Not Unlimited

Missing operating limitations.

1

If you take a look at the special airworthiness certificate that is issued for an Experimental/Amateur-Built aircraft, you will see the comment that it must be accompanied by the operating limitations. That means the operating limitations must be in the aircraft at all times. They do not have to be displayed, as does the airworthiness certificate. I find too many airplanes, especially those that have changed hands, to be missing the operating limitations. By the way, if you change your N-number, you will have to be issued a new airworthiness certificate and new operating limitations so they match again.

It is now possible for DARs and FSDO inspectors to generate the airworthiness certificate and operating limitations as one document, so hopefully this problem will dwindle in the future.

Previous articleAn Aviating Day
Next articleIndoor Aviating at Mojave
Vic Syracuse
Vic is a fixed-wing and helicopter commercial pilot, CFII with ASMEL/ASES ratings, an A&P/IA, DAR, and EAA technical advisor and flight counselor. Passionately involved in aviation for over 40 years, he has built 11 aircraft and logged over 10,000 hours in 72 different kinds of aircraft. Vic volunteers as a Young Eagle pilot, has his own sport aviation business called Base Leg Aviation, and has written two books on aircraft prebuy and condition inspections.

1 COMMENT

  1. Is there any consequence to the typo in the example that issued the Operating Limitations to “Smith Hohn H” instead of “Smith John H”? I had to get two corrections to my FSDO-issued limitations before they got it right. One error showed Experimental Exhibition instead of the correct Amateur Built! The lesson is to proof-read your issued limitations, if for no other reason than to know what those limitations are.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.