PART 103 FOR ULTRALIGHTS

Adopted July 30, 1982, effective on October 4 that same year, Federal Aviation Regulation Part 103 formally established what truly is recreational flight. Part 103 established limits on size, performance, and configuration and also established that people flying them needed no certificate or medical qualification.

FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATION PART 103 — ULTRALIGHT VEHICLES

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40103-40104, 40113, 44701
Source: Docket No. 21631, 47 FR 38776, Sept. 2, 1982

Subpart A — General

Section 103.1 Applicability. This part prescribes rules governing the operation of ultralight vehicles in the United States. For purposes of this part, an ultralight vehicle is a vehicle that:

Is used or intended to be used for manned operation in the air by a single occupant;
Is used or intended to be used for recreation or sport purposes only;
Does not have any U.S. or foreign airworthiness certificate; and
If unpowered, weighs less than 155 pounds; or
If powered: Weighs less than 254 pounds empty weight, excluding floats and safety devices; Has a fuel capacity not exceeding 5 U.S. gallons; Is not capable of more than 55 knots calibrated airspeed at full power in level flight; and Has a power-off stall speed which does not exceed 24 knots calibrated airspeed.

Section 103.3 Inspection requirements. Any person operating an ultralight vehicle under this part shall, upon request of the Administrator, allow the Administrator to inspect the vehicle to determine the applicability of this part.

Section 103.5 Waivers. No person may conduct operations that require a deviation from this part except under a written waiver issued by the Administrator.

Section 103.7 Certification and registration.

(a) 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) 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) Ultralight vehicles are not required to be registered or to bear markings of any type.

Subpart B — Operating Rules

Section 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.

Section 103.11 Daylight operations. (a) No person may operate an ultralight vehicle except between the hours of sunrise and sunset. (b) Ultralight vehicles may be operated during the twilight periods 30 minutes before official sunrise and 30 minutes after official sunset if the vehicle is equipped with an operating anticollision light visible for at least 3 statute miles and all operations are conducted in uncontrolled airspace.

Section 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.

Section 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.

Section 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.

Section 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.

Section 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 Section 91.137, 91.138, 91.141, or 91.143 of this chapter unless authorized by ATC or a Flight Standards Certificate of Waiver or Authorization.

Section 103.21 Visual reference with the surface. No person may operate an ultralight vehicle except by visual reference with the surface.

Section 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.

Airspace	Flight Visibility	Distance from Clouds
Class A	Not applicable	Not applicable
Class B	3 statute miles	Clear of clouds
Class C	3 statute miles	500 ft below, 1,000 ft above, 2,000 ft horizontal
Class D	3 statute miles	500 ft below, 1,000 ft above, 2,000 ft horizontal
Class E (less than 10,000 ft MSL)	3 statute miles	500 ft below, 1,000 ft above, 2,000 ft horizontal
Class E (at or above 10,000 ft MSL)	5 statute miles	1,000 ft below, 1,000 ft above, 1 statute mile horizontal
Class G (1,200 ft or less above surface)	1 statute mile	Clear of clouds
Class G (more than 1,200 ft above surface, less than 10,000 ft MSL)	1 statute mile	500 ft below, 1,000 ft above, 2,000 ft horizontal
Class G (more than 1,200 ft above surface, at or above 10,000 ft MSL)	5 statute miles	1,000 ft below, 1,000 ft above, 1 statute mile horizontal