Whats up With the Clock?

Most legacy aircraft came out of the factory with little round clocks in the panel, although these days theyre largely ignored in favor of the more convenient digital timers. Recall that a way of keeping time is listed among the required equipment for IFR operations-see 14 CFR 91.205(d). Technically, the clock displaying hours, minutes, and seconds with a sweep-second pointer or digital presentation is supposed to be certified, installed equipment, meaning it has to be the original clock or an approved replacement, and it has to be operational for legal IFR flight.

Key Takeaways:

• IFR flight operations legally require a certified, operational clock displaying hours, minutes, and seconds, as per 14 CFR 91.205(d).
• This clock must be either the original factory-installed unit or an approved replacement, holding the same regulatory status as other critical IFR equipment like gyros and radios.
• While many pilots prefer digital timers, strict compliance mandates that the original panel clock be operational, or that a clock within modern digital avionics meets the requirement.

Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->

See a mistake? Contact us.