Essco, PDF POHs

[poadeleted21]

Out of curiosity, I sent essco an email requesting a PDF version of my POH. Much to my surprise... They Sell em. Not advertised and not an option on the site but you can request it via the comments section but in lieu of shipping they charge a 5.00 email fee. Suppose I could have scanned min in and made it work but for 12 bucks, I got a nicer PDF.

 

[poadeleted20]

Technically, what they sell is an Information Manual, not a POH, which must be customized for the specific aircraft by s/n including W&B data, equipment list, and any applicable AFM Supplements for additional equipment. However, one could turn an IM into a POH with the right additional material.

 

[AggieMike88]

Could it be that one day we are permitted to exchange the Paper POH for a thumb drive that lives on their aircraft's keychain?

 

[TMetzinger]

Mooney had a deal where they'd sell you an electronic version of your AFM, for YOUR airplane with all the original W&B and other data on it. And they threw in the maintenance manuals and all the airframe AD's and such.

It was about $200 bucks. The maintenance manuals were worth that all by themselves.

Don't know if they still do it.

 

[poadeleted20]

Could it be that one day we are permitted to exchange the Paper POH for a thumb drive that lives on their aircraft's keychain?

There are aircraft in commercial service for which all flight manuals and the like are stored on devices like iPads which the pilots carry around, along with all their charts -- I saw that on a Skywest CRJ a couple of months back.

 

[poadeleted21]

Technically, what they sell is an Information Manual, not a POH, which must be customized for the specific aircraft by s/n including W&B data, equipment list, and any applicable AFM Supplements for additional equipment. However, one could turn an IM into a POH with the right additional material.

Mine says Cherokee Owners Handbook. I had to buy the S/N specific AFM from Piper was about 150 bucks called VB<somenumber>. Though my plane was built in 1963 my reading of the regs says I still have to have it. Then I have my AFM supplements, w&b, equipment list etc... As well as the GPS manual and cheat sheets, check lists etc.. that I'll store in my document library too.

 

[poadeleted21]

Could it be that one day we are permitted to exchange the Paper POH for a thumb drive that lives on their aircraft's keychain?

I dunno, but I'm rolling everything into dropbox and my iPad. Still going to carry the paper though.

 

[poadeleted20]

Mine says Cherokee Owners Handbook. I had to buy the S/N specific AFM from Piper was about 150 bucks called VB<somenumber>. Though my plane was built in 1963 my reading of the regs says I still have to have it. Then I have my AFM supplements, w&b, equipment list etc... As well as the GPS manual and cheat sheets, check lists etc.. that I'll store in my document library too.

If you're plane predates the 1978 POH requirement, they could call that "handbook" anything they wanted, and there's no specific FAA requirement to have it in the plane or even what must be in it. However, the term "POH: as applied to a post-1978 aircraft is specifically defined in Part 23, including what must be in it as well as its format, and that you must have as it is your required AFM for post-1978 aircraft. What you must have, per the TCDS on your 1963 Piper, is that "VB-something report" including the W&B data, equipment list, placards, etc, as that is your legally-required flight manual.

 

[poadeleted21]

If you're plane predates the 1978 POH requirement, they could call that "handbook" anything they wanted, and there's no specific FAA requirement to have it in the plane or even what must be in it. However, the term "POH: as applied to a post-1978 aircraft is specifically defined in Part 23, including what must be in it as well as its format, and that you must have as it is your required AFM for post-1978 aircraft. What you must have, per the TCDS on your 1963 Piper, is that "VB-something report" including the W&B data, equipment list, placards, etc, as that is your legally-required flight manual.

That was a $300 lesson I learned about a year ago.