Carrying the POH

The 2003 version of the US CFRs 91.9(b) concerns the requirement to carry a Pilot's Operating Handbook and it address all U.S. registered civil aircraft in the general heading.

Sub-paragraphs 1 and 2 contain the strictures for Airplanes and Rotorcraft. There is no mention of gliders or of lighter-than-air craft. One can argue from this that there is no requirement to carry the POH in a glider. Does anyone have the courage of my conviction here? I don't quite.

Nyal
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfrhtml_00/Title_14/ 14cfr91_00.html

14 CFR's! Never easy. The operative words not to be missed are 91.9(a) ...civil aircraft... That's us, as in gliders and ... or as otherwise prescribed by the certificating authority of the country of registry... and to cover all the bases for anyone with an out of country glider.

Notice that 91.3 says nothing about Airplanes or Rotorcraft but cover's all aircraft Sometimes it helps to eliminate all that doesn't apply- all that's left does.

Hope this helps. Rod

As was previously posted:

Oh, I beg to differ! 91.9(a) requires the pilot to *comply* with the applicable limitations in the approved Airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual. It does NOT require that the manual be *carried* on board. Also, as it happens, a glider does not *have* an approved Airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual; in FAA parlance consistent with the Practical Test Standards, it has a 'Glider Flight Manual.'

A giant caveat: if the Glider Flight Manual indicates it must be carried on board, so be it. (And this is the case in many/most instances... excepting the SGS 2-33A, SGS 1-26, et al.)

Ain't regulations fun?

WYVERN

That's exactly my point. § 1.1 General definitions.

Aircraft means a device that is used or intended to be used for flight in the air.

Class:

(2) As used with respect to the certification of aircraft, means a broad grouping of aircraft having similar characteristics of propulsion, flight, or landing. Examples include: airplane; rotorcraft; glider; balloon; landplane; and seaplane.

91.1 Applicability. (a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section and §§ 91.701 and 91.703, this part prescribes rules governing the operation of aircraft ...

Look at the Title on the paragraph... Civil AIRCRAFT... that includes GLIDERS.

§ 91.9 Civil aircraft flight manual, marking, and placard requirements. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, no person may operate a civil aircraft without complying with the operating limitations specified in the approved Airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual, markings, and placards, or as otherwise prescribed by the certificating authority of the country of registry.

By specifying operating limitation, markings and placards the Regulation covers the era of aircraft that were not at the time required to have POH.

Regards

Rod

But, we have an Alice in Wonderland kind of place here. Even though the legal profession and the courts might support this contention, the courts return their decisions to the FAA for final interpretation. The FAA interprets the documents the way it wants; it could and it has ruled illogically, if I am to believe articles in principal aviation journals of the past ten years. I always carry my POH.

Just want to put some focus on the G-103's that many clubs own. Read the first page of the manual. In effect, 'this manual must be carried on board the aircraft at all times.' Does not necessarily mean that it is accessible though! Jim Vincent CFIG N483SZ

And some further focus (:>... Even if I had the POH on board as/when required, I'd have to pack my bifocals to read it...