Definition
Part 119 of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR Part 119) sets out the certification requirements for air carriers and commercial operators. It defines who must hold an Air Carrier Certificate or Operating Certificate, distinguishes between the categories of operators (such as those operating under Part 121 and Part 135), and establishes the operational and management standards they must meet to be authorized by the FAA to conduct commercial flight operations.
Plain English
Part 119 is the FAA rulebook that decides who is allowed to fly people or cargo for hire. It sorts commercial operators into categories and sets the basic rules they must follow to be certified.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA handbooks and regulations when distinguishing private flying from commercial or airline-style operations, including discussions of approved weather information sources for certificate holders.
Derivation
Part comes from the Latin word pars, meaning a portion or section. In aviation regulations, a “part” is one numbered section of the federal rules; “119” is the specific section number.
Why Pilots Care
It determines the exact standards and approved weather sources an operator is required to use for safe flight planning and dispatch.
Intuition Check
Do not read “Part 119” as a physical part of an aircraft. Here, “Part” means a numbered section of the federal aviation regulations.
Example Sentence 1
Before the charter company could begin flying paying passengers, it had to obtain an Operating Certificate under Part 119.
Example Sentence 2
Dispatch reviewed the Part 119 requirements before releasing the flight to confirm all weather briefing procedures were followed.