Code of Federal Regulations (Last Updated: July 5, 2024) |
Title 14 - Aeronautics and Space |
Chapter I - Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation |
SubChapter G - Air Carriers and Operators for Compensation or Hire: Certification and Operations |
Part 121 - Operating Requirements: Domestic, Flag, and Supplemental Operations |
Subpart AA - Continued Airworthiness and Safety Improvements |
§ 121.1115 - Limit of validity.
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§ 121.1115 Limit of validity.
(a) Applicability. This section applies to certificate holders operating any transport category, turbine-powered airplane with a maximum takeoff gross weight greater than 75,000 pounds and a type certificate issued after January 1, 1958, regardless of whether the maximum takeoff gross weight is a result of an original type certificate or a later design change. This section also applies to certificate holders operating any transport category, turbine-powered airplane with a type certificate issued after January 1, 1958, regardless of the maximum takeoff gross weight, for which a limit of validity of the engineering data that supports the structural maintenance program (hereafter referred to as LOV) is required in accordance with § 25.571 or § 26.21 of this chapter after January 14, 2011.
(b) Limit of validity. No certificate holder may operate an airplane identified in paragraph (a) of this section after the applicable date identified in Table 1 of this section unless an Airworthiness Limitations section approved under Appendix H to part 25 or § 26.21 of this chapter is incorporated into its maintenance program. The ALS must -
(1) Include an LOV approved under § 25.571 or § 26.21 of this chapter, as applicable, except as provided in paragraph (f) of this section; and
(2) Be clearly distinguishable within its maintenance program.
(c) Operation of airplanes excluded from § 26.21. No certificate holder may operate an airplane identified in § 26.21(g) of this chapter after July 14, 2013, unless an Airworthiness Limitations section approved under Appendix H to part 25 or § 26.21 of this chapter is incorporated into its maintenance program. The ALS must -
(1) Include an LOV approved under § 25.571 or § 26.21 of this chapter, as applicable, except as provided in paragraph (f) of this section; and
(2) Be clearly distinguishable within its maintenance program.
(d) Extended limit of validity. No certificate holder may operate an airplane beyond the LOV, or extended LOV, specified in paragraph (b)(1), (c), (d), or (f) of this section, as applicable, unless the following conditions are met:
(1) An ALS must be incorporated into its maintenance program that -
(i) Includes an extended LOV and any widespread fatigue damage airworthiness limitation items approved under § 26.23 of this chapter; and
(ii) Is approved under § 26.23 of this chapter.
(2) The extended LOV and the airworthiness limitation items pertaining to widespread fatigue damage must be clearly distinguishable within its maintenance program.
(e) Principal Maintenance Inspector approval. Certificate holders must submit the maintenance program revisions required by paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this section to the Principal Maintenance Inspector for review and approval.
(f) Exception. For any airplane for which an LOV has not been approved as of the applicable compliance date specified in paragraph (c) or Table 1 of this section, instead of including an approved LOV in the ALS, an operator must include the applicable default LOV specified in Table 1 or Table 2 of this section, as applicable, in the ALS.
Table 1 - Airplanes Subject to § 26.21
Airplane model Compliance date - months after January 14, 2011 Default LOV
[flight cycles (FC)
