(a) Except for commuter category airplanes, no person may operate a large airplane unless it meets the additional airworthiness requirements of §§ 121.213 through 121.283 and 121.307 of this chapter.
(b) No person may operate a small airplane that has a passenger-seating configuration, excluding pilot seats, of 10 seats or more unless it is type certificated -
(1) In the transport category;
(2) Before July 1, 1970, in the normal category and meets special conditions issued by the Administrator for airplanes intended for use in operations under this part;
(3) Before July 19, 1970, in the normal category and meets the additional airworthiness standards in Special Federal Aviation Regulation No. 23;
(4) In the normal category and meets the additional airworthiness standards in appendix A;
(5) In the normal category and complies with section 1.(a) of Special Federal Aviation Regulation No. 41;
(6) In the normal category and complies with section 1.(b) of Special Federal Aviation Regulation No. 41;
(7) In the commuter category; or
(8) In the normal category, as a multi-engine certification level 4 airplane as defined in part 23 of this chapter.
(c) No person may operate a small airplane with a passenger seating configuration, excluding any pilot seat, of 10 seats or more, with a seating configuration greater than the maximum seating configuration used in that type airplane in operations under this part before August 19, 1977. This paragraph does not apply to -
(1) An airplane that is type certificated in the transport category; or
(2) An airplane that complies with -
(i) Appendix A of this part provided that its passenger seating configuration, excluding pilot seats, does not exceed 19 seats; or
(ii) Special Federal Aviation Regulation No. 41.
(d) Cargo or baggage compartments:
(1) After March 20, 1991, each Class C or D compartment, as defined in § 25.857 of part 25 of this chapter, greater than 200 cubic feet in volume in a transport category airplane type certificated after January 1, 1958, must have ceiling and sidewall panels which are constructed of:
(i) Glass fiber reinforced resin;
(ii) Materials which meet the test requirements of part 25, appendix F, part III of this chapter; or
(iii) In the case of liner installations approved prior to March 20, 1989, aluminum.
(2) For compliance with this paragraph, the term “liner” includes any design feature, such as a joint or fastener, which would affect the capability of the liner to safely contain a fire.
[Doc. No. 16097, 43 FR 46783, Oct. 10, 1978, as amended by Amdt. 135-2, 44 FR 53731, Sept. 17, 1979; Amdt. 135-21, 52 FR 1836, Jan. 15, 1987; 52 FR 34745, Sept. 14, 1987; Amdt. 135-31, 54 FR 7389, Feb. 17, 1989; Amdt. 135-55, 60 FR 6628, Feb. 2, 1995; Docket FAA-2015-1621, Amdt. 135-136, 81 FR 96701, Dec. 30, 2016]