FAA Designator and Equipment Code

[mistergerf]

I see from earlier posts that Controllers recognize the type "RV9", and its been my experience that they are familiar. We were up in Canada this last week and when I went to file my flight plan with CAN FSS they asked for the "equipment code".

I checked a few online resources, and since I have Mode C, a Garmin 496 and no IFR equipment is it correct to describe my plane as an "RV9/U" ?

I see some posts refer to "RV9/G", but since the 496 is not adequate for IFR flight then the "G" seems incorrect in my case.

Regards,
Gerry.

[scard]

Originally Posted by mistergerf

I see from earlier posts that Controllers recognize the type "RV9", and its been my experience that they are familiar. We were up in Canada this last week and when I went to file my flight plan with CAN FSS they asked for the "equipment code".

I checked a few online resources, and since I have Mode C, a Garmin 496 and no IFR equipment is it correct to describe my plane as an "RV9/U" ?

I see some posts refer to "RV9/G", but since the 496 is not adequate for IFR flight then the "G" seems incorrect in my case.

Regards,
Gerry.

You are correct. /G would not be appropriate in your case.

[breister]

Yep - 496 is legal for VFR navigation, but not for an IFR flight plan (the only reason for using the codes).

[Mike Macon]

I use VFR Flight Following quite often and on a few occasions I have been asked for my equipment code when initiating the request. I do not know if it is only required on IFR flight, as an earlier poster wrote, but it is no big deal to respond with an "RV6/U".

[Kevin Horton]

Originally Posted by scard

You are correct. /G would not be appropriate in your case.

Actually, when filing a flight plan in Canada, one uses the Canadian equipment codes, which differ from the US ones. Canada has adopted the equipment codes specified by ICAO, but the FAA hasn't done that yet.

Note 5 to the table of Canadian equipment codes says

When using the letter ?G? on an IFR flight plan, the GPS receiver must be approved in accordance with the requirements specified in TSO C-129 (Class A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 or C2), installed and approved in accordance with the appropriate sections of the Airworthiness Manual, and operated in accordance with the approved flight manual or flight manual supplement. Pilots are encouraged to use the letter ?G? on VFR flight plans when using GPS to assist VFR navigation. TSO C-129 receivers are not mandatory for
VFR flights.

So, for a VFR flight plan in Canada, you can use "G" if you have a handheld GPS. But note that is not a "/G". Up here the equipment codes go before the "/". The transponder code goes after the "/". GPS, VHF Com and mode C would get an equipment code of GV/C.

[mistergerf]

Thanks !

So in the US its "slash uniform" and in Canada its "golf victor slash charlie"