Regulation Text
(a) General. Except as provided in paragraphs (c)(3) and (e) of this section, no person may operate a powered civil aircraft with a standard U.S. airworthiness certificate in any operation described in paragraphs (b) through (f) of this section unless that aircraft contains the instruments and equipment specified in those paragraphs (or FAA-approved equivalents) for that type of operation, and those instruments and items of equipment are in operable condition.
(b) Visual-flight rules (day). For VFR flight during the day, the following instruments and equipment are required:
(1) Airspeed indicator.
(2) Altimeter.
(3) Magnetic direction indicator.
(4) Tachometer for each engine.
(5) Oil pressure gauge for each engine using pressure system.
(6) Temperature gauge for each liquid-cooled engine.
(7) Oil temperature gauge for each air-cooled engine.
(8) Manifold pressure gauge for each altitude engine.
(9) Fuel gauge indicating the quantity of fuel in each tank.
(10) Landing gear position indicator, if the aircraft has a retractable landing gear.
(11) For small civil airplanes certificated after March 11, 1996, in accordance with part 23 of this chapter, an approved aviation red or aviation white anticollision light system. In the event of failure of any light of the anticollision light system, operation of the aircraft may continue to a location where repairs or replacement can be made.
(12) If the aircraft is operated for hire over water and beyond power-off gliding distance from shore, approved flotation gear readily available to each occupant and, unless the aircraft is operating under part 121 of this subchapter, at least one pyrotechnic signaling device. As used in this section, “shore” means that area of the land adjacent to the water which is above the high water mark and excludes land areas which are intermittently under water.
(13) An approved safety belt with an approved metal-to-metal latching device, or other approved restraint system for each occupant 2 years of age or older.
(14) For small civil airplanes manufactured after July 18, 1978, an approved shoulder harness or restraint system for each front seat. For small civil airplanes manufactured after December 12, 1986, an approved shoulder harness or restraint system for all seats. Shoulder harnesses installed at flightcrew stations must permit the flightcrew member, when seated and with the safety belt and shoulder harness fastened, to perform all functions necessary for flight operations. For purposes of this paragraph—
(i) The date of manufacture of an airplane is the date the inspection acceptance records reflect that the airplane is complete and meets the FAA-approved type design data; and
(ii) A front seat is a seat located at a flightcrew member station or any seat located alongside such a seat.
(15) An emergency locator transmitter, if required by § 91.207.
(16) [Reserved]
(17) For rotorcraft manufactured after September 16, 1992, a shoulder harness for each seat that meets the requirements of § 27.2 or § 29.2 of this chapter in effect on September 16, 1991.
(c) Visual flight rules (night). For VFR flight at night, the following instruments and equipment are required:
(1) Instruments and equipment specified in paragraph (b) of this section.
(2) Approved position lights.
(3) An approved aviation red or aviation white anticollision light system on all U.S.-registered civil aircraft. Anticollision light systems initially installed after August 11, 1971, on aircraft for which a type certificate was issued or applied for before August 11, 1971, must at least meet the anticollision light standards of part 23, 25, 27, or 29 of this chapter, as applicable, that were in effect on August 10, 1971, except that the color may be either aviation red or aviation white. In the event of failure of any light of the anticollision light system, operations with the aircraft may be continued to a stop where repairs or replacement can be made.
(4) If the aircraft is operated for hire, one electric landing light.
(5) An adequate source of electrical energy for all installed electrical and radio equipment.
(6) One spare set of fuses, or three spare fuses of each kind required, that are accessible to the pilot in flight.
(d) Instrument flight rules. For IFR flight, the following instruments and equipment are required:
(1) Instruments and equipment specified in paragraph (b) of this section, and, for night flight, instruments and equipment specified in paragraph (c) of this section.
(2) Two-way radio communication and navigation equipment suitable for the route to be flown.
(3) Gyroscopic rate-of-turn indicator, except on the following aircraft:
(i) Airplanes with a third attitude instrument system usable through flight attitudes of 360 degrees of pitch and roll and installed in accordance with the instrument requirements prescribed in § 121.305(j) of this chapter; and
(ii) Rotorcraft with a third attitude instrument system usable through flight attitudes of ±80 degrees of pitch and ±120 degrees of roll and installed in accordance with § 29.1303(g) of this chapter.
(4) Slip-skid indicator.
(5) Sensitive altimeter adjustable for barometric pressure.
