mark manda

mark manda

Well Known Member
Required labels/ placards for panel switches etc. ?

Can anyone who has been thru their inspection or anyone finished with their panel and know-- tell me what is required to be labeled and what are some options?

i.e. VFR/day, night ? approved for acro? exceeds FAA standards? hate to miss something and do it over. trim, N number, don't have room for prop due to screws....

thanks, I decided to do white silk screen so I pulled the panel apart last week so I'll be dragging the pieces to a trophy shop or laser shop this week.

mark

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required placards

The only two in the cockpit (not necessarily on the panel) is the passenger
warning and "Experimental".

I like to add the words to the end of the passenger warning:

"This aircraft is amateur-built and does
not comply with federal safety
regulations for standard aircraft. "
In my opinion it exceeds them

Although not required you could put on any limitations or spec such as:
Prop rpm limits
Flap placard speed
Acro airspeed limits
Aircraft empty wt/CG
airspeed limits normal
GPS VFR operations only
Pump on for takeoff/landing
weight/CG limits (normal/acro)
Maneuver or structural cruise speed
(*Airspeeds placards not needed with airspeed gage markings)
Best airspeed for climb/angle/glide/approach (not shown on a/s gage)
Engine limits like temps, pressures (not necessary with limits on gage)


As for labels (not limitations or required placards):
No hard and fast rule, but if it is not obvious to another pilot, like a throttle/mixture for example, than I would label it.
The FAA likes plain labels (more the better- put one on the control stick "CONTROL STICK" the FAA will love it):
Master, Bat, Alt, ON, OFF, up, down, left, right, fuel pump, flap. Again if it is not obvious than label it.

Other NICE things to have displayed:
N number
Checklist normal (Before takeoff, before landing)
Checklist emergency (power loss, forced landing, fire)
(forced landing: Belts tight, gas off, electric off, canopy unlatched)
(power loss: best glide, boost on, mix rich, carb ht on, swth tank, chk ign)
Words of inspirations: "Don't do nothing stupid"

It is up to you. Nice panel.

Cheers George
 
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labels

I would label the following: flaps up/down; trim up/down; trim left/right; experimental; passenger warning; prop rpm limits if applicable; compass card; each switch; throtle/full in, mixture, prop; carb heat/pull on, all breakers; and left and right tank. That's all I can think of now. When in doubt, put a label on it. Before my inspection I was told that the inspectors love labels and they were right on. Good luck, Jack
 
thanks.

I was told I HAVE to label the throttle controls and trim indicators. but by another builder. (and then I could remove them after the inspection.)

but if there's no reg. ? probably the wishes of the particular inspector.

but like you said, when in doubt label it.
 
Yes Sir Yes Sir, three bags full

mark manda said:
thanks. I was told I HAVE to label the throttle controls and trim indicators. but by another builder. (and then I could remove them after the inspection.)
Click to expand...
FAA approved Aviation standards & convention:
Throttle = Black/smooth
Mixture = Red/protruding
Prop = Blue/grove

Convention is acceptable with out words? I guess you could also label:

Throttle: Pull ? Idle................Push - Open (go faster)
Mixture: Pull ? Lean/cutoff.......Push - Rich
Propeller: Pull ? Low RPM..........Push - High RPM


If the purpose is to stroke the DAR I would not do it because it could get
silly. What is next, a placard on the control stick:

"Pull to make the houses get smaller, keep pulling and houses will get bigger again"

Engine control placards are not required if your controls meet the convention,
but do what you need to do. My suggestion is start a dialog with the LOCAL
FSDO. Call them and ask the question ahead of time. The whole point of
building is learning. The FAA is the source, the DAR is not.


