passenger and pilot compartment that incorporates features to restrict the unwanted entry of persons into the flightdeck that are operable from the flightdeck only; or

(2) A transport category all-cargo airplane within the United States, except for overflights, that has a door installed between the pilot compartment and any other occupied compartment on or after June 21, 2002, unless the door incorporates features to restrict the unwanted entry of persons into the flightdeck that are operable from the flightdeck only.

(b) To the extent necessary to meet the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section, the requirements of § 129.13(a) to maintain airworthiness certification are waived until April 9, 2003. After that date, the requirements of § 129.13(a) apply in full.

(c) After April 9, 2003, except for a newly manufactured airplane on a non-revenue delivery flight, no foreign air carrier covered by § 129.1(a) may operate a passenger carrying transport category airplane, or a transport category all-cargo airplane that has a door installed between the pilot compartment and any other occupied compartment on or after June 21, 2002, within the United States, except for overflights, unless the airplane's flightdeck door installation meets the requirements of paragraphs (c)(1) and(2) of this section or an alternative standard found acceptable to the Administrator.

(1) Except for a newly manufactured airplane on a non-revenue delivery flight, no foreign air carrier covered by § 129.1(a) may operate:

(i) After April 9, 2003, a passenger carrying transport category airplane within the United States, except on overflights, unless the airplane's flightdeck door installation meets the requirements of paragraphs (c)(2) and (c)(3) of this section or an alternative standard found acceptable to the Administrator.

(ii) After October 1, 2003, a transport category all-cargo airplane that had a door installed between the pilot compartment and any other occupied compartment on or after June 21, 2002, within the United States, except on overflights, unless the airplane's flightdeck door installation meets the requirements of paragraphs (c)(2) and (c)(3) of this section or an alternative standard found acceptable to the Administrator; or the operator must implement a security program approved by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for the operation of all airplanes in that operator's fleet.

(2) The door must resist forcible intrusion by unauthorized persons and be capable of withstanding impacts of 300 joules (221.3 foot-pounds) at the critical locations on the door, as well as a 1,113-newton (250 pounds) constant tensile load on the knob or handle, and

(3) The door must resist penetration by small arms fire and fragmentation devices to a level equivalent to Level IIIa of the National Institute of Justice Standard (NIJ) 0101.04.

(d) After August 20, 2002, no foreign air carrier covered by § 129.1 may operate a passenger carrying transport category airplane, or a transport category all-cargo airplane that has a door installed between the pilot compartment and any other occupied compartment on or after June 21, 2002, within the United States, except for overflights, unless the carrier has procedures in place that are acceptable to the civil aviation authority responsible for oversight of the foreign air carriers operating under this part to prevent access to the flightdeck except as authorized as follows:

(1) No person other than a person who is assigned to perform duty on the flight deck may have a key to the flight deck door that will provide access to the flightdeck.

(2) Except when it is necessary to permit access and egress by persons authorized in accordance with paragraph (d)(3) of this section, a pilot in command of an airplane that has a lockable flight deck door in accordance with § 129.28(a) and that is carrying passengers shall ensure that the door separating the flight crew compartment from the passenger compartment is closed and locked at all times when the airplane is being operated.

(3) No person may admit any person to the flight deck of an airplane unless the person being admitted is -

(i) A crewmember,

(ii) An inspector of the civil aviation authority responsible for oversight of the part 129 operator, or

(iii) Any other person authorized by the civil aviation authority responsible for oversight of the part 129 operator.

(e) The requirements of paragraph (a) through (d) except (d)(3), do not apply to transport category passenger carrying airplanes originally type certificated with a maximum passenger seating configuration of 19 seats or less, or to all-cargo airplanes with a payload capacity of 7,500 pounds or less.

[Doc. No. FAA-2002-12504, 67 FR 79824, Dec. 30, 2002, as amended by Amdt. 129-38, 68 FR 42882, July 18, 2003]