(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section for a certificate holder conducting flag operations, no person may dispatch an airplane over an approved route or route segment unless the communication and navigation facilities required by §§ 121.99 and 121.103 for the approval of that route or segment are in satisfactory operating condition.

(b) If, because of technical reasons or other reasons beyond the control of a certificate holder conducting flag operations, the facilities required by §§ 121.99 and 121.103 are not available over a route or route segment outside the United States, the certificate holder may dispatch an airplane over that route or route segment if the pilot in command and dispatcher find that communication and navigation facilities equal to those required are available and are in satisfactory operating condition.