Conditions keeping a standard C of A in force
Standard C of A in force only while all 7 conditions hold. Miss one: aircraft not legally airworthy, even with valid-looking certificate aboard.
| # | Condition | Rule or see |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weight | Aircraft and load not over specified max permissible weight |
| 2 | Load distribution | aeronautics/load-securing-and-floor-limits |
| 3 | Securing and emergency exit | air-law/baggage-cargo-stowage |
| 4 | Emergency equipment | air-law/operate-equipment-standard |
| 5 | Airworthiness directives (ADs) | air-law/airworthiness-directives; all aircraft maintenance inspections must be completed |
| 6 | Maintenance release | air-law/maintenance-release-signing |
| 7 | Category and validity | See below |
Condition 7:
- Certificate states operating category.
- Usually standard; older certificate may say normal (same).
- Pilot must confirm certificate is valid and issued for that aircraft.
Trap: conditions are ongoing, not one-time checks at issuance; overweight aircraft has no C of A in force even with unexpired certificate aboard.
References
- TP 1102, Aircraft Documentation: Certificate of Airworthiness