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3 Answers

Aircraft IFR certification

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Aircraft Systems, FAA Regulations, General Aviation, Instrument Rating

What does it take to make an airplane IFR certified?   Besides the required inspections and extra equipment (AAVIATE and GRAB CARD), are there any other additional inspections or requirments to meet to turn an airplane that is certfied for VFR flight only into an airplane certified and legal for IFR flight? 

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3 Answers



  1. Kris Kortokrax on Dec 18, 2013

    It doesn’t depend only on equipment and inspections. There must be no limitation specified for the aircraft which would prohibit operations in instrument conditions.

    For example, I can file an IFR flight plan and accept an IFR clearance in a Bell 206 helicopter if it is equipped per 91.205 and has the inspections specified in 91.411 and 91.413.

    I cannot, however, fly into a cloud. I must remain in VMC.

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  2. tommytom on Dec 18, 2013

    I assume the limitations you are refering to are found in the aircraft POH? For example: the aircraft is not certified for flight into known icing Or would the limitations also be found somewhere else.

    Thank you Kris for your helpful answers.

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  3. Sam Dawson on Dec 18, 2013

    FAR 23 (or CAR 3 for older airplanes certified IFR) covers certification of airplanes in the normal, utility, aerobatic and commuter categories. For example, Pitot heat is not listed in 91.205, but it IS listed in FAR 23 as a requirement for IFR certification. Under CAR 3 it is not a requirement for IFR certification. However, if the airplane was certified for VFR only under CAR 3 and you want to make it IFR today it MUST comply with the FAR 23 requirement.

    So if an airplane was certified VFR under FAR 23/CAR 3 one must look through FAR 23 and see the items required to put the airplane into IFR certification and apply for field approval or an STC for those items.

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