On #4, the FAA actually has multiple levels of safety. Small airplanes, including even some small jets, are certified to part 23 standards. Airliners are certified to part 25 standards, which are more stringent.
Even operationally, a part 121 operator (schedule airline) has the strictest requirements, followed by a part 135 operator (on-demand charter), followed by a part 91 (private, not for hire).
It depends on the weight, seat count and type of operation. Very generally speaking small jets with 9 seats or less and not being too heavy are CS-23 certified while larger (transport category) aircraft are CS-25.
So the small jet in my example indeed has less regulations than a larger airliner. And would probably not be allowed to be used for commercial air transport, only charter flights.
First, airliners have complex systems that need to be understood in detail since you can't just pull over at the side of the road like in a car.
Second, newer families of airliners by Airbus and Boeing do have similar systems and often a type rating covers 2 or 3 models now.
Third, each operator has their own standards and practices.
In fact, airline operator standards are considered to be more pertinent than general FAA or mfg. requirements.
There are certification requirements for both the aircraft and Ops Spec approvals for Part 135 (on-demand charter) operations. I can see that these would be certified to fly (and thus eligible for Part 91 (private) operations) far more easily than the more stringent requirements for Part 135 charter operations.
The FAA thinking is that you have greater understanding as a passenger on a Part 91 operation and are better able to judge the risk yourself, whereas a Part 135 (charter) or Part 121 (scheduled airline) operation, the public cannot effectively judge the safety of the operation so the FAA holds them to a higher standard.
> On #4, the FAA actually has multiple levels of safety.
No, you're misinformed. From an operating standpoint, when you carry more than 10 pax, all operators are treated like an airline. There are different Parts but the end effect is the same for 121 and 135:
Even whether an aircraft should be issued a type certificate is a judgment call. The regulations are not perfectly precise, and there is always going going be a certain amount of back and forth on interpretation and waivers and alternate means of compliance etc.
Even given that a type certificate has been issued, whether or not it is legal to fly depends on the circumstances of the flight. Just as an example, under part 91 (private flying), complying with manufacturer's service bulletins is optional, but under part 135 (charter) or part 121 (airline), it's generally mandatory.
Therefore, is the FAA saying it's safe to fly a plane that doesn't hasn't completed its manufacturer service bulletins? No. They're saying the acceptable level of risk under part 91 is higher.
Aviation has their own standards. But all of these standards are quite similar in their requirements. So reaching the first certification is the hardest part.
I once talked to a guy who got a Part 135 certificate at a Class Bravo airport.
Him: "Yeah, I got the first 135 cert in 30 years at this airport."
Me: "How'd you do that?"
Him: "Oh, I work for the federal govt."
All you need to know is that the FAA considers all operators to be the "same level of safety", whether 91, 135 or 121. Since 121 means scheduled airline, you can do the math on how much that would cost and how much paperwork is involved.
Here's what they are. The "small airplane" certification standards [1] are for airplanes. A helicopter is not an airplane. A powered-lift VTOL incapable of gliding is not an airplane.
"The airplane must be controllable and maneuverable, without requiring exceptional piloting skill, alertness, or strength, within the operating envelope ... (despite) flight control or propulsion system failure"
"Continued safe flight and landing means an airplane is capable of continued controlled flight and landing, possibly using emergency procedures, without requiring exceptional pilot skill or strength. Upon landing, some airplane damage may occur as a result of a failure condition."
So you must be able to glide to a landing, or at least a controlled crash, if you lose engine power.
The FAA is correct here. The "eVTOL" class of aircraft based on quadrotor drone technology will fall out of the sky on either a power or control failure. It's worse than a helicopter, which can usually autorotate.
From what I gather, they have a license for a specific category (airplane) and class (multi engine land), and then (above some threshold) require type ratings for specific types.
Even operationally, a part 121 operator (schedule airline) has the strictest requirements, followed by a part 135 operator (on-demand charter), followed by a part 91 (private, not for hire).
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