REFLECTOR: Velocity MEL (Minimum Equipment List)

Reiff Lorenz Reiff at Lorenz.com
Mon Jan 14 16:22:01 CST 2013


The attached document is what the EAA says about the equipment that is required to be installed on powered E-AB aircraft. Basically, for Day VFR flights that are not in the vicinity of an airport, you only need an ELT. No compass, no transponder, no lights, no seat belts, no fuel guage, no altimeter . . . nothin' but the ELT! (Stay within 50 miles of takeoff and you don't even need the ELT.)

If you don't have a Minimum Equipment List (MEL) established for your aircraft, it seems your only flight requirement is the ELT. (And there's even a provision that if the ELT is inop, you can fly to have it repaired.)

Want to fly at night? You'll need an altimeter, airspeed indicator, compass, engine instruments, fuel gauge, seat belts with shoulder harnesses, spare fuses, approved position lights and anti-collision lights. An  "adequate source of power" is required but an alternator is optional.

Of course, IFR flight requires adding gyroscopic pitch, bank, and rate of turn, clock, alternator, and a bunch of navigation equipment.

The original document can be found here: http://www.eaa.org/sportaviationmag/2011/1103_ABEA_Requirements.pdf

This doesn't directly answer the question "Can I fly with a broken X?" But it's part of the answer since the regs state that an aircraft can fly with inoperative equipment if the equipment is not required for the aircraft for type of flight being conducted. With nothing but an ELT required for day-VFR flight, it leaves a lot of latitude to the pilot to decide if the flight is safe without the equipment. (Just don't forget to document and placard it to stay legal!)

I learned something today.

Reiff Lorenz, Dayton, OH
Velocity XL-RG, 40% complete
Currently working on: Deciding between VP-X and VP-400. Any thoughts?


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