Question: Is there a difference between a pilot’s operating handbook (POH) and airplane flight manual (AFM)? I hear the terms being used interchangeably.
Answer: According to the FAA, the AFM is the legally required document for a particular aircraft, while a POH is usually a more general, standardized document for that type of aircraft.
Regulations require that a “current and approved Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) be on board the aircraft.”
A POH may be used if it’s a copy of the approved AFM for that particular aircraft make and model, including serial number. This means that the generic POH you bought to use for flight planning likely won’t be appropriate as it doesn’t have a serial number.
Don’t confuse the tail number with the serial number. The tail number is the civil registration. The serial number comes from the manufacturer, and it is assigned at the factory based on the aircraft’s production sequence.
It should be noted that many AFMs contain supplementary operating limitations for equipment that may be unique to the individual aircraft that may not be part of a POH.
Also, you don’t necessarily need to have a hard copy (paper) POH/AFM on board as the FAA also allows these documents to be carried in a digital format.
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