AMSA 490 – MIDTERM EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 100% PASS
2026/2027
The concept of common carriage is derived from - ANS · British common law. Common
carriage derives from the early application of British common law to the transportation and
hospitality (hotel/inn) industries. It has carried into US legal concepts through American
common law.
Private carriage is distinguished from common carriage primarily by - ANS transportation
(carriage) of only one or a very small number of parties. Private carriage is that transportation
(carriage) arranged between one party (or some other small number of parties) and the carrier.
AS the number of parties being provided carriage increases, the likelihood of common carriage
increases.
Which of the following is not an element of common carriage? - ANS · having a license or
certificate. It is not necessary that the carrier be licensed or certificated in order to be
determined to be a common carrier. It is only necessary that it hold out to the public that it is
willing to perform carriage for anyone from place to place for compensation or hire.
: Holding out to the public would include: - ANS ·Advertising, flyers in a campus student
union, and statements on a web page. Holding out as an air carrier can be done in any of a
number of ways. The key element is an indication to the public at large of a willingness to
perform transportation.
In analyzing a situation in which a private pilot is accused of acting illegally as a common carrier,
the FAA will, among other tests, look to see if the pilot - ANS had an independent interest in
2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
1
,taking the trip. The independent interest test looks specifically at whether the pilot had an
independent interest in taking the trip or was only interested in going if he or she received
money for the trip.
As a commercial pilot, acting individually and without further certificates, you may - ANS ·
charge a gas company to perform pipeline aerial spotter patrols. Answers (a), (b), and (d) all
involve carrying people for hire. Without an air carrier certificate (or meeting one of the small
exceptions allowed for private pilots) you would not be legal to perform these missions. Pipeline
patrol is one of the specific activities excluded from certification requirements by operation of
14 CFR 119.1(e)(4)(vi).
A company must operate under 14 CFR Part 121 if it is: - ANS · a domestic operation. A
domestic, flag, or supplemental operation must be conducted under Part 121 rules. Commuter
and on-demand operations are conducted under Part 135 rules.
A company operating turbo-propeller aircraft with 8 passenger seats and payload of 7,000lbs
three times a week between Los Angeles and Mexico City on a scheduled basis would need to
hold - ANS · a Part 135 operating certificate (which allows on-demand operations). Scheduled
operations using other than turbojet aircraft with nine or fewer passenger seats and a 7,500
pound or less payload capacity on fewer than five roundtrips per week according to published
schedule(s) fall under the purview of Part 135 of the regulations.
Assume you were found to be operating certificate. The potential penalty for this would be an
$11,000 fine for - ANS · each provision of Part 135 applicable to each flight conducted. The
rules applicable to unauthorized operators act as if to give you a certificate for the sole purpose
of holding you responsible for all things a certificate holder is responsible for. You would then be
fined for every section you were not complying with for each and every flight conducted. This
could easily amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars (or more) of potential fines.
Operational control is the concept that: - ANS The carrier, not the crew, is the final
determinant of how the aircraft is operated. It is a collaborative process, but ultimately, the
company controls its operations through personnel authorized to exercise operational control.
A supplemental operation is one that - ANS · conducts charter type (nonscheduled)
operations using aircraft having more than 30 seats and/or with more than 7,500lbs payload
capacity.
2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
2
, A commuter operation is one that - ANS conducts scheduled operations (five or more round
trips per week) in non-turbojet aircraft which have nine or fewer passenger seats or a payload
capacity of 7,500lbs or less.
A flag carrier must use weather sources approved by - ANS the Administrator of the FAA.
Part 121 air carriers must have the ability to communicate with a flight crew - ANS · at any
point in the route structure in a rapid and reliable fashion (14 CFR 121.99).
A flight follower differs from an aircraft dispatcher in that: - ANS a flight follower is not
required to be a certificated airman.
The purpose of operations specifications (or ops specs) is for the company to - ANS identify
to the FAA and itself how it will specifically comply with various provisions of the FARs. It is
available as guidance to all affected employees, management, and the FAA.
The FAA instituted which part in 1996 to further bring air carriers of both Parts 121 and 135
under the umbrella of "One level of safety"? - ANS 14 CFR Part 119; "one level of safety"
meaning that the FAA sought to narrow the gap in safety standards between Part 121 large
airplane operators and smaller charter and on-demand operators regulated under 14 CFR Part
135.
Operating under 14 CFR Part 121 - ANS · requires the carrier to comply with Part 91 as well as
Part 121 unless the requirements under Part 121 are more stringent than the Part 91
requirements. All operators must comply with the general operating rules contained in Part 91.
In addition, air carriers must also comply with the much more stringent rules contained in Part
121.
Ops specs must contain which of the following: - ANS · authorizations for various activities,
limitations tied to airports, time between maintenance limits, and procedures for accomplishing
various tasks. 14 CFR §119.49(a) sets forth the required contents of the operations
specifications.
