RunupLab

Free sim

Inoperative Equipment — the § 91.213(d) flow

Something on the panel is dead. Most trainers have no Minimum Equipment List, so the question “can I legally fly?” runs through one rule: 14 CFR 91.213(d). You may defer an inoperative item only if it is notrequired — by the VFR-day type certification, by your equipment list or KOEL, by § 91.205 for the kind of flight, or by an airworthiness directive. Clear all four and you can placard it; trip any one and the airplane isn't airworthy for that flight.

The trap is that “required” depends on the operation. Pick an item and a kind of flight below: the same attitude indicator you can legally placard for a day-VFR hop grounds you for IFR, and position lights that are optional by day are a no-go at night.

Kind of flight

Is it required? The § 91.213(d)(2) gate

14 CFR 91.213(d)(2)

You can only defer an item that is not required by any of these. The first two you check against your aircraft; answer them below.

Part of the VFR-day type-certification instruments & equipment?NO14 CFR 91.213(d)(2)(i)
Required on the equipment list / KOEL for this operation?14 CFR 91.213(d)(2)(ii)
Required by § 91.205 for day VFR?NO14 CFR 91.213(d)(2)(iii)
Required to be operational by an airworthiness directive?14 CFR 91.213(d)(2)(iv)

A Attitude indicator (artificial horizon) inoperative on a day VFR flight may be deferred: removed or deactivated and placarded inoperative, recorded, with a no-hazard determination.

May deferYou can fly — after the placard-and-record steps.

The attitude indicator (artificial horizon)isn't required for this day VFR flight, so § 91.213(d) lets you defer it:

  1. 1.Remove it, or deactivate it and placard the cockpit control “INOPERATIVE”.14 CFR 91.213(d)(3)
  2. 2.Record it — removal per § 43.9; deactivation involving maintenance per part 43.14 CFR 91.213(d)(3)
  3. 3.A pilot or mechanic determines the item is not a hazard to the aircraft.14 CFR 91.213(d)(4)

Placarding isn't a shrug: you, as PIC, are still the final authority on whether the airplane is in condition for safe flight. 14 CFR 91.7(b)

This is the no-MEL path most trainers fly under — the § 91.213(d) flow the examiner wants. The MEL, airworthiness documents, and the whole “can I fly this?” decision live in chapter 2 of our Private Pilot Quick-Review Study Guide.

Two things students get wrong here. First, you can't placard your way out of a requireditem — a dead airspeed indicator or, at night, position lights aren't deferrable; they're a repair or a ferry permit. Second, “deactivate and placard” still requires a determination that the item is no hazard, and you as pilot in command remain the final authority on whether the airplane is fit to fly — the paperwork clearing it doesn't clear you.

Drilling for the checkride?

The § 91.213(d) flow, the ARROW documents, the MEL question, and the inspection intervals an examiner will press you on are all in chapter 2 of our ACS-organized Private Pilot Quick-Review Study Guide.