14 CFR § 121.617 - Alternate airport for departure.
---identifier: "/us/cfr/t14/s121.617"source: "ecfr"legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"title: "14 CFR § 121.617 - Alternate airport for departure."title_number: 14title_name: "Aeronautics and Space"section_number: "121.617"section_name: "Alternate airport for departure."chapter_name: "FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION"subchapter_number: "G"subchapter_name: "AIR CARRIERS AND OPERATORS FOR COMPENSATION OR HIRE: CERTIFICATION AND OPERATIONS"part_number: "121"part_name: "OPERATING REQUIREMENTS: DOMESTIC, FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONS"positive_law: falsecurrency: "2026-04-05"last_updated: "2026-04-05"format_version: "1.1.0"generator: "[email protected]"authority: "49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40103, 40113, 40119, 41706, 42301 preceding note added by Pub. L. 112-95, sec. 412, 126 Stat. 89, 44101, 44701-44702, 44705, 44709-44711, 44713, 44716-44717, 44722, 44729, 44732; 46105; Pub. L. 111-216, 124 Stat. 2348 (49 U.S.C. 44701 note); Pub. L. 112-95, 126 Stat. 62 (49 U.S.C. 44732 note); Pub. L. 115-254, 132 Stat. 3186 (49 U.S.C. 44701 note)."cfr_part: "121"---
Identifier
/us/cfr/t14/s121.617
Currency
2026-04-05
Positive Law
No
Updated
2026-04-05
Chapter
Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation
Authority
49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40103, 40113, 40119, 41706, 42301 preceding note added by Pub. L. 112-95, sec. 412, 126 Stat. 89, 44101, 44701-44702, 44705, 44709-44711, 44713, 44716-44717, 44722, 44729, 44732; 461... 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40103, 40113, 40119, 41706, 42301 preceding note added by Pub. L. 112-95, sec. 412, 126 Stat. 89, 44101, 44701-44702, 44705, 44709-44711, 44713, 44716-44717, 44722, 44729, 44732; 46105; Pub. L. 111-216, 124 Stat. 2348 (49 U.S.C. 44701 note); Pub. L. 112-95, 126 Stat. 62 (49 U.S.C. 44732 note); Pub. L. 115-254, 132 Stat. 3186 (49 U.S.C. 44701 note).
# 121.617 Alternate airport for departure.(a) If the weather conditions at the airport of takeoff are below the landing minimums in the certificate holder's operations specifications for that airport, no person may dispatch or release an aircraft from that airport unless the dispatch or flight release specifies an alternate airport located within the following distances from the airport of takeoff:(1) *Aircraft having two engines.* Not more than one hour from the departure airport at normal cruising speed in still air with one engine inoperative.(2) *Aircraft having three or more engines.* Not more than two hours from the departure airport at normal cruising speed in still air with one engine inoperative.(b) For the purpose of paragraph (a) of this section, the alternate airport weather conditions must meet the requirements of the certificate holder's operations specifications.(c) No person may dispatch or release an aircraft from an airport unless he lists each required alternate airport in the dispatch or flight release.