data plates
Unless you believe in fairy tales there is no way to turn a pig's ear into a silk purse. You either have the data plate that came with the airplane or you get a new one from piper. Blank ones stamped with the desired data don't cut it nor does one from a wreck. From my experience Piper put the data plate on the floor board below the right rear of the front seat and that would be the best place to leave it. Do it right or suffer the consequences if you get caught. When you get caught you will have the opportunity to pay one of those attorneys some people piss and moan about. Maybe he/she will be able to find an exception to the rule after helping you spend your money.
FAR Sec. 45.11
General.
(a) Aircraft and aircraft engines. Aircraft covered under Sec. 21.182 of this chapter must be identified, and each person who manufactures an aircraft engine under a type or production certificate shall identify that engine, by means of a fireproof plate that has the information specified in Sec. 45.13 of this part marked on it by etching, stamping, engraving, or other approved method of fireproof marking. The identification plate for aircraft must be secured in such a manner that it will not likely be defaced or removed during normal service, or lost or destroyed in an accident. Except as provided in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section, the aircraft identification plate must be secured to the aircraft fuselage exterior so that it is legible to a person on the ground, and must be either adjacent to and aft of the rear-most entrance door or on the fuselage surface near the tail surfaces. For aircraft engines, the identification plate must be affixed to the engine at an accessible location in such a manner that it will not likely be defaced or removed during normal service, or lost or destroyed in an accident.
(d) On aircraft manufactured before March 7, 1988, the identification plate required by paragraph (a) of this section may be secured at an accessible exterior or interior location near an entrance, if the model designation and builder's serial number are also displayed on the aircraft fuselage exterior. The model designation and builder's serial number must be legible to a person on the ground and must be located either adjacent to and aft of the rear-most entrance door or on the fuselage near the tail surfaces. The model designation and builder's serial number must be displayed in such a manner that they are not likely to be defaced or removed during normal service.
FAR Sec. 45.13
Identification data.
(a) The identification required by Sec. 45.11 (a) and (b) shall include the following information:
(1) Builder's name.
(2) Model designation.
(3) Builder's serial number.
(4) Type certificate number, if any.
(5) Production certificate number, if any.
(6) For aircraft engines, the established rating.
(7) On or after January 1, 1984, for aircraft engines specified in part 34 of this chapter, the date of manufacture as defined in Sec. 34.1 of that part, and a designation, approved by the Administrator of the FAA, that indicates compliance with the applicable exhaust emission provisions of part 34 and 40 CFR part 87. Approved designations include COMPLY, EXEMPT, and NON-US as appropriate.
(i) The designation COMPLY indicates that the engine is in compliance with all of the applicable exhaust emissions provisions of part 34. For any engine with a rated thrust in excess of 26.7 kilonewtons (6000 pounds) which is not used or intended for use in commercial operations and which is in compliance with the applicable provisions of part 34, but does not comply with the
hydrocarbon emissions standard of Sec. 34.21(d), the statement "May not be used as a commercial aircraft engine" must be noted in the permanent powerplant record that accompanies the engine at the time of manufacture of the engine.
(ii) The designation EXEMPT indicates that the engine has been granted an exemption pursuant to the applicable provision of Sec. 34.7 (a)(1), (a)(4), (b), (c), or (d), and an indication of the type of exemption and the reason for the grant must be noted in the permanent powerplant record that accompanies the engine from the time of manufacture of the engine.
(iii) The designation NON-US indicates that the engine has been granted an exemption pursuant to Sec. 34.7(a)(1), and the notation "This aircraft may not be operated within the United States", or an equivalent notation approved by the Administrator of the FAA, must be inserted in the aircraft logbook, or alternate equivalent document, at the time of installation of the engine.
(8) Any other information the Administrator finds appropriate.
(b) Except as provided in paragraph (d)(1) of this section, no person may remove, change, or place identification information required by paragraph (a) of this section, on any aircraft, aircraft engine, propeller, propeller blade, or propeller hub, without the approval of the Administrator.
(c) Except as provided in paragraph (d)(2) of this section, no person may remove or install any identification plate required by Sec. 45.11 of this part, without the approval of the Administrator.
(d) Persons performing work under the provisions of Part 43 of this chapter may, in accordance with methods, techniques, and practices acceptable to the Administrator--
(1) Remove, change, or place the identification information required by paragraph (a) of this section on any aircraft, aircraft engine, propeller, propeller blade, or propeller hub; or
(2) Remove an identification plate required by Sec. 45.11 when necessary during maintenance operations.
(e) No person may install an identification plate removed in accordance with paragraph (d)(2) of this section on any aircraft, aircraft engine, propeller, propeller blade, or propeller hub other than the one from which it was removed.
Subject: IDENTIFICATION AND REGISTRATION
MARKING
Date: 4/16/92
Initiated by: AIR-200
AC No: AC 45-2A
Change:
1. PURPOSE. This advisory circular (AC) updates the guidance and information concerning the
identification and marking requirements of Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) Part 45, and
describes an acceptable means, but not the sole means, of compliance with the regulations.
