Definition
A specific rule within Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 121, that requires air carriers operating scheduled passenger service to provide pilot-in-command qualification training for designated special airports and special areas or routes. Under this rule, a pilot-in-command must either have made an entry into the special airport (or flown the special area/route) within the preceding 12 months as a pilot, or must complete a qualification program — such as pictorial presentations, slides, video, or other approved methods — that covers the special operational considerations of that location.
Plain English
Before a captain at an airline can fly into certain tricky airports or routes, they must either have flown there in the last 12 months or complete special training about that place. This rule spells out that requirement.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA handbook discussions, airline manuals, training records, and company procedures when explaining why a captain needs specific qualification before operating into a special airport or area.
Derivation
‘14 CFR’ refers to Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations — the part of U.S. federal law dealing with aeronautics and space. ‘Part 121’ covers scheduled airline operations. ‘121.443’ is simply the section number within that part. Knowing the structure helps because the number itself tells you where to find the rule: Title 14, Part 121, Section 443.
Why Pilots Care
Failure to meet this qualification can prevent a pilot from flying a scheduled trip and helps ensure safe handling of complex airport environments.
Analogy
Think of the citation like a street address for a rule: Title 14 is the city, Part 121 is the neighborhood, and 121.443 is the exact house.
Intuition Check
Do not read “Part” as a piece of the airplane. In this term, “Part 121” means a numbered group of FAA rules, and “121.443” means one exact rule section inside that group.
Example Sentence 1
Under 14 CFR 121.443, the captain completed a video briefing on the mountainous approach before her first scheduled flight into the special airport.
Example Sentence 2
During recurrent training the crew reviewed the special procedures required by 14 CFR Part 121 — 121.443 for the upcoming destination.