I need to lose weight. Are digital ARROW docs compliant with regs?

FORANE

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FORANE
Is it in compliance with regs to have onboard digital copies of ARROW documents instead of hard copies?
Part 91
Please cite any guidance for or against this practice.
 
Doubtful. And they are maybe a few ounces of weight at the most, it won't make a difference.
 
FAR 91.203(b) states "No person may operate a civil aircraft unless the airworthiness certificate required by paragraph (a) of this section or a special flight authorization issued under § 91.715 is displayed at the cabin or cockpit entrance so that it is legible to passengers or crew."
 
FAR 91.203(b) states "No person may operate a civil aircraft unless the airworthiness certificate required by paragraph (a) of this section or a special flight authorization issued under § 91.715 is displayed at the cabin or cockpit entrance so that it is legible to passengers or crew."
ok, so that appears to eliminate the airworthiness certificate for digital conversion.
 
Assume you are thinking the "O" in ARROW. If you have a lot of addons (avionics etc.) the required to be in the plane manuals can be a few pounds. I have all mine on my iPad. I do have stuff in a briefcase in the cargo compartment, but not looking to save a couple pounds. Pretty sure digital is fine for all of that, but can't state the reg right off hand.
 
Is it in compliance with regs to have onboard digital copies of ARROW documents instead of hard copies?
For some, maybe--for others, no.
A: No. 91.203(a)(1) + it states on certificate to be in aircraft
R: No. 91.203(a)(2) + it states on certificate to be in aircraft
R: ??, but I think no. Somewhere in Title 47 if needed.
O: Maybe. 91.9(b). Issue becomes if your AFM has approved sections then can only be digital if OEM provides approved digital version.
W: Maybe, but usually no. Certified Empty W&B and Equiptment List are part of the TC/type design and indicated on TCDS usually in Note 1. Issue revolves around certifying signatures are not valid digitally unless you have an FAA approved electronic records system or the approved document was issued electronically by the FAA or OEM.
 
My airworthiness certificate came from the FAA as a PDF file.

W: Maybe, but usually no. Certified Empty W&B and Equiptment List are part of the TC/type design and indicated on TCDS usually in Note 1. Issue revolves around certifying signatures are not valid digitally unless you have an FAA approved electronic records system or the approved document was issued electronically by the FAA or OEM.
Who says they need to be signed, digitally or otherwise? The FAA handbooks for such say the manufacturer or the modifying mechanic will prepare a report for the pilot.
 
Who says they need to be signed, digitally or otherwise?
The original certified empty weight is signed by the OEM at the factory. Any change or alteration to that certified empty weight is considered a minor alteration (per the handbook) and requires an additional sign off per part 43 to certify that alteration. Without a signature the empty weight record is not considered certified as required by the TCDS.
 
The mechanic has to sign the aircraft records just like with anything else, but I'm not finding any guidance that says the W&B paperwork itself needs to be signed. I'm not even seeing a requirement that the W&B actual report that the mechanic generated has to be the thing that's carried in the plane. I actually have a more "user friendly" one that I generated based on the original data.
 
I'm not even seeing a requirement that the W&B actual report that the mechanic generated has to be the thing that's carried in the plane.
Navion? Both Navion TCDS, A-782 and 2A1, list the requirement to have the current W&B Report in the aircraft at all times to include the Equip List for the certified empty weight. The report is part of the Type Certificate/Type Design and needs no additional guidance to require its installation.
2A1 and A-782 TCDS Note 1:
Current weight and balance report, including list of equipment included in certificated weight empty, and loading instructions when necessary, must be in each aircraft at the time of original certification and at all times thereafter (except in the case of air carrier operators having an approved weight control system).
but I'm not finding any guidance that says the W&B paperwork itself needs to be signed.
And you won’t as no additional guidance is needed. Any changes to the certified empty weight are considered part of the repair or alteration causing the change and are dealt with under Part 43. Any new empty weight record that is missing a signature is no different than any mx entry missing a signature and makes the aircraft unairworthy. Think of the new empty weight report as a separate maintenance entry for work performed, i.e, alteration of the empty weight.
 
I'm still not seeing how the report has to be signed. If the mechanic signs the log book and says "I prepared a new w&b report dated 1/2/2021" why does it also need to be on the other documents?

Even if the report itself was required to be signed, who says the original signature needs to be carried?
 
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I'm still not seeing how the report has to be signed. If the mechanic signs the log book and says "I prepared a new w&b report dated 1/2/2021" why does it also need to be on the other documents? Even if the report itself was required to be signed, who says the original signature needs to be carried?
You’re not the 1st person to miss this. The key is the TCDS requires a certified empty weight to be carried in the aircraft. So unless you carry the mx logbook certifying your “1/2/2021 W&B Report” with you every flight, what makes that 1/2/2021 W&B report, i.e, empty weight, certified without a signature?
 
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