FAR 91.701 — International Operations Applicability

FAR 91.701 is the gateway rule for Subpart H of Part 91, which covers foreign operations. It tells you when the rules in this subpart apply to you and your aircraft.

Specifically, Subpart H applies to:

• Operations of civil aircraft of U.S. registry outside of the United States, and
• Operations of foreign civil aircraft within the United States.

In other words, if you're flying an N-registered airplane internationally, or if a foreign-registered aircraft is flying inside U.S. airspace, the requirements in Subpart H come into play.

The regulation also calls out § 91.702 (Authority to act for the pilot in command), which has a broader reach. It applies to each person on board an aircraft when:

• It's a U.S.-registered civil aircraft operated outside the United States, or
• It's any aircraft operated outside the U.S. whose next scheduled destination or last departure point is in the United States, if the aircraft next lands in the U.S., or
• The aircraft lands in the United States with the individual still on board, whether the landing was planned or not.

This matters operationally because it sets the jurisdictional scope before you ever look at the substantive international flight rules — you need to know whether Subpart H reaches your flight at all.