(6) A clock displaying hours, minutes, and seconds with a sweep-second pointer or digital presentation.
(7) Generator or alternator of adequate capacity.
(8) Gyroscopic pitch and bank indicator (artificial horizon).
(9) Gyroscopic direction indicator (directional gyro or equivalent).
(e) Flight at and above 24,000 feet MSL (FL 240). If VOR navigation equipment is required under paragraph (d)(2) of this section, no person may operate a U.S.-registered civil aircraft within the 50 states and the District of Columbia at or above FL 240 unless that aircraft is equipped with approved DME or a suitable RNAV system. When the DME or RNAV system required by this paragraph fails at and above FL 240, the pilot in command of the aircraft must notify ATC immediately, and then may continue operations at and above FL 240 to the next airport of intended landing where repairs or replacement of the equipment can be made.
(f) Category II operations. The requirements for Category II operations are the instruments and equipment specified in—
(1) Paragraph (d) of this section; and
(2) Appendix A to this part.
(g) Category III operations. The instruments and equipment required for Category III operations are specified in paragraph (d) of this section.
(h) Night vision goggle operations. For night vision goggle operations, the following instruments and equipment must be installed in the aircraft, functioning in a normal manner, and approved for use by the FAA:
(1) Instruments and equipment specified in paragraph (b) of this section, instruments and equipment specified in paragraph (c) of this section;
(2) Night vision goggles;
(3) Interior and exterior aircraft lighting system required for night vision goggle operations;
(4) Two-way radio communications system;
(5) Gyroscopic pitch and bank indicator (artificial horizon);
(6) Generator or alternator of adequate capacity for the required instruments and equipment; and
(7) Radar altimeter.
(i) Exclusions. Paragraphs (f) and (g) of this section do not apply to operations conducted by a holder of a certificate issued under part 121 or part 135 of this chapter.
[Docket 18334, 54 FR 34292, Aug. 18, 1989, as amended by Amdt. 91-220, 55 FR 43310, Oct. 26, 1990; Amdt. 91-223, 56 FR 41052, Aug. 16, 1991; Amdt. 91-231, 57 FR 42672, Sept. 15, 1992; Amdt. 91-248, 61 FR 5171, Feb. 9, 1996; Amdt. 91-251, 61 FR 34560, July 2, 1996; Amdt. 91-285, 69 FR 77599, Dec. 27, 2004; Amdt. 91-296, 72 FR 31679, June 7, 2007; Amdt. 91-309, 74 FR 42563, Aug. 21, 2009; Docket FAA-2015-1621, Amdt. 91-346, 81 FR 96700, Dec. 30, 2016; FAA-2023-1275, Amdt. 91-379, 89 FR 92486, Nov. 21, 2024]
Research Notes
Section 91.205 — Powered civil aircraft equipment requirements — is one of the most-tested regulations on every checkride. It lists the equipment that must be installed and operational for various operational categories.
Paragraph (b) — VFR Day equipment (ATOMATOFLAMES):
- Airspeed indicator
- Tachometer for each engine
- Oil pressure gauge for each engine
- Manifold pressure gauge for each altitude engine
- Altimeter
- Temperature gauge for each liquid-cooled engine
- Oil temperature gauge for each air-cooled engine
- Fuel gauge indicating quantity of fuel in each tank
- Landing gear position indicator (for retractable)
- Anti-collision lights (for aircraft certificated after March 11, 1996)
- Magnetic compass
- ELT (emergency locator transmitter)
- Safety belts/restraints
Paragraph (c) — VFR Night additional (FLAPS added to ATOMATOFLAMES):
- Fuses (one spare set of each kind, or three spare fuses if circuit breakers)
- Landing light (if operated for hire)
- Anti-collision lights
- Position lights (red, green, white)
- Source of electrical power adequate for all required equipment
Paragraph (d) — IFR additional (GRABCARD):
- Generator/alternator of adequate capacity
- Radios required for the route to be flown (typically two-way comms and nav radio)
- Attitude indicator
- Ball (slip-skid indicator)
- Clock displaying hours/minutes/seconds (sweep second hand or digital)
- Altimeter (sensitive, adjustable for barometric setting)
- Rate-of-turn indicator
- Directional gyro (or equivalent)
Inoperative equipment: If any of these required items is inoperative, the aircraft cannot legally operate VFR/IFR (as applicable) UNLESS the equipment is removed, deactivated, or covered per the MEL (if approved) or per § 91.213(d) for non-MEL aircraft.
