What FAR/AIM Reference for iPad?

petrolero

Pattern Altitude
Joined
May 1, 2014
Messages
2,399
Location
Denver, CO
Display Name

Display name:
petrolero
I have been using the ASA FAR/AIM but its search feature is terrible and I've come to realize that I can't trust it to find things I search for.**

I recently tried another one called PilotFAR / AIM that has a much better search feature and got great reviews for years but lately it gets terrible reviews and I'm not even sure if it's still being kept up to date based on some review comments - I haven't yet verified whether the regs themselves are up to date (last update is Oct. 2014 for iOS 8 compatibility). Anyone use this? Looks good on the surface.

What else? To me, currency and a good search feature are critical and I'm willing to pay to have both.
_________

** (e.g., I tried looking for regs relating to Mode S as I just had a Mode S/ES transponder installed. I type in Mode followed by a space and it gives no matches at all. I can't surround "Mode S" with quotes or use wildcards either. bah. When I go to PilotFAR / AIM, I can type in "Mode S" with surrounding quotes and it comes up with numerous hits. w00t)


.
 
The ASA one has served me okay.
 
I used to use Pilot FAR/AIM but its updates are sporadic. Went to the ASA one and it serves my needs just fine. Not the search capability I would choose, but I rarely need to research that deeply on my iPad.
 
If you have Foreflight, you can get the FAR and AIM (separately) through their documents facility. They post updates. The search feature is OK, but it sure would be nice to have all the FARs in one file so you can search the whole thing.

Any good PDF reader (e.g., Adobe) should have search capability on the FAA's PDFs. Updating would be manual, though.
 
WingX has the FAR but not the AIM. Just FYI
 
Yeah maybe I'll just use the FAA's FAR PDF on GoodReader.
 
I know tha FAA has an AIM pdf but thought they got rid of an FAR compilation because it didn't make sense to keep it updated since there's an official government source.

Figures. No reason to have it in a portable searchable format. :-/
 
Figures. No reason to have it in a portable searchable format. :-/
Nope, None. It would be nice but I'm guessing assigning staff to meet your or my desire to search the FAR offline is probably not the FAA's highest priority in times of budgetary crunch and widespread internet access when there is already an official and boolean-searchable government source online that is updated almost as quickly as new regulations are adopted.

Here it is. The FAR are contained in Parts 1-199 (not all of which are used; almost 80 are but the rest are placeholders for future regulatory areas)

And, of course, you can certainly use one of the many free PDF printers to capture as many of the almost 80 separate FAR Parts as you think worthwhile to keep and update them as needed.

Edit: BTW, here's the "Mode S" search results.
 
Last edited:
As I'm looking through the e-cfr site, I'm wondering why this is in part 91:

Special Federal Aviation Regulation No. 108—Mitsubishi MU-2B Series Special Training, Experience, and Operating Requirements

Isn't that odd? Why is that particular airplane singled out in the FARs? That takes up about 1/3 of the 'space' of all of part 91. (based on my browser scroll bar)
 
As I'm looking through the e-cfr site, I'm wondering why this is in part 91:

Special Federal Aviation Regulation No. 108—Mitsubishi MU-2B Series Special Training, Experience, and Operating Requirements

Isn't that odd? Why is that particular airplane singled out in the FARs? That takes up about 1/3 of the 'space' of all of part 91. (based on my browser scroll bar)
Since the MU-2 SFAR involves pilot training it would seem more sensible to stick it in the Part 61 group along with the Robinson helicopter one.

But (and this is a WAG). It has to do with the application of the SFAR. The Robinson SFAR says "The requirements stated in this SFAR are in addition to the current requirements of part 61." So it only appears there.

The MU-2 SFAR, OTOH, says "The requirements in this SFAR are in addition to the requirements of 14 CFR parts 61, 91, and 135 of this chapter." By its own terms, the MU-2SFAR belongs in each of those Parts. And, indeed, Part 61, Part 91 and Part 135 all refer to it, although the full text only appears once in the eCFR, in Part 91. Maybe just because it was in the middle? Or they drew straws.

The singling out? An unusual number of accidents in the type and a perceived need for special training and experience requirements.
 
Last edited:
ok, so i tried this, worked pretty well i think. I printed the Part 91 from the e-cfr web site, selected out the pages regarding that MU-2 SFAR and ended up with 167 page pdf that you could carry around and search offline(on your phone or tablet). If you want to try this, pages 1-5,142-303 worked for me. I wanted to get the table of contents listing.

Now i guess I should print(to pdf) part 61. Are there any other parts commonly referenced for private pilots? I haven't seen a hard copy so i'm not sure what they put in those hard copy far/aim books.

save a tree, why not.

edit: did part 61, ended up with 152 page pdf. So, over 300 pages takes up about the size of one mp3 song on my phone.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top