2. REFERENCES.
a. Federal Aviation Regulations Parts 21, 25, 45, and 47.
b. Advisory Circular 20-62, Eligibility, Quality, and Identification of Approved Aeronautical
Replacement Parts,
and AC 20-65, U.S. Airworthiness Certificates and Authorization for Operation of Domestic and
Foreign Aircraft.
3. CANCELLATION. Advisory Circular 45-2, Identification and Registration Marking, dated July
7, 1972, is cancelled.
4. GENERAL. Under the provisions of the Federal Aviation Act
of 1958 and implementing FAR, except as provided in FAR
section 21.182(b)(2), a civil aircraft must be registered and identified before it may be operated in the
United States. Federal Aviation Regulations Part 45 contains provisions concerning display and
description of nationality and registration marks on U.S. aircraft. Section 21.182 of the FAR,
requires each applicant for an airworthiness certificate to show that the aircraft is identified as
required in FAR section 45.11. Part 45 of the FAR sets forth the requirements for display of
nationality and registration marks; display of special airworthiness classification marks;
identification plates for aircraft, aircraft engines, propellers; and identification of certain replacement
and critical aircraft parts and components.
5. IDENTIFICATION OF AIRCRAFT AND RELATED PRODUCTS. The following paragraphs
provide an acceptable means of compliance with the identified sections of FAR Part 45, Subpart B.
a. Section 45.11, General. The term fireproof, as it relates to identification plates referenced
throughout this section, is defined by FAR section 1.1 to mean the capacity to withstand the heat
associated with fire at least as well as steel in dimensions appropriate for the purpose for which they
are used.
AC 45-2A 4/16/92
b. Section 45.11(b), Propellers and Propeller Blades and Hubs. Marks required by this section
are to be placed on a noncritical surface. If possible, for ease in identification, such marks should be
placed where they are visible without disassembly of the propeller.
c. Section 45.11(d), Aircraft Identification Plate. Except as provided in subparagraph (2)
below, aircraft manufactured before March 7, 1988, may display the identification plate required by
FAR section 45.11(a) at an accessible exterior or interior location near an entrance, if the model and
serial number are also displayed on the fuselage exterior. The display of the model and serial
number may be accomplished by use of a decal, paint, or bonded placard which meets the legibility
and location requirements of FAR section 45.11(a). These marks should be displayed in such a
manner that they are not likely to be defaced or removed during normal service.
(1) An "accessible location near an entrance" for an aircraft identification plate may be
either external or internal, and would be considered acceptable when it is visible to a person at, or
within, the entrance to the aircraft. "Accessible" does not mean that the identification plate must be
visible from the outside or without opening the door, or that it must be visible without removing
things such as baggage or carry-on items from the aircraft. For an aircraft with more than one door,
the entrance most used by the flight and servicing crews would be considered the most appropriate
location for the identification plate. If, under certain conditions, the plate is covered or enclosed in
any manner, its accessibility would be considered acceptable if it can be revealed without the use of
tools or removing aircraft components.
(2) Factory-installed identification plates on some models have been previously determined
to be "accessible" because they are installed on the fuselage exterior near the tail surface. In these
instances, an additional identification plate is not required. Owners are not expected to relocate
factory-installed identification plates required under FAR section 45.11(d), as this would be in
violation of FAR section 45.13(c).
Page 6
10. MISUSE OF AIRCRAFT IDENTIFICATION PLATES.
a. Part 45 of the FAR was amended effective September 4, 1979, (Amendment 45-10) to
explicitly prohibit any person from removing, changing, or placing information on aircraft, aircraft
engine, or propeller identification plates required by FAR section 45.11, and from installing or
removing such identification plates without the approval of the Administrator. This amendment was
in large part precipitated by the then existing practice of building an aircraft from spare parts and
installing the identification plate from a scrapped or destroyed aircraft. It was intended that this rule
change would serve as an effective tool which would discourage the misuse of identification plates.
There have also been a number of advertisements in aviation oriented periodicals offering aircraft
identification plates for sale, or indicating the need for certain identification plates. The purchasers
of such identification plates would be in violation of FAR section 45.13(c) and/or (e) if they were to
affix the identification plates, obtained as discussed above, on aircraft without approval of the FAA.
b. Specific approval of the Administrator is not required for persons performing work under
FAR Part 43 in accordance with methods, techniques, and practices acceptable to the Administrator.
These persons may remove an identification plate during certain maintenance operations such as
caustic cleaning, paint removal, sandblasting, etc., when such work is being performed on the
4/16/92 AC 45-2A
structure to which an identification plate is fastened. In all such instances, under FAR section
45.13(e), the identification plate which was removed during maintenance operations must be
reinstalled on the product from which it was removed. Under no circumstances may a person
performing work under FAR Part 43 install an identification plate that has been purchased or
salvaged from another aircraft.