This from our friends at AOPA about ELTs As of February 1, 2009, the international COSPAS-SARSAT satellite system will discontinue satellite-based monitoring of the 121.5/243-MHz frequencies, in part because of a high number of false signals attributed with these frequencies. While there's no requirement in the United States to replace the first- and second-generation 121.5-MHz ELTs, after this date, 121.5/243-MHz distress signals transmitted from ELTs operating on the lower frequency will only be detected by ground-based receivers such as local airport facilities and air traffic control facilities or by overflying aircraft. It is important to note that after 2009, existing 121.5-MHz ELTs, although still legal from the FAA's perspective, will provide extremely limited assistance if an aircraft crashes, especially in a remote location. Bottom Line If you just want to be legal - 121.5 If you want to be found - 406 If you have a 406 MHz ELT, it must be registered - if - you want someone to come save you! |
Limitations, Placards, Flight Manuals From Advisory Circular 60-6B - Flight Instructors should emphasize civil aircraft operating limitations and markings as a part of student pilot training in the general operating rules of Part 91, and help each student become familiar with the information available to them in the Type Certificate Data Sheets or the Aircraft Specifications. Prior to operating a civil airplane, pilots must assure that there is available in that airplane either a current AFM or approved manual materials, if required, along with necessary markings and placards. If you have any uncertainty about specific requirements for a given airplane, clear up that uncertainty through one of the above sources before you fly. Flight Manual Supplements (FMS) may be required due to optional equipment installed by the manufacturer under factory installed Service Bulletins or Modifications Status. If so, the original AFM should reference these modifications and indicate the required FMS for each. If the aircraft is modified or altered by Supplemental Type Certificate or Field Approval, any required FMS would be listed on the 337 Record of Major Alteration for that change. As a side note, the 337 will list any additional maintenance limitations or Instructions for Continued Airworthiness. |
VOR accuracy checks 91.171 - If your aircraft is IFR equipped and has Nav radio(s), the indications must be checked for accuracy every 30 days and documented somewhere in the records. Not applicable if you only fly VFR. |
Compass Correction Card 23.1547 - Required |
Altimeter Correction Card 23.1325 e & g, 43 Appendix E - IFR flight requires a 24 month cycle 91.411 altimeter inspection. Altimeter functions are not always linear so your inspection facility will supply a Correction Card which should be available to the pilot in flight. Having the Altimeter Correction Card(s) available to the pilot in flight is an Industry Best Practice and not regulatory. |
Navigation Database Like paper charts, airborne navigation databases are ubject to revision. Pilots using the databases are ultimately responsible for ensuring that the database they are operating with is current. This includes checking “NOTAM-type information” concerning errors that user is responsible for learning how the specific navigation equipment handles the navigation database. Information published on current aeronautical charts must be used in cases where discrepancies or uncertainties exist with a navigation database. Under the current rules, nav data updating is classified as preventive maintenance. Whoever updates the nav database must make an entry in the aircraft’s documents, and there are other requirements: (1) No disassembly of the unit is required. (2) The pilot has written procedures available to perform and evaluate the accomplishment of the task. (3) The database is contained in a field-loadable configuration and imaged on a medium, such as a compact disc read-only memory (CD–ROM), synchronous dynamic random- access memory (SDRAM) or other nonvolatile memory that contains database files that are non-corruptible upon loading and where integrity of the load can be assured and verified by the pilot upon completing the loading sequences. (4) Records of when such database uploads have occurred, the revision number of the software and who performed the upload must be maintained. (5) The data to be uploaded must not contain system operating software revisions. |