Hello all!
Have 9430B in for annual at the moment. My IA made mention of my not having a data plate for my aircraft on the exterior. The only plate i have is located inside the pilot's door. My question, should i have another one mounted on the fuselage or was this kind of thing added after 1958? There are no holes in the rear to indicate it had been taken but I do not know for sure. Thanks in advance!
peter
9430B

The regulations changed a while ago and added the requirement to have an ID plate on the exterior. The reg states that it has to be on the fuselage aft of the most rearward entry door. Most have them on the aft fuselage under the horizontal stabilizer.

Rick,
Dose it have to be a plate or can it be painted on ? mine is painted on, has been through many insp. with differnt AI's and none have said any thing.

Rick,

Just to clarify, was this requirement imposed on aircraft manufacturers of new aircraft after a designated date or was it imposed on all aircraft owners for all existing aircraft?

Jim

It includes all aircraft no matter what the date of manufacture was.

Part 45 IDENTIFICATION AND REGISTRATION MARKING

(a) Aircraft and aircraft engines

The identification plate for aircraft must be secured in such a manner that it will not likely be defaced or removed during normal service, or lost or destroyed in an accident......., the aircraft identification plate must be secured to the aircraft fuselage exterior so that it is legible to a person on the ground, and must be either adjacent to and aft of the rear-most entrance door or on the fuselage surface near the tail surfaces.

Ive seen a few stick on decals. Dont know if thats legal, but I guess its a matter of interpretation.

My personal interpretation of not likely to be destroyed in an accident is going to be steel or high temp alloy. Even aluminum tags will melt in a bad fire, don't you think?

Rick,

Do you know if any determinations have been made if the door jamb is an acceptable location for the tag? I don't recall for certain but I think that is where mine is. One could argue that because the doors are removable for flight the door jamb is on the exterior of the airplane. It would be good to know if this arguement has been made or not and if so what the result was.

Also, what would your opinion be on a good quality sticker? (obviously not a mailing label with the numbers written with a Sharpie but a good quality sticker) I would probably argue that a fire large enough to effect the rear of the aircraft is not likely in a single engine aircraft accident. Do you know if the FAA has an opinion on this issue?

Jim

FAR 45.11(d) says that on aircraft manufactured before March 7, 1988 (that covers all of our 175's), the id plate required by 45.11(a) (this has the lost or destroyed in an accident requirement) may be secured at an accessable exterior or interior location near an entrance, IF the model designation and builder's serial number are ALSO displayed on the aircraft fuselage exterior. The model designation and builder's serial number must be legible to a person on the ground and must be located either adjacent to and aft of the rear-most entrance door or on the fuselage near the tail surfaces. The model designation and builder's serial number must be displayed in such a manner that they are not likely to be defaced or removed during normal service.

I have seen it painted on, written on with a Sharpie or other type of permenant marker, vinyl decals, P-Touch labeled, or an etched plate used. If the original is still on the doorsill or somewhere in the interior.

My exterior plate is aluminum that was engraved and put on with some type of adhesive by a previous owner.

So......if the dataplate is on the inside doorpost like most of ours is/was/should be, then...... however you decide to put it on the outside is allright as long as it meets the requirement in 45.11(d) for location and that the model designation and builder's serial number are displayed in such a manner that they are not likely to be defaced or removed during normal service.