FAA Federal Aviation Regulations (FARS, 14 CFR)

(a) The positive limit maneuvering load factor n may not be less than --

(1) 2.1+(24,000÷(W+10,000)) for normal and commuter category airplanes, where W=design maximum takeoff weight, except that n need not be more than 3.8;

(2) 4.4 for utility category airplanes; or

(3) 6.0 for acrobatic category airplanes.

(b) The negative limit maneuvering load factor may not be less than --

(1) 0.4 times the positive load factor for the normal utility and commuter categories; or

(2) 0.5 times the positive load factor for the acrobatic category.

(c) Maneuvering load factors lower than those specified in this section may be used if the airplane has design features that make it impossible to exceed these values in flight.

[Doc. No. 4080, 29 FR 17955, Dec. 18, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 23-7, 34 FR 13088, Aug. 13, 1969; Amdt. 23-34, 52 FR 1829, Jan. 15, 1987; Amdt. 23-48, 61 FR 5144, Feb. 9, 1996]