When I finish my RV-7 I will try to get the FAA out. I think the FAA is more
straight forward (believe it or not) than some DAR?s I have heard of, but you
may have to wait longer for the FED?s. If I go with a DAR and they balk
at the lack of throttle label, I'll get some masking tape and a sharpie and
write "THROTTLE" or I'll throw them out of the hanger. :D

Also Part 23 does NOT apply to an experimental aircraft and a wet compass is
NOT needed to supplement an electronic display like a Dynon EFIS. Yes you
need a compass (per 91.205) but not a ?non stabilized? compass.
Let's not just roll over and learn what is really required and not work on
preference and rumor.


Call the the FSDO early in your project and get a relationship with them.
That is what they are paid to do. I find if they don't know they will research
it and call you back.

The point is not be a pain, but lets work on facts not rumor. Get the word
out of actual requirments and not do things just to do it. Do you NEED a
throttle placard or wet compass backup to your EFIS compass? don't think
so, but ask the FAA to confirm.

Cheers George
 
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Panel labeling redux

Anybody have any idea about whether my toggle switches will need to be labeled "on" or "off"? Isn't it pretty much common knowledge that on two-position switches that up is on and down is off?

Thus, for two position switches, if I have each switch labeled "nav lights" "strobes" "Landing" "taxi" etc. right above the switch, is it necessary to have "on" or "off" labeled anywhere?

For those who have been through inspection recently, what have you found?

Thanks.
 
George,
I'm going to take exception with your statement that FAA Inspectors are more knowledgeable than DARs. In many cases the DAR is kept more up to date than the ASI. Since the majority of airworthiness inspections for amateur-built aircraft are done by DARs, we are looked at constantly and MUST remain on top of FARs. We must attend recurrent training seminars at least biennially. Most of us go annually to make sure to keep up with changes. We are informed of every change that the ASIs are. Many ASIs tend to not keep up with changes for amateur-builts. They depend on the DARs. It is not unusual at all for a FSDO to call me and ask questions. Even with the light-sport regs, which are somewhat confusing, I've been told, "We don't have the time to keep up with this, so make sure that you do!"
As a DAR, our job is 2-fold. #1 To make sure that your aircraft is safe & legal. #2 To provide a service to you at a fair price. If we don't accomplish #2, word spreads real fast and our phone stops ringing. #1 If we don't follow the regs, our contract with the FAA says very explicitly that our designation can and WILL be pulled without question. I've known this to happen in a couple of cases.
If you prefer to have an ASI do your inspection, I have no problem with that. That's what they get paid for. But they don't have the same incentive to "do it right" that we do.
 
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Labels

From what I can remember about my inspection (hey, it was about 6 hours ago!) I was a little surprised. I had missed a couple and one came off during the inspection (argh.) I find mine don't stick on the leather instrument panel well. No problem. I had the required labels already mentioned. I did have a complete page in the POH listing all the switches and fuse locations/values. The DAR seemed to like that. BTW, I considered the inspection VERY thorough and I believe he understood the lableing. Oh, yes. I passed!!!!!!

Now, to get all those inspection panels back on and FLY.

Bob Kelly
 
Hello Mark,

When I got my inspection there were a number of label that the inspector thought that I should have that I didn't.
The ones that I missed were the "18 gal 100LL" by the fuel caps. Fuel selector "Right", "Left", "Off" and "Off". There was one other which I can remember now.
This all was no problem during the inspection, because I had borrowed a label maker from a friend and every time the inspector said I was missing a label, I quickly made one and put it on.

Kent
 
Other than whats already been recommended, I suggest you put another pilot in the cockpit and see if he/she thinks it all makes sense.

I thought I had done a good job labeling until another pilot got in and started making comments. "Hey whats that?"

One pilot started to taxiout in my plane, stopped, shut down, open the canopy, and hollored back to me at the hanger "Whats your D#$@! tail number!" "Oops. Forgot that label. Rats. I put the label up the next day. Cant get out of my towered airport without it:)

Anyway, stick a pilot in and go fly, then you will know if you have done a decent job of labeling, among other things you will learn too.

Best,
 
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