(a) For the purposes of this section and §121.413:

(1) A check airman (airplane) is a person who is qualified, and permitted, to conduct flight checks or instruction in an airplane, in an FFS, or in a flight training device for a particular type airplane.

(2) A check airman (simulator) is a person who is qualified to conduct flight checks or instruction, but only in an FFS or in a flight training device for a particular type airplane.

(3) Check airmen (airplane) and check airmen (simulator) are those check airmen who perform the functions described in §121.401(a)(4).

(b) No certificate holder may use a person, nor may any person serve as a check airman (airplane) in a training program established under this subpart unless, with respect to the airplane type involved, that person—

(1) Holds the airman certificates and ratings required to serve as a pilot in command or flight engineer, as applicable, in operations under this part;

(2) Has satisfactorily completed the appropriate training phases for the airplane, including recurrent training, that are required to serve as a pilot in command or flight engineer, as applicable, in operations under this part;

(3) Has satisfactorily completed the appropriate proficiency or flight checks that are required to serve as a pilot in command or flight engineer, as applicable, in operations under this part;

(4) Has satisfactorily completed the applicable training requirements of §121.413 including inflight training and practice for initial and transition training;

(5) Holds at least a Class III medical certificate unless serving as a required crewmember, in which case holds a Class I or Class II medical certificate as appropriate;

(6) Has satisfied the recency of experience requirements of §121.439 of this part, as applicable; and

(7) Has been approved by the Administrator for the check airman duties involved.

(c) No certificate holder may use a person nor may any person serve as a check airman (simulator) in a training program established under this subpart unless, with respect to the airplane type involved, that person meets the provisions of paragraph (b) of this section, or—

(1) Holds the airman certificates and ratings, except medical certificate, required to serve as a pilot in command or a flight engineer, as applicable, in operations under this part;

(2) Has satisfactorily completed the appropriate training phases for the airplane, including recurrent training, that are required to serve as a pilot in command or flight engineer, as applicable, in operations under this part;

(3) Has satisfactorily completed the appropriate proficiency or flight checks that are required to serve as a pilot in command or flight engineer, as applicable, in operations under this part;

(4) Has satisfactorily completed the applicable training requirements of §121.413; and

(5) Has been approved by the Administrator for the check airman (simulator) duties involved.

(d) Completion of the requirements in paragraphs (b) (2), (3), and (4) or (c) (2), (3), and (4) of this section, as applicable, shall be entered in the individual's training record maintained by the certificate holder.

(e) Check airmen who have reached their 65th birthday or who do not hold an appropriate medical certificate may function as check airmen, but may not serve as pilot flightcrew members in operations under this part.

(f) A check airman (simulator) must accomplish the following—

(1) Fly at least two flight segments as a required crewmember for the type airplane involved within the 12-month period preceding the performance of any check airman duty in an FFS; or

(2) Satisfactorily complete an approved line-observation program within the period prescribed by that program and that must precede the performance of any check airman duty in an FFS.

(g) The flight segments or line-observation program required in paragraph (f) of this section are considered to be completed in the month required if completed in the calendar month before or in the calendar month after the month in which it is due.

[Doc. No. 28471, 61 FR 30741, June 17, 1996, as amended by Amdt. 121-344, 74 FR 34235, July 15, 2009; Amdt. 121-366, 78 FR 67837, Nov. 12, 2013; Amdt. 121-382, 85 FR 10922, Feb. 25, 2020]