§44740 Special Rule for Certain Aircraft Operations

Summary

Allows the operator of an aircraft with a special experimental airworthiness certificate to run a space support vehicle flight (see section 50902 of title 51) and to carry people or cargo for pay, even if other FAA rules or an FAA certificate would normally ban paid flights, and without needing an FAA air carrier or commercial-operations certificate. That permission only applies if every rule below is met: the flight takes off and lands at one site run by an entity licensed under chapter 509 of title 51; the aircraft is owned or operated by a launch or reentry operator licensed under chapter 509 or on their behalf; the aircraft is a launch/reentry vehicle or a licensed component; and it is used only to simulate spaceflight for training, hardware testing, or research and development. Section 44711(a)(1) won’t apply except if the experimental certificate itself forbids paid carriage. The FAA Administrator can still grant other exemptions with different terms and conditions.