How should the controls be labeled?
Obviously Throttle, Mixture, Prop RPM or maybe not obvious.
What about function?
Push-Full?
Push-Faster?
Push-whatever?
Just wondering what the DAR will expect to see.
Push-Faster?
Hi Larry,
Just went through that with my DAR. He said push open for the throttle and push rich for the mixture. Mine is FP so I don’t have a prop control.
Regards
Ivan
Dang.. I also neglected the PUSH THIS, PULL THAT wording when I did my panel (rub-on) lettering. Would be a shame to put ugly stickers all over my new panel. I think for purely aesthetic reasons I might have to order another run of rub-on labels for these.
I took a different approach. I purposely left them off as I think it is about the stupidest **** thing to ever be enforced. I was hoping the inspector didn't catch it but when he couldn't find anything else he said "wellllllll I suppose those should probably be labeled...". Dangit! So I put little labels that say manifold, prop RPM, and mixture.
View attachment 18911
Here’s the relevant part of the inspection checklist my DAR used, for what it is worth. I know there is a lot of room for interpretation of how the FARs apply, but my approach was to err on the side of compliance.
SECTION: Sec. 91.9
Amendment Number: Initial, Effective Date: 09/30/1963
TITLE: Civil aircraft flight manual, marking, and placard requirements.
SECTION RULE: (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.
(b) No person may operate a U.S.-registered civil aircraft--
(1) For which an Airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual is required by Sec. 21.5 of this chapter unless there is available in the aircraft a current, approved Airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual or the manual provided for in Sec. 121.141(b); and
(2) For which an Airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual is not required by Sec. 21.5 of this chapter, unless there is available in the aircraft a current approved Airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual, approved manual material, markings, and placards, or any combination thereof.
(c) No person may operate a U.S.-registered civil aircraft unless that aircraft is identified in accordance with part 45 of this chapter.
(d) Any person taking off or landing a helicopter certificated under part 29 of this chapter at a heliport constructed over water may make such momentary flight as is necessary for takeoff or landing through the prohibited range of the limiting height-speed envelope established for the
helicopter if that flight through the prohibited range takes place over water on which a safe ditching can be accomplished and if the helicopter is amphibious or is equipped with floats or other emergency flotation gear adequate to accomplish a safe emergency ditching on open water.
SECTION: Sec. 23.777
TITLE: Cockpit controls.
SECTION RULE: (a) Each cockpit control must be located and (except where its function is obvious) identified to provide convenient operation and to prevent confusion and inadvertent operation.
(b) The controls must be located and arranged so that the pilot, when seated, has full and unrestricted movement of each control without interference from either his clothing or the cockpit structure.
(c) Powerplant controls must be located--
(1) For multiengine airplanes, on the pedestal or overhead at or near the center of the cockpit;
(2) For single and tandem seated single-engine airplanes, on the left side console or instrument panel;
(3) For other single-engine airplanes at or near the center of the cockpit, on the pedestal, instrument panel, or overhead; and
(4) For airplanes with side-by-side pilot seats and with two sets of powerplant controls, on left and right consoles.
(d) When separate and distinct control levers are co-located (such as located together on the pedestal), the control location order from left to right must be power (thrust) lever, propeller (rpm control), and mixture control (condition lever and fuel cut-off for turbine- powered airplanes). Power (thrust) levers must be easily distinguishable from other controls, and provide for accurate, consistent operation...
I took a different approach. I purposely left them off as I think it is about the stupidest **** thing to ever be enforced. I was hoping the inspector didn't catch it but when he couldn't find anything else he said "wellllllll I suppose those should probably be labeled...". Dangit! So I put little labels that say manifold, prop RPM, and mixture.
Let's look at the regs.
91.9 (cited in that DAR checklist) says:
SECTION: Sec. 23.777
TITLE: Cockpit controls.
SECTION RULE: (a) Each cockpit control must be located and (except where its function is obvious) identified to provide convenient operation and to prevent confusion and inadvertent operation.