Is it true? (altimeter pitot static inspection 91.411)

Alchemy

Alchemy

Well-Known Member
So someone today mentioned that the 24 mo. altimeter/static inspection is only required for IFR operations and not VFR. I called BS, so I looked it up in the regs, and sure enough, right there under 91.411 it says "under IFR".

Am I missing something? Why are all private pilots told that this inspection is required if it's an IFR only requirement? I mean, no one insists that the 30 day VOR check be done to fly the airplane under VFR, so why does everyone seem to be under the impression that the altimeter/static inspection has to be done? Am I the only one who got that impression during my private pilot training? I feel like I'm missing something here....
 
No worries. I'm sure there are plenty more of us putz's out there.
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Well I can't answer the question about the technicalities of the FARs, but I can offer a guess about why its drilled into us us as student pilots to check the altimeter/static instruments and not the VORs.

Think about what would happen if you were flying VFR and your VORs were off a little. Not a big deal. You should be able to navigate without a VOR. Even if you'll be going IFR, all you need is a private certificate to inspect them. No A&P.

Now think about if you were VFR and lost your pitot static system. Still not an emergency in VFR, but its a pretty big problem.

Here's another guess. Most of us rent aircraft. Its our job as pilot in command to make sure the inspections were done. Why look in the maintenence logs only for the required inspections and deliberately ignore the altimeter/static instruments while you have the logs opened up? Most places that rent aircraft will want to keep them capable of going IFR so those inspections will be done by maintainence anyway, might as well look at them. But we're not concerned with whether or not there has been a recent inspection of the VORs because if there hasn't, and we intend to take it IFR, we can do it ourselves in the runup rather than squawk the plane.
 
When I am teaching TOMATOFLAMES/FLAPS and the A is altimeter, but no pressure sensitive like in GRABCARD. I think it comes down to this idea that under IFR rules you need to have a pressure sensitive altimeter (essentially with a Kolsman window) so that you can put in the local altimeter setting. However, I imagine that some old altimeters will read some pressure and it may not be adjustable. In these old altimeters if the pilot took off and noted that the indicated pressure was off by some factor, then they could safely fly VFR and still have a working altimeter it would just need to be mentally coorelated to the actually pressure. This is the only thing that makes sense to me. There must be some old altimeters that are in some classic airplanes that the FAA seems to be pressured into not mandating the need for pressure sensitive alts.
 
Don't feel bad, Alchemy. I've talked to flight schools around here and the instructors didn't know whether or not the planes could be flown under IFR....
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You are misreading 91.411 as though it applied to VFR flight. 91.411 mearly establishes that a Pitot Static check is required for IFR flight.

If you fly VFR in controlled airspace and have an altitude reporting transponder installed, and turned on to ALT, then the pitot static system must be checked every 2 years as part of the transponder altitude correlation tests required under 91.413 and Appendix E/F to Part 43. The transponder's blind encoder determines altitude using baromteric pressure by way of a connection to the pitot static system and must be within 125 feet of what is showing on your altimeter. Any leaks or blockages in the pitot static system will make the transponder's altitude reporting very innacurate and you will get a nasty-gram from the FAA when ATC thinks you are flying 500 feet off requested altitude.

If you are flying an aircraft that was Type Certificated without an electrical system (ie: J3 Cub), fly only in uncontrolled airspace, and/or never request navigational ATC assistance, or are flying with the transponder removed for maintenance, then no pitot static check is required for VFR flight

Reference 91.215, 91.217, 91.413, and Appendix E, and F to Part 43.
 
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