14 CFR 135.151 -- Cockpit voice recorders.

10/11/23, 11:46 AM

eCFR :: 14 CFR 135.151 -- Cockpit voice recorders. (FAR 135.151)

§ 135.151 Cockpit voice recorders.
(a)  No person may operate a multiengine, turbine-powered airplane or rotorcraft having a passenger seating
configuration of six or more and for which two pilots are required by certification or operating rules unless
it is equipped with an approved cockpit voice recorder that:
(1)  Is installed in compliance with § 23.1457(a)(1) and (2), (b), (c), (d)(1)(i), (2) and (3), (e), (f),
and (g); § 25.1457(a)(1) and (2), (b), (c), (d)(1)(i), (2) and (3), (e), (f), and (g), § 27.1457(a)
(1) and (2), (b), (c), (d)(1)(i), (2) and (3), (e), (f), and (g); or § 29.1457(a)(1) and (2), (b), (c), (d)(1)
(i), (2) and (3), (e), (f), and (g) of this chapter, as applicable; and
(2)  Is operated continuously from the use of the check list before the flight to completion of the final
check list at the end of the flight.
(b)  No person may operate a multiengine, turbine-powered airplane or rotorcraft having a passenger seating
configuration of 20 or more seats unless it is equipped with an approved cockpit voice recorder that—
(1)  Is installed in accordance with the requirements of § 23.1457 (except paragraphs (a)(6), (d)(1)(ii),
(4), and (5)); § 25.1457 (except paragraphs (a)(6), (d)(1)(ii), (4), and (5)); § 27.1457 (except
paragraphs (a)(6), (d)(1)(ii), (4), and (5)); or § 29.1457 (except paragraphs (a)(6), (d)(1)(ii), (4), and
(5)) of this chapter, as applicable; and
(2)  Is operated continuously from the use of the check list before the flight to completion of the final
check list at the end of the flight.
(c)  In the event of an accident, or occurrence requiring immediate notification of the National Transportation
Safety Board which results in termination of the flight, the certificate holder shall keep the recorded
information for at least 60 days or, if requested by the Administrator or the Board, for a longer period.
Information obtained from the record may be used to assist in determining the cause of accidents or
occurrences in connection with investigations. The Administrator does not use the record in any civil
penalty or certificate action.
(d)  For those aircraft equipped to record the uninterrupted audio signals received by a boom or a mask
microphone the flight crewmembers are required to use the boom microphone below 18,000 feet mean
sea level. No person may operate a large turbine engine powered airplane manufactured after October
11, 1991, or on which a cockpit voice recorder has been installed after October 11, 1991, unless it is
equipped to record the uninterrupted audio signal received by a boom or mask microphone in
accordance with § 25.1457(c)(5) of this chapter.
(e)  In complying with this section, an approved cockpit voice recorder having an erasure feature may be
used, so that during the operation of the recorder, information:
(1)  Recorded in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section and recorded more than 15 minutes
earlier; or
(2)  Recorded in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section and recorded more than 30 minutes
earlier; may be erased or otherwise obliterated.
(f)  By April 7, 2012, all airplanes subject to paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) of this section that are
manufactured before April 7, 2010, and that are required to have a flight data recorder installed in
accordance with § 135.152, must have a cockpit voice recorder that also—
(1)  Meets the requirements in § 23.1457(d)(6) or § 25.1457(d)(6) of this chapter, as applicable; and
(2)  If transport category, meet the requirements in § 25.1457(a)(3), (a)(4), and (a)(5) of this chapter.
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-G/part-135/subpart-C/section-135.151

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10/11/23, 11:46 AM

eCFR :: 14 CFR 135.151 -- Cockpit voice recorders. (FAR 135.151)

(g)
(1)  No person may operate a multiengine, turbine-powered airplane or rotorcraft that is manufactured
on or after April 7, 2010, that has a passenger seating configuration of six or more seats, for which
two pilots are required by certification or operating rules, and that is required to have a flight data
recorder under § 135.152, unless it is equipped with an approved cockpit voice recorder that also—
(i)  Is installed in accordance with the requirements of § 23.1457 (except for paragraph (a)(6)); §
25.1457 (except for paragraph (a)(6)); § 27.1457 (except for paragraph (a)(6)); or §
29.1457 (except for paragraph (a)(6)) of this chapter, as applicable; and
(ii)  Is operated continuously from the use of the check list before the flight, to completion of the
final check list at the end of the flight; and
(iii)  Retains at least the last 2 hours of recorded information using a recorder that meets the
standards of TSO–C123a, or later revision.
(iv)  For all airplanes or rotorcraft manufactured on or after December 6, 2010, also meets the
requirements of § 23.1457(a)(6); § 25.1457(a)(6); § 27.1457(a)(6); or § 29.457(a)(6) of this
chapter, as applicable.
(2)  No person may operate a multiengine, turbine-powered airplane or rotorcraft that is manufactured
on or after April 7, 2010, has a passenger seating configuration of 20 or more seats, and that is
required to have a flight data recorder under § 135.152, unless it is equipped with an approved
cockpit voice recorder that also—
(i)  Is installed in accordance with the requirements of § 23.1457 (except for paragraph (a)(6)); §
25.1457 (except for paragraph (a)(6)); § 27.1457 (except for paragraph (a)(6)); or §
29.1457 (except for paragraph (a)(6)) of this chapter, as applicable; and
(ii)  Is operated continuously from the use of the check list before the flight, to completion of the
final check list at the end of the flight; and
(iii)  Retains at least the last 2 hours of recorded information using a recorder that meets the
standards of TSO–C123a, or later revision.
(iv)  For all airplanes or rotorcraft manufactured on or after December 6, 2010, also meets the
requirements of § 23.1457(a)(6); § 25.1457(a)(6); § 27.1457(a)(6); or § 29.457(a)(6) of this
chapter, as applicable.
(h)  All airplanes or rotorcraft required by this part to have a cockpit voice recorder and a flight data recorder,
that install datalink communication equipment on or after December 6, 2010, must record all datalink
messages as required by the certification rule applicable to the aircraft.
[Doc. No. 16097, 43 FR 46783, Oct. 10, 1978, as amended by Amdt. 135–23, 52 FR 9637, Mar. 25, 1987; Amdt.
135–26, 53 FR 26151, July 11, 1988; Amdt. 135–60, 61 FR 2616, Jan. 26, 1996; Amdt. 135–113, 73 FR 12570,
Mar. 7, 2008; Amdt. 135–113, 74 FR 32801, July 9, 2009; Amdt. 135–121, 75 FR 17046, Apr. 5, 2010]

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-G/part-135/subpart-C/section-135.151

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