Reference: FAA-H-8083-25 (PHAK) Chapter 8 on flight instruments; FAA-H-8083-30 (AMT Handbook) Chapter 12.
ATOMATOFLAMES, FLAPS, GRABCARD — The Equipment Mnemonics, Honestly
Three mnemonics, one reg. Walk into any flight school and someone will scrawl ATOMATOFLAMES, FLAPS, and GRABCARD on the whiteboard as if they are § 91.205. They're not. They're useful memory aids that mostly map to the reg — but one letter points to an item that lives in a different reg entirely, and two more depend on cross-references most students never bother to look up. If you can't tell the difference on a checkride, the DPE will know.
Here's the honest breakdown.
ATOMATOFLAMES — Day VFR, § 91.205(b):
| Letter | Stands for | Where it actually lives |
|---|---|---|
| A | Airspeed indicator | § 91.205(b)(1) |
| T | Tachometer (one for each engine) | § 91.205(b)(4) |
| O | Oil pressure gauge (each engine using a pressure system) | § 91.205(b)(5) |
| M | Manifold pressure gauge (each altitude engine) | § 91.205(b)(8) — most fixed-pitch trainers don't have one and don't need one |
| A | Altimeter | § 91.205(b)(2) |
| T | Temperature gauge (each liquid-cooled engine) | § 91.205(b)(6) |
| O | Oil temperature gauge (each air-cooled engine) | § 91.205(b)(7) |
| F | Fuel gauge (one per tank) | § 91.205(b)(9) |
| L | Landing gear position indicator (retractable only) | § 91.205(b)(10) |
| A | Anti-collision lights | § 91.205(b)(11) — only for small civil airplanes certificated after March 11, 1996 |
| M | Magnetic direction indicator (compass) | § 91.205(b)(3) |
| E | ELT | § 91.205(b)(15) — but the reg points outward: "if required by § 91.207." 91.207 is where the rules actually live. |
| S | Safety belt (and shoulder harness) | § 91.205(b)(13) for the belt, (b)(14) for the harness. The use requirements (when you wear it, who wears it) are in § 91.107. |
FLAPS — Additional Night VFR, § 91.205(c):
| Letter | Stands for | Where it actually lives |
|---|---|---|
| F | Fuses — one spare set, or three spares of each kind required | § 91.205(c)(6) |
| L | Landing light (only if operating for hire) | § 91.205(c)(4) — Part 91 private flying doesn't require one |
| A | Anti-collision lights | § 91.205(c)(3) — required at night for ALL aircraft; the (b)(11) March-1996 carve-out doesn't apply here |
| P | Position lights | § 91.205(c)(2) |
| S | Source of electrical energy (adequate to all installed equipment) | § 91.205(c)(5) |
GRABCARD — Additional IFR, § 91.205(d):
| Letter | Stands for | Where it actually lives |
|---|---|---|
| G | Generator or alternator (adequate capacity) | § 91.205(d)(7) |
| R | Radios — two-way comms and nav appropriate to the route | § 91.205(d)(2) |
| A | Attitude indicator (gyroscopic pitch and bank — artificial horizon) | § 91.205(d)(8) |
| B | Ball — slip-skid indicator | § 91.205(d)(4) |
| C | Clock — hours, minutes, seconds, sweep-second or digital | § 91.205(d)(6) |
| A | Altimeter (sensitive, adjustable for barometric pressure) | § 91.205(d)(5) |
| R | Rate-of-turn indicator | § 91.205(d)(3) |
| D | Directional gyro (heading indicator) | § 91.205(d)(9) |
What the mnemonics get right: they cover the bulk of § 91.205 in an order you can recite under pressure. What they hide: the manifold pressure gauge is conditional on having an altitude engine, anti-collision lights have a 1996 date cutoff for day VFR that disappears at night, the landing light only matters if you're flying for hire, and the ELT line in 91.205 is just a pointer to § 91.207 — that's the reg you actually have to know. The mnemonic also hides the structure: (c) builds on top of (b), and (d) builds on top of both. IFR doesn't replace VFR equipment — it adds to it.
What an Examiner Asks About § 91.205
This reg shows up on every private, instrument, commercial, and CFI checkride. Examiners aren't hunting for the mnemonic — they're hunting for whether you understand the structure: day VFR is the floor, night and IFR add to it, and a few items everyone "knows" point to other regs.
