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  4. Part 21
  5. § 21.24
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14 CFR · Part 21

14 CFR § 21.24

Issuance of type certificate: primary category aircraft.

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Read in Subpart B
Part 21 Contents
  • Special Federal Aviation Regulation No. 88: Fuel Tank System Fault Tolerance Evaluation Requirements
  • Subpart A: General
  • Subpart B: Type Certificates
  • Subpart C: Provisional Type Certificates
  • Subpart D: Changes to Type Certificates
  • Subpart E: Supplemental Type Certificates
  • Subpart F: Production Under Type Certificate
  • Subpart G: Production Certificates
  • Subpart H: Airworthiness Certificates
  • Subpart I: Provisional Airworthiness Certificates
  • Subpart K: Parts Manufacturer Approvals
  • Subpart L: Export Airworthiness Approvals
  • Subpart N: Acceptance of Aircraft Engines, Propellers, and Articles for Import
  • Subpart O: Technical Standard Order Approvals
  • Subpart P: Special Federal Aviation Regulations
(a)

The applicant is entitled to a type certificate for an aircraft in the primary category if—

(1)

The aircraft—

(i)

Is unpowered; is an airplane powered by a single, naturally aspirated engine with a 61-knot or less Vso stall speed as determined under part 23 of this chapter; or is a rotorcraft with a 6-pound per square foot main rotor disc loading limitation, under sea level standard day conditions;

(ii)

Weighs not more than 2,700 pounds; or, for seaplanes, not more than 3,375 pounds;

(iii)

Has a maximum seating capacity of not more than four persons, including the pilot; and

(iv)

Has an unpressurized cabin.

(2)

The applicant has submitted—

(i)

Except as provided by paragraph (c) of this section, a statement, in a form and manner acceptable to the FAA, certifying that: the applicant has completed the engineering analysis necessary to demonstrate compliance with the applicable airworthiness requirements; the applicant has conducted appropriate flight, structural, propulsion, and systems tests necessary to show that the aircraft, its components, and its equipment are reliable and function properly; the type design complies with the airworthiness standards and noise requirements established for the aircraft under § 21.17(f); and no feature or characteristic makes it unsafe for its intended use;

(ii)

The flight manual required by § 21.5(b), including any information required to be furnished by the applicable airworthiness standards;

(iii)

Instructions for continued airworthiness in accordance with § 21.50(b); and

(iv)

A report that: summarizes how compliance with each provision of the type certification basis was determined; lists the specific documents in which the type certification data information is provided; lists all necessary drawings and documents used to define the type design; and lists all the engineering reports on tests and computations that the applicant must retain and make available under § 21.49 to substantiate compliance with the applicable airworthiness standards.

(3)

The FAA finds that—

(i)

The aircraft complies with those applicable airworthiness requirements approved under § 21.17(f) of this part; and

(ii)

The aircraft has no feature or characteristic that makes it unsafe for its intended use.

(b)

An applicant may include a special inspection and preventive maintenance program as part of the aircraft's type design or supplemental type design.

(c)

For aircraft manufactured outside of the United States in a country with which the United States has a bilateral airworthiness agreement for the acceptance of these aircraft, and from which the aircraft is to be imported into the United States—

(1)

The statement required by paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section must be made by the civil airworthiness authority of the exporting country; and

(2)

The required manuals, placards, listings, instrument markings, and documents required by paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section must be submitted in English.

Referenced By

Interpretations of This Section (1)

  • Firestone, 2017

Documents that cite this section, found in their catalog metadata or text. Listed by date, not by significance.

Regulations Referenced

14 CFR Part 2314 CFR 21.1714 CFR 21.514 CFR 21.5014 CFR 21.49

Reflects the eCFR edition current as of September 29, 2026. Retrieved from ecfr.gov on October 16, 2026.

Primary Source

  • Official Source (14 CFR · Part 21)