Definition
A specific paragraph within Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 23, that established the certification rules for determining and demonstrating the minimum control speed (VMC) of multiengine airplanes during the airworthiness certification process. It defined the conditions under which the manufacturer must show the airplane is controllable with one engine inoperative, including bank angle, power, configuration, and weight assumptions used when establishing the published VMC.
Plain English
It is a specific rule the FAA used when certifying twin-engine airplanes. It tells the manufacturer exactly how to test and prove the lowest speed at which the airplane can still be controlled if one engine quits. The VMC number you see in the airplane's manual comes from following this rule.
Context Anchor
Seen in VMC demonstration discussions for multiengine training, especially when explaining that the published VMC is based on specific certification test conditions.
Derivation
This is a regulation citation, not a normal word origin. “23” refers to Part 23 airworthiness standards, “149” points to the section on minimum control speed, and “(e)” points to one specific subsection within that rule.
Why Pilots Care
Knowing the regulatory standard helps a pilot understand the exact limits and configuration the airplane was tested to during its VMC demonstration.
Grounding Statement
Picture one engine producing takeoff power and the other no longer helping: section 23.149(e) is about whether the pilot can still stop the yaw and recover without extreme force or skill.
Intuition Check
Do not read section 23.149(e) as a maneuver step or a training procedure. It is a certification rule that explains how controllability at VMC is judged under specified test conditions.
Example Sentence 1
The published VMC for this airplane was determined under the conditions specified in section 23.149(e), which assumed a 5-degree bank toward the operating engine.
Example Sentence 2
Before attempting the maneuver, the instructor reviews section 23.149(e) to confirm the proper bank angle and power settings.