Air Carriers
There are two types of certificates issued by the federal government to air carriers in the United States. Air Carrier Operating Certificates are issued by the FAA under Part 121 of the FARs to carriers operating aircraft for hire with 10 or more seats. The compliance requirements of Part 121 are numerous, but the two major areas addressed are the training of flight crews and aircraft maintenance programs. Air Carrier Fitness Certificates, also referred to as Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity, are issued by DOT, not the FAA, and establish that the carrier has shown that it has the financial capacity and management expertise to carry on a scheduled airline operation. These are required only of carriers operating aircraft with 61 or more seats. While some Fitness Certificates authorize only cargo operations, the majority of such certificates apply to both passenger and cargo operations.