Legally locating the N number?

[lucky]

Quick question, do experimentals get an exemption from 14CFR45.25 which states N numbers, if placed on the fuselage, must be between the wing trailing edge and horizontal stab leading edge? It's very easy to see a LOT of RVs with the N numbers painted under the Horizontal Stab. I showed my paint shop a couple of photos of RVs painted this way but they are still balking at doing so.


If it's 'illegal' to do so even for experimentals, it at least obvious it's not an enforced item by the FAA/DAR during inspections.

[Mel]

Amateur-built aircraft get no exemptions for "N" number placement. The exceptions you are seeing come from the fact that many aircraft are certificated before paint. At this point the "N" number is correctly placed. At paint, the number is moved to an illegal location.

[n5lp]

Originally Posted by Mel

Amateur-built aircraft get no exemptions for "N" number placement. The exceptions you are seeing come from the fact that many aircraft are certified before paint. At this point the "N" number is correctly placed. At paint, the number is moved to an illegal location.

Despite the fact that is an illegal location, I don't see why your paint shop would balk. Sure they should inform you, but they wouldn't be doing anything illegal.

[lucky]

Originally Posted by Mel

Amateur-built aircraft get no exemptions for "N" number placement. The exceptions you are seeing come from the fact that many aircraft are certified before paint. At this point the "N" number is correctly placed. At paint, the number is moved to an illegal location.

A buddy painted his own plane as he built before first flight with the N number under the tail and I was hanging around for the inspection and the location never came up.

[osxuser]

I'd put 2" numbers right at the top of the Vertical stab. Very un-noticable to the uninitiated.

[Mel]

The RV-3 is the only RV that qualifies for 2" numbers.
45.22(b)(1)

[John Clark]

Originally Posted by n5lp

Despite the fact that is an illegal location, I don't see why your paint shop would balk. Sure they should inform you, but they wouldn't be doing anything illegal.

Don't mean to pick nits here but the FAR is pretty clear. And yes, the paint shop would be doing something illegal. My main concern on an issue as small as this is that these are the things that invite a closer inspection. I can see an inspector thinking "If he can't get that right, I wonder what else is wrong."

Sec. 45.21 General.

(a) Except as provided in Sec. 45.22, no person may operate a U.S.-
registered aircraft unless that aircraft displays nationality and
registration marks in accordance with the requirements of this section
and Secs. 45.23 through 45.33.
(b) Unless otherwise authorized by the Administrator, no person may
place on any aircraft a design, mark, or symbol that modifies or confuses the
nationality and registration marks.

John Clark
RV8 N18U (3" numbers, forward of the HS)
"Sunshine"
KSBA

[Bob Brown]

Several years ago, one of my 182's was in an avionics shop and had just gotten out of the paint shop...an FAA guy just happened to stop by on an unrelated matter, spotted an "irregularity" on my aircraft and left me a note to get it fixed before it flew again...he red tagged me.

[cytoxin]

whoa whoa whoa, you mean to tell me most all of the aircraft in the rv of the week ar in violation of the far's? how could there be this many violators and weve never heard anything before. this is a little more than a burnt out headlight.

[Mel]

Just looked at the current "RV of the week" and only saw one with the number under the HS.