CA.I.B.K3bFAA-S-ACS-7B · Nov 2023Knowledge
b. Using an approved Minimum Equipment List (MEL)
Equipment requirements for day and night VFR flight, including: b. Using an approved Minimum Equipment List (MEL)
Bottom line
Under 14 CFR 91.213(a), except as provided in paragraph (d) of that section, no person may take off an aircraft with inoperative instruments or equipment installed unless an approved Minimum Equipment List exists for that aircraft. The MEL serves as a reference guide for dispatchers and pilots to determine whether takeoff with inoperative instruments or equipment is authorized. The MEL only applies while the aircraft is on the ground awaiting departure or takeoff; once airborne, mechanical failures are handled with the appropriate checklists and approved AFM, not the MEL.
Key numbers
| Number | What it means |
|---|---|
| MEL and letter of authorization constitute a supplemental type certificate | MEL + LOA |
| MEL denotes operations procedures with an O and maintenance procedures with an M | O or M |
FAA references
- 14 CFR 91.213 (Inoperative instruments and equipment.) — eCFR current as of 2026-03-05
- AFH ch. 16 (pp. 16-24–16-25) — FAA-H-8083-3C
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