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2 Answers

What’s the difference between….

Asked by: 4791 views , , , ,
FAA Regulations, General Aviation

What's the difference between:

- Special Airworthiness certificate

- Letter of authorization

- Special flight permit

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2 Answers



  1. Mark Kolber on May 13, 2014

    A special airworthiness certificate is a group of authorizations for non-standard aircraft, such as amateur-build aircraft. It’s often permanent (such as with amateur built aircraft ), or i =t might be temporary, such as..

    a special flight permit is essentially a sun-group of special airworthiness certificate for various purposes. It might take the form of a ferry permit or an authorization for production aircraft flight testing.

    A letter of authorization is also a group of authorizations for various purposes, although they are probably more typically authorizations to engage in certain types of operations, rather than associated with particular aircraft. There’s a pretty wide variety For example, educational institutions are issued LOAs for certifying graduates under the new ATP rules (61.169), operators may be issued LOA for flying in iraq (91.1605), and LOAs are issued for certain commercial air tours (136.6).

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  2. Kris Kortokrax on May 13, 2014

    Special Flight Permits are described in 21.197.
    Airworthiness Certificates are described in 21.183 through 21.195

    A much more detailed description can be found in FAA Order 8130.2G. It is available on fsims.faa.gov.

    Letters of Authorization are also described in Order 8900.1 (fsims.faa.gov). As Mark noted, they are issued for a multitude of reasons.

    Many are issued to Part 91 operators to allow flight in RVSM airspace, flight across the Atlantic in MNPS airspace, using an MMEL as an MEL, using ADS-B and CPDLC.

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