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Rod Machado’s Private/Commercial Pilot Handbook
6-48

FAR 91.303 Aerobatic Flight
Aerobatic flight is defined as an intentional maneuver involving an abrupt change in
an aircraft’s altitude, an abnormal attitude, or abnormal acceleration, not necessary
for normal flight (from that description, it sounds like I was doing aerobatic flight
on every solo flight as a student pilot). If you intend on doing aerobatic flight as
it’s defined, then you must comply with the following rules.
First, you may not conduct aerobatic flight over a congested area of a city, town
or settlement. Nor can you conduct aerobatic flight over an open air assembly
of persons or when less than 1,500 feet above the surface or when the flight
visibility is less than three statute miles. You may not conduct aerobatic
flight within the lateral boundaries of the surface areas of Class B, C, D
or E airspace designated for an airport. (The surface area for these class-
es of airspace is identified on your aeronautical sectional chart by dashed
or solid lines. You’ll learn more about airspace identification in the air-
space chapter.)
If you’re thinking about doing aerobatic flight within four nautical miles
of the centerline of a Federal Airway, think again. This isn’t allowed. The last
thing the FAA wants is some guy doing loops on a crowded highway-in-the-sky.
Aerobatics is plane fun and you’ll be easily hooked. In fact, it’s amazing to me that there isn’t a special wing at the
Betty Ford Center for aerobatic withdrawals! Trust me, you’ll have tons of fun, even with these restrictions.

FAR 91.307 Parachutes and Parachuting
Pilots often confuse the parachute rule with the aerobatic flight rule. The parachute rule states that unless each
occupant of the aircraft is wearing an approved parachute, no pilot carrying any person, other than a crewmember,
may execute any intentional maneuver that exceeds a bank of
60° relative to the horizon or a nose-up or nose-down attitude Exceeding either of these pitch and bank limits
means you everyone on board is required to
of 30° relative to the horizon (Figure 67).
have a parachute.
The aerobatic flight rule (FAR 91.303) never mentions
the aircraft’s pitch or bank. It only talks about abrupt or
abnormal maneuvers or accelerations. It’s technically possi-
ble to perform an aerobatic maneuver and not be required
to wear a parachute. Simply pointing the nose downward at
a 29° angle and radically pulling up to 29° might be consid-
ered an aerobatic maneuver since it’s abrupt and certainly Fig. 67
abnormal. It doesn’t, however, If you are alone,
BACKPACK require a parachute. I use this example only for no parachute is
PARACHUTES clarification; do not attempt to do this at home. required if you
Without a doubt, a snap roll, loop or Cuban Eight is an exceed these limits.
aerobatic maneuvers requiring parachutes.
If you are by yourself in an aircraft, parachutes are never required regard-
less of the aircraft’s pitch and bank. The FAA figures that you have enough
common sense to measure risk for yourself. When it comes to the passengers,
though, they aren’t betting on your risk assessment abilities.
Parachutes are not required when on flight tests for pilot certifica-
tion. They are not required when practicing spins or other flight
maneuvers required by regulations when given by a certified flight
instructor.
If you’re thinking about carrying any parachute in your airplane,
then it must be an approved type and have been packed by a certifi-
cated and appropriately rated parachute rigger within either 180
days (if its canopy, shrouds, and harness are composed exclusively of
nylon, rayon, or other similar synthetic fiber or materials that are
substantially resistant to damage from mold, mildew, or other fungi
and other rotting agents propagated in a moist environment) or 60 days
© get4art
(for silks, pongees or other natural fibers).