"N" or "NC" ?

[Biotex]

My J4-A is registered to me as N26144 on the Certificate of Aircraft Registration.

It is marked with NC26144. wondering about the way it was done in the olden days, I did some reading up. Found this:

A second letter indicating the aircraft's airworthiness category followed the N and preceded the identification numbers. These airworthiness indicators were; "C" for standad, "R" for restricted, "X" for experimental, and later an "L" for limited, (for example, NC1234). This was standard until December 31, 1948, when aircraft registered for the first time were required to display identification marks consisting of only the Roman capital letter "N" followed by the registration number. Existing aircraft operated solely within the United States could continue to display an airworthiness symbol until the first time such aircraft were recovered or refinished to an extent necessitating the reapplication of the identification marks. After December 31, 1950, all aircraft of United States registry operated outside of the United States were required to display identification marks consisting of the Roman capital letter "N" followed by the registration number.

The way I read this is that you are allowed to display the NC only up to the point of a recover. Obviously this must be wrong!

What am I missing about the words "COULD CONTINUE UNTIL" from the FAA:

aircraft operated solely within the United States could continue to display an airworthiness symbol until the first time such aircraft were recovered or refinished to an extent necessitating the reapplication of the identification marks.

 

[DaveG]

See FAR 45.22

http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_G...CFB016AA41963A1C86256A6900512337?OpenDocument

DaveG

 

[jjack]

Everybody knows "N " or " NC " means North Carolina!
The Birthplace of a Aviation!

 

[Skip]

My Mexican landscaper says NC means NO CHIT? He always says that when I tell him that's an airplane in my shop. He stares at it and I say it` an airplane Julio and he looks at me and says NO CHIT?

 

[bob turner]

Both mine say NC.

 

[skywagon8a]

Biotex,
This is the key part of DaveG's post which applies to your J-4: (b) A small U.S.-registered aircraft built at least 30 years ago.... The "C" is optional, your choice.

My Cub's number starts with NX because it is an amateur-built aircraft. My DAR questioned this because I was leaving off the word "EXPERIMENTAL". When he spoke to his FAA contact, he had to look it up. They then agreed with me. So, as you can see, there is also confusion by those in charge.