(a) Multiengine airplanes with 10 or more passenger seats. After December 5, 2007, a foreign air carrier or foreign person may not operate a U.S.-registered multiengine airplane initially type certificated with 10 or more passenger seats under this part unless the maintenance program for that airplane includes damage-tolerance-based inspections and procedures. Paragraphs (c), (d), and (e) of this section list the exceptions to this requirement.

(b) Multiengine airplanes with nine or fewer passenger seats. After December 20, 2010, a foreign air carrier or foreign person may not operate a U.S.-registered multiengine airplane initially type certificated with nine or fewer passenger seats under this part unless the inspection program for that airplane includes service-history-based inspections and procedures. Paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section list the exceptions to this requirement.

(c) New model added through type certificate amendment. This paragraph applies to each U.S.-registered multiengine airplane initially type certificated with 10 or more passenger seats that is added to a type certificate after December 8, 2003, that has a certification basis that does not include a requirement for damage-tolerance-based inspections and procedures. A foreign air carrier or foreign person may not operate that airplane more than 4 years after the date of the type certificate amendment unless the maintenance program for that airplane includes damage-tolerance-based inspections and procedures.

(d) Design-life goal airplanes. If on or after December 5, 2007, the time in service of the airplane reaches the design-life goal listed in appendix B to this part, the foreign air carrier or foreign person may operate the airplane until the airplane's time in service reaches the design-life goal or until December 20, 2010, whichever occurs sooner. After that date, the foreign air carrier or foreign person may not operate the airplane unless it complies with paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) of this section.

(e) Airworthiness directive-mandated service-history-based inspections. Until December 20, 2010, a foreign air carrier or foreign person may operate a U.S.-registered multiengine airplane initially type certificated with 10 or more passenger seats and for which an airworthiness directive requires the maintenance program to include service-history-based inspections and procedures. After that date, the foreign air carrier or foreign person may not operate the airplane unless the maintenance program for that airplane includes damage-tolerance-based inspections and procedures.

(f) Approvals. The inspections and procedures required by this section to be included in the certificate holder's maintenance program for an airplane must be approved by the FAA Aircraft Certification Office or office of the Small Aircraft Directorate or Transport Airplane Directorate having cognizance over the type certificate for the affected airplane.