Federal Aircraft Regulations, Part 103:

PART 103 -- ULTRALIGHT VEHICLES

Subpart A -- General

Sec.

103.1   Applicability.

103.3   Inspection requirements.

103.5   Waivers.

103.7   Certification and registration.

Subpart B -- Operating Rules

103.9   Hazardous operations.

103.11   Daylight operations.

103.13   Operation near aircraft; right-of-way rules.

103.15   Operations over congested areas.

103.17   Operations in certain airspace.

103.19   Operations in prohibited or restricted areas.

103.20   Flight restrictions in the proximity of certain areas designated by notice to airmen.

103.21   Visual reference with the surface.

103.23   Flight visibility and cloud clearance requirements.

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40103-40104, 40113, 44701. 

Source: Docket No. 21631, 47 FR 38776, Sept. 2, 1982, unless otherwise noted. 

Subpart A -- General

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§103.1   Applicability.

This part prescribes rules governing the operation of ultralight vehicles in the United States.

For the purposes of this part, an ultralight vehicle is a vehicle that: 

(a) Is used or intended to be used for manned operation in the air by a single occupant; 

(b) Is used or intended to be used for recreation or sport purposes only; 

(c) Does not have any U.S. or foreign airworthiness certificate; and 

(d) If unpowered, weighs less than 155 pounds; or 

(e) If powered: 

(1) Weighs less than 254 pounds empty weight, excluding floats and safety devices

which are intended for deployment in a potentially catastrophic situation; 

(2) Has a fuel capacity not exceeding 5 U.S. gallons; 

(3) Is not capable of more than 55 knots calibrated airspeed at full power in level flight; and 

(4) Has a power-off stall speed which does not exceed 24 knots calibrated airspeed. 

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§103.3   Inspection requirements.

(a) Any person operating an ultralight vehicle under this part shall, upon request,

allow the Administrator, or his designee, to inspect the vehicle to determine the

applicability of this part. 

(b) The pilot or operator of an ultralight vehicle must, upon request of the Administrator,

furnish satisfactory evidence that the vehicle is subject only to the provisions of this part. 

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§103.5   Waivers.

No person may conduct operations that require a deviation from this part

except under a written waiver issued by the Administrator. 

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§103.7   Certification and registration.

(a) Notwithstanding any other section pertaining to certification of aircraft

or their parts or equipment, ultralight vehicles and their component parts

and equipment are not required to meet the airworthiness certification standards

specified for aircraft or to have certificates of airworthiness. 

(b) Notwithstanding any other section pertaining to airman certification,

operators of ultralight vehicles are not required to meet any aeronautical knowledge,

age, or experience requirements to operate those vehicles or to have

airman or medical certificates. 

(c) Notwithstanding any other section pertaining to registration and marking of aircraft,

ultralight vehicles are not required to be registered or to bear markings of any type. 

Subpart B -- Operating Rules

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§103.9   Hazardous operations.

(a) No person may operate any ultralight vehicle in a manner

that creates a hazard to other persons or property. 

(b) No person may allow an object to be dropped from an ultralight vehicle

if such action creates a hazard to other persons or property. 

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§103.11   Daylight operations.

(a) No person may operate an ultralight vehicle

except between the hours of sunrise and sunset. 

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this section, ultralight vehicles

may be operated during the twilight periods 30 minutes before

official sunrise and 30 minutes after official sunset or, in Alaska,

during the period of civil twilight as defined in the Air Almanac, if: 

(1) The vehicle is equipped with an operating anticollision light visible

for at least 3 statute miles; and 

(2) All operations are conducted in uncontrolled airspace. 

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§103.13   Operation near aircraft; right-of-way rules.

(a) Each person operating an ultralight vehicle shall maintain vigilance

so as to see and avoid aircraft and shall yield the right-of-way to all aircraft. 

(b) No person may operate an ultralight vehicle in a manner

that creates a collision hazard with respect to any aircraft. 

(c) Powered ultralights shall yield the right-of-way to unpowered ultralights. 

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§103.15   Operations over congested areas.

No person may operate an ultralight vehicle over any congested area of a city,

town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons. 

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§103.17   Operations in certain airspace.

No person may operate an ultralight vehicle within Class A, Class B,

Class C, or Class D airspace or within the lateral boundaries of the

surface area of Class E airspace designated for an airport unless that person

has prior authorization from the ATC facility having jurisdiction over that airspace. 

[Amdt. 103-17, 56 FR 65662, Dec. 17, 1991]

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§103.19   Operations in prohibited or restricted areas.

No person may operate an ultralight vehicle in prohibited

or restricted areas unless that person has permission

from the using or controlling agency, as appropriate. 

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§103.20   Flight restrictions in the proximity of certain areas

designated by notice to airmen.

No person may operate an ultralight vehicle in areas designated in a Notice to Airmen

under §91.137, §91.138, §91.141, §91.143 or §91.145 of this chapter, unless authorized by: 

(a) Air Traffic Control (ATC); or 

(b) A Flight Standards Certificate of Waiver or Authorization issued for the

demonstration or event. 

[Doc. No. FAA-2000-8274, 66 FR 47378, Sept. 11, 2001]

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§103.21   Visual reference with the surface.

No person may operate an ultralight vehicle except by visual reference with the surface. 

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§103.23   Flight visibility and cloud clearance requirements.

No person may operate an ultralight vehicle when the flight visibility

or distance from clouds is less than that in the table found below.

All operations in Class A, Class B, Class C, and Class D airspace

or Class E airspace designated for an airport must receive prior ATC

authorization as required in §103.17 of this part. 

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                                                         Distance from

            Airspace               Flight visibility        clouds

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Class A.........................  Not applicable....  Not Applicable.

Class B.........................  3 statute miles...  Clear of Clouds.

Class C.........................  3 statute miles...  500 feet below.

                                                      1,000 feet above.

                                                      2,000 feet

                                                       horizontal.

Class D.........................  3 statute miles...  500 feet below.

                                                      1,000 feet above.

                                                      2,000 feet

                                                       horizontal.

Class E:

  Less than 10,000 feet MSL.....  3 statute miles...  500 feet below.

                                                      1,000 feet above.

                                                      2,000 feet

                                                       horizontal.

  At or above 10,000 feet MSL...  5 statute miles...  1,000 feet below.

                                                      1,000 feet above.

                                                      1 statute mile

                                                       horizontal.

Class G:

  1,200 feet or less above the    1 statute mile....  Clear of clouds.

   surface (regardless of MSL

   altitude).

  More than 1,200 feet above the  1 statute mile....  500 feet below.

   surface but less than 10,000                       1,000 feet above.

   feet MSL.                                          2,000 feet

                                                       horizontal.

  More than 1,200 feet above the  5 statute miles...  1,000 feet below.

   surface and at or above                            1,000 feet above.

   10,000 feet MSL.                                   1 statute mile

                                                       horizontal.

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