Regulations last checked for updates: Nov 23, 2024

Title 14 - Aeronautics and Space last revised: Nov 21, 2024
§ 437.81 - Public safety responsibility.

A permittee must ensure that a launch or reentry conducted under an experimental permit is safe, and must protect public health and safety and the safety of property.

§ 437.83 - Compliance with experimental permit.

A permittee must conduct any launch or reentry under an experimental permit in accordance with representations made in its permit application, with subparts C and D of this part, and with terms and conditions contained in the permit.

§ 437.85 - Allowable design changes; modification of an experimental permit.

(a) The FAA will identify in the experimental permit the type of changes that the permittee may make to the reusable suborbital vehicle design without invalidating the permit.

(b) Except for design changes made under paragraph (a) of this section, a permittee must ask the FAA to modify the experimental permit if—

(1) It proposes to conduct permitted activities in a manner not authorized by the permit; or

(2) Any representation in its permit application that is material to public health and safety or the safety of property is no longer accurate or complete.

(c) A permittee must prepare an application to modify an experimental permit and submit it in accordance with part 413 of this subchapter. If requested during the application process, the FAA may approve an alternate method for requesting permit modifications. The permittee must indicate any part of its permit that would be changed or affected by a proposed modification.

(d) When a permittee proposes a modification, the FAA reviews the determinations made on the experimental permit to decide whether they remain valid.

(e) When the FAA approves a modification, it issues the permittee either a written approval or a permit order modifying the permit if a stated term or condition of the permit is changed, added, or deleted. An approval has the full force and effect of a permit order and is part of the permit record.

[Doc. No. FAA-2006-24197, Amdt. No. 437-0, 72 FR 17019, Apr. 6, 2007, as amended by Doc. No. FAA-2023-1656, Amdt. No. 437-4, 89 FR 76727, Sept. 19, 2024]
§ 437.87 - Records.

(a) Except as required by paragraph (b) of this section, a permittee must maintain for 3 years all records, data, and other material necessary to verify that a permittee conducted its launch or reentry in accordance with its permit.

(b) For any event that meets any of paragraphs (1) through (3), (5), or (8) of the definition of “mishap” in § 401.7 of this chapter, a permittee must preserve all records related to the event. Records shall be retained until any Federal investigation is complete and the FAA advises the permittee that the records need not be retained.

(c) A permittee must make all records that it must maintain under this section available to Federal officials for inspection and copying.

[Docket No. FAA-2006-24197, 72 FR 17019, Apr. 6, 2007, as amended by Docket No. FAA-2019-0229, Amdt. 437-3, 85 FR 79718, Dec. 10, 2020]
§ 437.89 - Pre-flight reporting.

(a) Not later than 30 days before each flight or series of flights conducted under an experimental permit, unless the Administrator agrees to a different time frame in accordance with § 404.15, a permittee must provide the FAA with the following information:

(1) Any payload to be flown, including any payload operations during the flight,

(2) When the flight or series of flights are planned,

(3) The operating area for each flight, and

(4) The planned maximum altitude for each flight.

(b) Not later than 15 days before each permitted flight planned to reach greater than 150 km altitude, unless the Administrator agrees to a different time frame in accordance with § 404.15, a permittee must provide the FAA its planned trajectory for a collision avoidance analysis.

[Docket No. FAA-2006-24197, 72 FR 17019, Apr. 6, 2007, as amended by Docket No. FAA-2019-0229, Amdt. 437-3, 85 FR 79718, Dec. 10, 2020]
§ 437.91 - For-hire prohibition.

No permittee may carry any property or human being for compensation or hire on a reusable suborbital vehicle.

[Doc. No. FAA-2023-1656, Amdt. No. 437-4, 89 FR 76728, Sept. 19, 2024]
§ 437.93 - Compliance monitoring.

A permittee must allow access by, and cooperate with, federal officers or employees or other individuals authorized by the FAA to observe any activities of the permittee, or of its contractors or subcontractors, associated with the conduct of permitted activities.

§ 437.95 - Inspection of additional reusable suborbital vehicles.

A permittee may launch or reenter additional reusable suborbital vehicles of the same design under the permit after the FAA inspects each additional reusable suborbital vehicle.

[Doc. No. FAA-2023-1656, Amdt. No. 437-4, 89 FR 76728, Sept. 19, 2024]
source: Docket No. FAA-2006-24197, 72 FR 17019, Apr. 6, 2007, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 14 CFR 437.81