Common questions, in roughly the order they come up:
- "Recite ATOMATOFLAMES — what does each letter stand for?" Recite it cleanly. Then add: "The E and the S are in 91.205, but they cross-reference outward — the ELT is governed by § 91.207, and the rules for wearing the safety belt are in § 91.107." You just turned a memorized list into a demonstration of structural understanding.
- "Where in 91.205 is the anti-collision lights requirement?" Two places. § 91.205(b)(11) for day VFR, but only for small civil airplanes certificated after March 11, 1996. § 91.205(c)(3) for night, with no date carve-out. If a pre-1996 aircraft has an inop anti-collision light, it can legally fly day VFR but not at night.
- "Is the ELT in 91.205 or elsewhere?" Both. § 91.205(b)(15) lists it — but the reg explicitly says "if required by § 91.207." So 91.205 is the pointer, 91.207 is where you find the installation, inspection, and battery-replacement rules.
- "If your attitude indicator fails on the ground, can you legally launch IFR?" No. The AI is required by § 91.205(d)(8). With it inop, you're either grounded for IFR or you run through the § 91.213 inoperative equipment analysis — and a primary flight instrument almost never survives that test.
- "What's the difference between day VFR fuel gauges and IFR fuel gauges?" Trick question — none. Fuel gauges are § 91.205(b)(9) and apply to every flight condition. The IFR list adds equipment on top of VFR day and night; it never replaces it. A student who thinks IFR has its own self-contained equipment list has misread the reg.
The examiner isn't testing whether you can sing the mnemonic. They're testing whether you understand that § 91.205 is layered — day is the foundation, night adds, IFR adds again — and which mnemonic letters point to other regs.
Walking the Cockpit, Under § 91.205
You're preflighting a Cessna 172 for an IFR cross-country. Filed IFR, forecast says you'll be in the clouds for at least 40 minutes of the trip, and part of the route is after sunset. Here's how § 91.205 actually plays in the cockpit, item by item.
Run ATOMATOFLAMES first. Airspeed indicator alive, altimeter set to current setting and reading field elevation within 75 feet, compass card readable and the bowl full of fluid, tach swinging, oil pressure rising into the green within 30 seconds of start, oil temp climbing, fuel gauges showing something believable (cross-check against your dipstick number — gauges are required, but they're not required to be accurate except at empty). No manifold pressure gauge in this airplane — there's no altitude engine, so (b)(8) doesn't apply. Fixed gear, so the landing-gear-position letter is N/A. Anti-collision strobe firing. ELT armed and within its inspection cycle per § 91.207. Safety belts and shoulder harnesses present and serviceable; brief the passenger on use per § 91.107.
Then FLAPS, because part of the route is at night. Position lights — verify on the walk-around. Anti-collision — already checked. Landing light — not required for private Part 91, but you want it working anyway. Source of electrical energy — ammeter showing a charge after start. Fuses — open the panel and confirm the spare set, or three of each kind, are there. Most pilots skip this step entirely. Don't.
Then GRABCARD, because you're IFR. Generator/alternator charging. Two-way comms and nav appropriate to the route — VOR check current per § 91.171, GPS database current. Attitude indicator erect within a couple minutes of start. Ball centered in level flight. Clock with sweep-second or digital, working. Sensitive altimeter set. Rate-of-turn indicator alive. DG slaved or set against the compass.
Something's inop — now what? That's § 91.213 territory. If the aircraft has an MEL (Minimum Equipment List), you follow it. If it doesn't — and most light singles don't — you run the 91.213(d) analysis: is the item required by 91.205 for the planned kind of flight? Required by the type certificate? Required by an AD? Required by the aircraft's kinds-of-operation equipment list? If yes to any one of those, you can't defer it. If no to all four, you placard it INOPERATIVE, log it, and go. A DG with a slow drift on a clear-day VFR flight is one conversation. An attitude indicator on an IFR flight is no conversation — you're not going.
91.205 tells you what has to be installed. § 91.213 tells you what to do when something isn't working. Together they're the legal floor. What gets you home safe is whether you actually used the equipment to verify the airplane is honest, not just legal.
Amendment History
Amendment History Coming Soon
Every time this regulation changes, we'll record it here — the date, what was amended, and a plain-English summary of what shifted.