2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
3
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 100% PASS
2026/2027
The concept of common carriage is derived from - ANS · British common law. Common
carriage derives from the early application of British common law to the transportation and
hospitality (hotel/inn) industries. It has carried into US legal concepts through American
common law.
Private carriage is distinguished from common carriage primarily by - ANS transportation
(carriage) of only one or a very small number of parties. Private carriage is that transportation
(carriage) arranged between one party (or some other small number of parties) and the carrier.
AS the number of parties being provided carriage increases, the likelihood of common carriage
increases.
Which of the following is not an element of common carriage? - ANS · having a license or
certificate. It is not necessary that the carrier be licensed or certificated in order to be
determined to be a common carrier. It is only necessary that it hold out to the public that it is
willing to perform carriage for anyone from place to place for compensation or hire.
: Holding out to the public would include: - ANS ·Advertising, flyers in a campus student
union, and statements on a web page. Holding out as an air carrier can be done in any of a
number of ways. The key element is an indication to the public at large of a willingness to
perform transportation.
In analyzing a situation in which a private pilot is accused of acting illegally as a common carrier,
the FAA will, among other tests, look to see if the pilot - ANS had an independent interest in
2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
1
,taking the trip. The independent interest test looks specifically at whether the pilot had an
independent interest in taking the trip or was only interested in going if he or she received
money for the trip.
As a commercial pilot, acting individually and without further certificates, you may - ANS ·
charge a gas company to perform pipeline aerial spotter patrols. Answers (a), (b), and (d) all
involve carrying people for hire. Without an air carrier certificate (or meeting one of the small
exceptions allowed for private pilots) you would not be legal to perform these missions. Pipeline
patrol is one of the specific activities excluded from certification requirements by operation of
14 CFR 119.1(e)(4)(vi).
A company must operate under 14 CFR Part 121 if it is: - ANS · a domestic operation. A
domestic, flag, or supplemental operation must be conducted under Part 121 rules. Commuter
and on-demand operations are conducted under Part 135 rules.
A company operating turbo-propeller aircraft with 8 passenger seats and payload of 7,000lbs
three times a week between Los Angeles and Mexico City on a scheduled basis would need to
hold - ANS · a Part 135 operating certificate (which allows on-demand operations). Scheduled
operations using other than turbojet aircraft with nine or fewer passenger seats and a 7,500
pound or less payload capacity on fewer than five roundtrips per week according to published
schedule(s) fall under the purview of Part 135 of the regulations.
Assume you were found to be operating certificate. The potential penalty for this would be an
$11,000 fine for - ANS · each provision of Part 135 applicable to each flight conducted. The
rules applicable to unauthorized operators act as if to give you a certificate for the sole purpose
of holding you responsible for all things a certificate holder is responsible for. You would then be
fined for every section you were not complying with for each and every flight conducted. This
could easily amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars (or more) of potential fines.
Operational control is the concept that: - ANS The carrier, not the crew, is the final
determinant of how the aircraft is operated. It is a collaborative process, but ultimately, the
company controls its operations through personnel authorized to exercise operational control.
A supplemental operation is one that - ANS · conducts charter type (nonscheduled)
operations using aircraft having more than 30 seats and/or with more than 7,500lbs payload
capacity.
2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
2
, A commuter operation is one that - ANS conducts scheduled operations (five or more round
trips per week) in non-turbojet aircraft which have nine or fewer passenger seats or a payload
capacity of 7,500lbs or less.
A flag carrier must use weather sources approved by - ANS the Administrator of the FAA.
Part 121 air carriers must have the ability to communicate with a flight crew - ANS · at any
point in the route structure in a rapid and reliable fashion (14 CFR 121.99).
A flight follower differs from an aircraft dispatcher in that: - ANS a flight follower is not
required to be a certificated airman.
The purpose of operations specifications (or ops specs) is for the company to - ANS identify
to the FAA and itself how it will specifically comply with various provisions of the FARs. It is
available as guidance to all affected employees, management, and the FAA.
The FAA instituted which part in 1996 to further bring air carriers of both Parts 121 and 135
under the umbrella of "One level of safety"? - ANS 14 CFR Part 119; "one level of safety"
meaning that the FAA sought to narrow the gap in safety standards between Part 121 large
airplane operators and smaller charter and on-demand operators regulated under 14 CFR Part
135.
Operating under 14 CFR Part 121 - ANS · requires the carrier to comply with Part 91 as well as
Part 121 unless the requirements under Part 121 are more stringent than the Part 91
requirements. All operators must comply with the general operating rules contained in Part 91.
In addition, air carriers must also comply with the much more stringent rules contained in Part
121.
Ops specs must contain which of the following: - ANS · authorizations for various activities,
limitations tied to airports, time between maintenance limits, and procedures for accomplishing
various tasks. 14 CFR §119.49(a) sets forth the required contents of the operations
specifications.
2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
3
