(a) An applicant for an airport operating certificate must prepare, and submit with an application, an airport certification manual for approval by the Administrator. Only those items addressing subjects required for certification under this part shall be included in the airport certification manual.

(b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, each certificate holder shall comply with an approved airport certification manual that meets the requirements of §§139.203 and 139.205.

(c) A certificate holder with an approved airport operations manual on December 31, 1987, may use the manual in lieu of the manual required by paragraph (b) of this section until December 31, 1988. Until the certificate holder has an approved airport certification manual, it shall comply with §139.207 as if that section applied to its airport operations manual.