Good To Go?

Regardless of what you fly, how its equipped, and how old or new it is, you eventually will encounter inoperative instruments and/or equipment during a preflight inspection. It can be something known to the operator and the maintenance department, or it can be something new. Once the inoperative component is discovered, you have to make a determination whether its legal to fly the airplane without repairs, and then decide if its safe to fly. The two are not the same.

Friday, June 22, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

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The bezel of the S-TEC 3100 gets an upgrade to accommodate new VNAV functionality and a menu button. Genesys Aerospace

Key Takeaways:

When encountering inoperative aircraft equipment, pilots must determine both its legality for flight according to regulations and its safety for the planned operation, recognizing these are distinct considerations.
Legal operation with inoperative equipment is guided by FARs 91.205 and 91.213, the aircraft's Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS), Airworthiness Directives (ADs), and Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs).
While a formal Minimum Equipment List (MEL) provides comprehensive guidance for specific aircraft, small general aviation aircraft can often operate under FAR 91.213(d) by ensuring the inoperative item is not required, removed, placarded, and recorded.
Beyond regulatory compliance, pilots must exercise judgment to ensure the *safety* of flying with inoperative equipment, considering factors like flight conditions, weather, and the potential hazards, as a legal flight is not automatically a safe one.

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Regardless of what you fly, how it’s equipped, and how old or new it is, you eventually will encounter inoperative instruments and/or equipment during a preflight inspection. It can be something known to the operator and the maintenance department, or it can be something new. Once the inoperative component is discovered, you have to make a determination whether it’s legal to fly the airplane without repairs, and then decide if it’s safe to fly. The two are not the same.

The good news is you have some guidance in FARs 91.205 and 91.213, and you also may have a minimum equipment list (MEL) to help determine what is and is not required to be operational on your planned flight. And the aircraft’s type certificate data sheet (TCDS), plus any applicable airworthiness directives (ADs), also may need to be factored into your decision, as well as any supplemental type certificates (STCs). Needless to say, you need more operating equipment for a day VFR jaunt around the pattern than you need at night or under IFR.