What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Misc. placard requirements

Navy76

Active Member
I am in the final stages of preparing for an airworthiness inspection. At the risk of exposing my ignorance, I’d like to verify some of the marking requirements. FAR Part 23.1557 appears to be the applicable regulation and it states, in part:

(c) Fuel, oil, and coolant filler openings. The following apply:

(1) Fuel filler openings must be marked at or near the filler cover with—

(i) For reciprocating engine-powered airplanes—

(A) The word “Avgas”; and

(B) The minimum fuel grade.

...

(2) Oil filler openings must be marked at or near the filler cover with the word “Oil” and the permissible oil designations, or references to the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) for permissible oil designations.


I have 2 questions, first, I’ve seen several post stating that fuel quantity is also required, is it? If so, which reg specifies that requirement? My certified Grumman Traveler has the fuel grade and capacity called out but not the word “Avgas”.

Second, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a GA aircraft with a label on the oil filler door. This makes me think maybe I’m not referencing the correct FAR.

Tangentially related... is an Airplane Flight Manual or Pilot’s Operating Handbook required for an Airworthiness inspection? I plan to develop a POH but it seems as though I’d need data from Phase I to do it justice.

Finally, is the EAA Flight Test Manual an adequate flight test plan for the AW Inspection or should I develop some specific for my aircraft?

Thanks!
 
If you look at the beginning of part 23, under applicability, you’ll notice ‘experimental’ is not listed. e.g., this doesn’t apply to you.
Also, there is no requirement for an AFM or POH. Instead you must carry your operating limitations. Until a few years ago they were separate documents from everything else. But now they come attached to your registration, which of course must also be on board.
Edit. Airworthiness certificate, not registration.
 
Last edited:
I don't know any DARs that would let you get away without placarding the fuel filler locations with minimum grade of fuel and capacity of that tank. That's what we were taught in DAR training, and that's what we typically require. Placards and markings aren't all specifically called out in the regulations, but most are considered to be required in order to make the aircraft "in a condition for safe operation". You may know what that switch does, or what that tank holds, but other people who may operate the aircraft may not. Misfueling is a fairly common cause of aircraft accidents, so why not placard the tank?
 
Just went through this process...

...and I suspect that every DAR is different so YMMV. But I was advised to have a label maker on hand just in case there was a requirement that I missed. I used the EAA labels for my gas tanks, but could just as easily printed out some labels from my label maker. They are temporary anyway until I paint the aircraft. Was ready to print some labels for throttle/mixture controls, but turns out they weren't needed. Again, these would have been temporary, but adequate for the inspection.

Some placard requirements are clearly spelled out ('Experimental', Data Plate, Reg numbers), but the rest seem pretty arbitrary to me. Also suggest having a conversation with your DAR prior to the inspection - easy to do and would take the guesswork out of it.
 
"...(i) For reciprocating engine-powered airplanes—

(A) The word “Avgas”; and..."

That must really make life uncomfortable for those with diesel reciprocating engines.
 
"...(i) For reciprocating engine-powered airplanes—

(A) The word “Avgas”; and..."

That must really make life uncomfortable for those with diesel reciprocating engines.

Prior to the Part 23 rewrite, diesel-powered aircraft would get an ELOS (equivalent level of safety) finding from the FAA to mark their fuel fill ports appropriately. An ELOS basically says you’re meeting the spirit and intent of the regulation, even though you’re doing it a different way. Unfortunately, some ELOSes tended to be issued again and again because the regs would be woefully out-of-date.

The “new” Part 23 was intended to address that, and sets broad requirements and leaves the detailed “means of compliance” up to external third-party standards (at this point, only ASTM standards I believe). Back when I was on the ASTM committee several years ago, the language was along the lines of “must be marked with the appropriate type and grade of fuel, and the capacity”. How the new system is actually going to work, I don’t know.

A common-sense read of it as applied to our homebuilts would be along those lines. As I intend to run mogas and am building to be ethanol-tolerant, I plan to use something like:

AVGAS OR GASOLINE XX GAL
MIN OCTANE 93
E10 MAX
 
A common-sense read of it as applied to our homebuilts would be along those lines. As I intend to run mogas and am building to be ethanol-tolerant, I plan to use something like:
AVGAS OR GASOLINE XX GAL
MIN OCTANE 93
E10 MAX

Actually since Avgas IS Gasoline, you don't to use both. If you want to list Avgas, you could use "AVGAS or MOGAS".
 
Back
Top