or flight hours (FH)]Airbus - Existing1 Models Only: A300 B2-1A, B2-1C, B2K-3C, B2-203 30 48,000 FC A300 B4-2C, B4-103 30 40,000 FC A300 B4-203 30 34,000 FC A300-600 Series 60 30,000 FC/67,500 FH A310-200 Series 60 40,000 FC/60,000 FH A310-300 Series 60 35,000 FC/60,000 FH A318 Series 60 48,000 FC/60,000 FH A319 Series 60 48,000 FC/60,000 FH A320-100 Series 60 48,000 FC/48,000 FH A320-200 Series 60 48,000 FC/60,000 FH A321 Series 60 48,000 FC/60,000 FH A330-200, -300 Series (except WV050 family) (non enhanced) 60 40,000 FC/60,000 FH A330-200, -300 Series WV050 family (enhanced) 60 33,000 FC/100,000 FH A330-200 Freighter Series 60 See NOTE. A340-200, -300 Series (except WV 027 and WV050 family) (non enhanced) 60 20,000 FC/80,000 FH A340-200, -300 Series WV 027 (non enhanced) 60 30,000 FC/60,000 FH A340-300 Series WV050 family (enhanced) 60 20,000 FC/100,000 FH A340-500, -600 Series 60 16,600 FC/100,000 FH A380-800 Series 72 See NOTE. Boeing - Existing1 Models Only: 717 60 60,000 FC/60,000 FH 727 (all series) 30 60,000 FC 737 (Classics): 737-100, -200, -200C, -300, -400, -500 30 75,000 FC 737 (NG): 737-600, -700, -700C, -800, -900, -900ER 60 75,000 FC 747 (Classics): 747-100, -100B, -100B SUD, -200B, -200C, -200F, -300, 747SP, 747SR 30 20,000 FC 747-400: 747-400, -400D, -400F 60 20,000 FC 757 60 50,000 FC 767 60 50,000 FC 777-200, -300 60 40,000 FC 777-200LR, 777-300ER 72 40,000 FC 777F 72 11,000 FC Bombardier - Existing1 Models Only: CL-600: 2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705), 2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900) 72 60,000 FC Embraer - Existing1 Models Only: ERJ 170 72 See NOTE. ERJ 190 72 See NOTE. Fokker - Existing1 Models Only: F.28 Mark 0070, Mark 0100 30 90,000 FC Lockheed - Existing1 Models Only: L-1011 30 36,000 FC 188 30 26,600 FC 382 (all series) 30 20,000 FC/50,000 FH McDonnell Douglas - Existing1 Models Only: DC-8, -8F 30 50,000 FC/50,000 FH DC-9 (except for MD-80 models) 30 100,000 FC/100,000 FH MD-80 (DC-9-81, -82, -83, -87, MD-88) 30 50,000 FC/50,000 FH MD-90 60 60,000 FC/90,000 FH DC-10-10, -15 30 42,000 FC/60,000 FH DC-10-30, -40, -10F, -30F, -40F 30 30,000 FC/60,000 FH MD-10-10F 60 42,000 FC/60,000 FH MD-10-30F 60 30,000 FC/60,000 FH MD-11, MD-11F 60 20,000 FC/60,000 FH Maximum Takeoff Gross Weight Changes: All airplanes whose maximum takeoff gross weight has been decreased to 75,000 pounds or below after January 14, 2011, or increased to greater than 75,000 pounds at any time by an amended type certificate or supplemental type certificate 30, or within 12 months after the LOV is approved, or before operating the airplane, whichever occurs latest Not applicable. All Other Airplane Models (TCs and amended TCs) not Listed in Table 2 72, or within 12 months after the LOV is approved, or before operating the airplane, whichever occurs latest Not applicable. Note:Airplane operation limitation is stated in the Airworthiness Limitation section.
Table 2 - Airplanes Excluded from From § 26.21
Airplane model Default LOV
[flight cycles (FC) or flight hours (FH)]Airbus: Caravelle 15,000 FC/24,000 FH Avions Marcel Dassault: Breguet Aviation Mercure 100C 20,000 FC/16,000 FH Boeing: Boeing 707 (-100 Series and -200 Series) 20,000 FC Boeing 707 (-300 Series and -400 Series) 20,000 FC Boeing 720 30,000 FC Bombardier: CL-44D4 and CL-44J 20,000 FC BD-700 15,000 FHFC Bristol Aeroplane Company: Britannia 305 10,000 FC British Aerospace Airbus, Ltd.: BAC 1-11 (all models) 85,000 FC British Aerospace (Commercial Aircraft) Ltd.: Armstrong Whitworth Argosy A.W. 650 Series 101 20,000 FC BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd.: BAe 146-100A (all models) 50,000 FC BAe 146-200-07 50,000 FC BAe 146-200-07 Dev 50,000 FC BAe 146-200-11 50,000 FC BAe 146-200-07A 47,000 FC BAe 146-200-11 Dev 43,000 FC BAe 146-300 (all models) 40,000 FC Avro 146-RJ70A (all models) 40,000 FC Avro 146-RJ85A and 146-RJ100A (all models) 50,000 FC D & R Nevada, LLC: Convair Model 22 1,000 FC/1,000 FH Convair Model 23M 1,000 FC/1,000 FH deHavilland Aircraft Company, Ltd.: D.H. 106 Comet 4C 8,000 FH Gulfstream: GV 40,000 FH GV-SP 40,000 FH Ilyushin Aviation Complex: IL-96T 10,000 FC/30,000 FH LockheedLockhead: 300-50A01(USAF C 141A) 20,000 FC [Doc. No. FAA-2006-24281, 75 FR 69785, Nov. 15, 2010, as amended by Amdt. 121-360, 77 FR 30878, May 24, 2012; Admt. 121-360A, 77 FR 55105, Sept. 7, 2012; Doc. No. FAA-2022-1355; Amdt. 121-387, 87 FR 75847, Dec. 9, 2022]