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14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–19 Edition) 

§ 121.344 

section, as appropriate, until the air-
plane has been operated for at least 25 
hours of the operating time specified in 
§ 121.359(a). A total of 1 hour of recorded 
data may be erased for the purpose of 
testing the flight recorder or the flight 
recorder system. Any erasure made in 
accordance with this paragraph must 
be of the oldest recorded data accumu-
lated at the time of testing. Except as 
provided in paragraph (i) of this sec-
tion, no record need be kept more than 
60 days. 

(i) In the event of an accident or oc-

currence that requires immediate noti-
fication of the National Transportation 
Safety Board under part 830 of its regu-
lations and that results in termination 
of the flight, the certificate holder 
shall remove the recording media from 
the airplane and keep the recorded 
data required by paragraph (a), (b), (c), 
or (d) of this section, as appropriate, 
for at least 60 days or for a longer pe-
riod upon the request of the Board or 
the Administrator. 

(j) Each flight recorder required by 

this section must be installed in ac-
cordance with the requirements of 
§ 25.1459 of this chapter in effect on Au-
gust 31, 1977. The correlation required 
by § 25.1459(c) of this chapter need be 
established only on one airplane of any 
group of airplanes— 

(1) That are of the same type; 
(2) On which the model flight re-

corder and its installation are the 
same; and 

(3) On which there is no difference in 

the type design with respect to the in-
stallation of those first pilot’s instru-
ments associated with the flight re-
corder. The most recent instrument 
calibration, including the recording 
medium from which this calibration is 
derived, and the recorder correlation 
must be retained by the certificate 
holder. 

(k) Each flight recorder required by 

this section that records the data spec-
ified in paragraph (a), (b), (c), or (d) of 
this section, as appropriate, must have 
an approved device to assist in locating 
that recorder under water. 

(l) No person may operate an airplane 

specified in paragraph (b) of this sec-
tion that meets the Stage 2 noise levels 
of part 36 of this chapter and is subject 
to § 91.801(c) of this chapter unless it is 

equipped with one or more approved 
flight data recorders that utilize a dig-
ital method of recording and storing 
data and a method of readily retrieving 
that data from the storage medium. 
The information specified in para-
graphs (c)(1) through (c)(11) of this sec-
tion must be able to be determined 
within the ranges, accuracies and re-
cording intervals specified in appendix 
B of this part. In addition— 

(1) This flight data recorder must be 

installed at the next heavy mainte-
nance check after May 26, 1994, but no 
later than May 26, 1995. A heavy main-
tenance check is considered to be any 
time an aircraft is scheduled to be out 
of service for 4 or more days. 

(2) By June 23, 1994, each carrier must 

submit to the FAA Flight Standards 
Service, Air Transportation Division 
(AFS–200), documentation listing those 
airplanes covered under this paragraph 
and evidence that it has ordered a suf-
ficient number of flight data recorders 
to meet the May 26, 1995, compliance 
date for all aircraft on that list. 

(3) After May 26, 1994, any aircraft 

that is modified to meet Stage 3 noise 
levels must have the flight data re-
corder described in paragraph (c) of 
this section installed before operating 
under this part. 

(m) After August 20, 2001, this section 

applies only to the airplane models 
listed in § 121.344(l)(2). All other air-
planes must comply with the require-
ments of § 121.344, as applicable. 

[Doc. No. 24418, 52 FR 9636, Mar. 25, 1987, as 
amended by Amdt. 121–197, 53 FR 26147, July 
11, 1988; Amdt. 121–238, 59 FR 26900, May 24, 
1994; Amdt. 121–338, 73 FR 12565, Mar. 7, 2008] 

§ 121.344

Digital flight data recorders 

for transport category airplanes. 

(a) Except as provided in paragraph 

(l) of this section, no person may oper-
ate under this part a turbine-engine- 
powered transport category airplane 
unless it is equipped with one or more 
approved flight recorders that use a 
digital method of recording and storing 
data and a method of readily retrieving 
that data from the storage medium. 
The operational parameters required to 
be recorded by digital flight data re-
corders required by this section are as 

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