Minimum Required Instruments and Equipment
In order to fly under VFR during the daytime, your aircraft must be equipped
with the following equipment:
- Airspeed indicator.
- Altimeter.
- Magnetic direction indicator.
- Tachometer for each engine.
- Oil pressure gauge for each engine using pressure system.
- Temperature gauge for each liquid-cooled engine.
- Oil temperature gauge for each air-cooled engine.
- Manifold pressure gauge for each altitude engine.
- Fuel gauge indicating the quantity of fuel in each tank.
- Landing gear position indicator, if the aircraft has a retractable landing gear.
- For small civil airplanes certificated after March 11, 1996, in accordance with part 23 of this chapter, an approved aviation red or aviation white anti-collision light system. In the event of failure of any light of the anti-collision light system, operation of the aircraft may continue to a location where repairs or replacement can be made.
- An approved safety belt with an approved metal-to-metal latching device for each occupant 2 years of age or older.
- If the airplane you are flying was manufactured after July 18,
1978, it must have an approved shoulder harness for each front seat.
-
An emergency locator transmitter, if required by §91.207.
For night flight, the following additional equipment is required:
- Approved position lights.
- An adequate source of electrical energy for all installed electrical and radio equipment.
- One spare set of fuses, or three spare fuses of each kind required, that are accessible to the pilot in flight.
Inoperative Equipment
An airplane may be flown with inoperative equipment, so long as that equipment
is not one of the minimum required items above. Additionally, if the
airplane has an equipment list, the inoperative equipment must not be listed as
required for the flight to be made.
Equipment may be required above and beyond the minimum for VFR flight, depending
on the airspace you intend to fly and the purpose of your flight. You are
still responsible for ensuring your inoperative equipment is not required by
some other regulation.
The pilot must also make the determination that the flight can be made safely
with the inoperative equipment.
If a flight is to be made with inoperative equipment, that equipment must be
deactivated and labeled inoperative.
§ 91.205 Powered civil aircraft with standard category U.S. airworthiness certificates: Instrument and equipment requirements.
§ 91.213 Inoperative instruments and equipment.