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Posts Tagged ‘mnemonic’

With Paul’s recent post on the VFR day and night equipment mnemonics, I figured it would be a good opportunity to start collecting some more. If you’re working on your Instrument rating, you’ve probably wondered if there are any mnemonics for the IFR required equipment dictated by §91.205.

GRABCARD is the classic memory tool:

• Generator or alternator
• Rate of turn indicator (turn coordinator or turn & bank indicator)
• Altimeter, sensitive (Kollsman window)
• Ball (inclinometer, the ‘level’ component of a turn coordinator or turn & bank indicator)
• Clock (digital display or sweep second hand)
• Attitude indicator
• Radios as required for navigation and communication
• Directional gyro or heading indicator

Of course, the applicable VFR day equipment always applies as well, and if you’re flying IFR night you’ll need the VFR day and night equipment.

Have you got alternate mnemonics for any of the §91.205 required equipment? Let us know in the comments and we’ll add them!

Here is a question from Joe who asks:

How’s it going? I’m a CFI/CFII getting ready to work on my MEI. I’m was just wondering if you had any easy ways to teach 91.205. I have ways to easily teach equipment required for IFR flight and VFR Night. I just don’t have a easily remembered acronym for necessary equipment for VFR DAY. Any ideas?

Hi Joe, thanks for your question.

Actually I do have a mnemonic that I was taught to help remember the equipment required by § 91.205.  I’m not sure which mnemonic you are using for VFR night so I’ll give them both to you.  So here is a mnemonic to help you remember the required equipment for VFR day (paragraph b) and the required equipment for VFR night (paragraph c).

VFR Day:  TOMATOE A FLAMES

• Tachometer (for each engine)
• Oil Pressure Gauge
• Magnetic Direction Indicator (magnetic compass)
• Airspeed Indicator
• Temperature Gauge for each liquid cooled engine
• Oil Temperature Gauge
• Emergency equipment (beyond power off gliding distance over water) pyrotechnic signaling device, flotation device
• Anti-collision Lights
• Fuel Gauge for each tank
• Landing gear position indicator
• Alitmeter
• Manifold Pressure Gauge for each engine
• Emergency Locator Transmitter
• Safety Belts and Shoulder Harnesses

VFR Night:  FLAPS

• Fuses
• Landing light, if operated for hire
• Anti-collision light (beacon and/or strobes)
• Position Lights – Nav Lights (Red on the left, Green on the Right, White facing aft)
• Source of electricity (battery, generator, alternator)

Disclaimer: Several of the items are only required if you meet certain conditions and several of the items also have additional descriptions listed in the actual regulation.  Take for instance the M in FLAMES.  If you look at § 91.205, you will learn that a manifold pressure gauge is only required if you have an “altitude engine” (an engine capable of developing rated takeoff power to a certain altitude).  So feel to pass this list on to your students, but make sure you follow it up with a good discussion and reading of the actual reg.

Here is a link to the official reg: FAR §91.205