My plane is in the paint booth and I have to make a decision this week about whether to use big N# or small. Anybody have any thoughts on this.

It's a Maule M5 and most Maule's seem to have the big N#, but I'm thinking small would be good and allow for more paint job.

Appreciate anyone's input on this.

I think when you repaint you have to go to the 12 inch letters. See the link below.

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=2f20ffc7c0c80db475c5f87ab5c0d048&rgn=div8&view=text&node=14:1.0.1.3.22.3.363.6&idno=14

An aircraft displaying marks at least 2 inches high before November 1, 1981 and an aircraft manufactured after November 2, 1981, but before January 1, 1983, may display those marks until the aircraft is repainted or the marks are repainted, restored, or changed;

If manufactured before Nov 1, 1981 at least 2'" no matter how many times it is painted.

Go with the small numbers cus you never know when some A H may be arround that hates his life and wants yours to be miserable too. That is unless you do a lot a lot of Mexico border crossing like Iceman does.

Tim

No contest...if your airplane qualifies: Go with the small numbers. I haven't seen too many cars with 12" ID numbers on the sides and they make no more sense on an airplane. ALWAYS choose in the best interests of individual privacy and liberty !!!

No question at all. Small N numbers if you qualify. You may need the big ones to go international, but they can be temporary. No advantage to the big ones being permanant. You airplane will look better with the little ones too.

Size does matter- smaller is better. Never mind what the old lady tells you.....

Thank you all for your input. Since my plane is a 1976 variety I think I can qualify for small numbers but I'm having my IA render opinion based on perfectly muddy CFR's re this.

qmdv wrote:An aircraft displaying marks at least 2 inches high before November 1, 1981 and an aircraft manufactured after November 2, 1981, but before January 1, 1983, may display those marks until the aircraft is repainted or the marks are repainted, restored, or changed;

If manufactured before Nov 1, 1981 at least 2'" no matter how many times it is painted.

Go with the small numbers cus you never know when some A H may be arround that hates his life and wants yours to be miserable too. That is unless you do a lot a lot of Mexico border crossing like Iceman does.

Tim

I agree with Tim! Especially the first sentence of the third paragraph!!

A64pilot wrote:You may need the big ones to go international, but they can be temporary.

Temporary with stickers? I have 2" numbers and on occasion have thought about going into Canada. What is the best way to use temporary 12" numbers and be able to take them off?

Bill

We go to the local car "speed shop" and they make us 12" vinyl numbers, all on one big piece of paper in any color and font you want. It's one big decal, but when you peel the paper off only the numbers are left. They look and feel like thin electrical tape and peel off real easy and don't leave any residue. Stay on in rain etc.
Pretty sure a sign shop can do the same thing
I think we may pay $20 or so?

Go to local hardware and get a roll of 2" wide BLUE "masking" tape.
Slap on the numbers in block format. Don't need to be pretty, just 12"
The blue tape comes off easy, not like older original type masking tape.

Once saw three expensive new stock SUVs, (two Lexus and a Caddy), on a 4x4 run that used the blue tape to cover the complete sides of all three vehichles in an atempt to not scratch their new SUVs. Did not work for that though. Lots of cussin and cryin.

As far as going into Canada, they could care less about 12 inch numbers. My old plane had the 2 inch ones, and its never an issue. Many US planes moving about Canada with tiny numbers. I have never heard of the issue being raised. I would venture to say that if the 12 inch really is a rule, 99.99% of the CA Customs agent don't know about it, and the other 00.01% don't care. Go to Canada with what you got, throw a roll of electrical tape in your pocket for backup. They are an aviation friendly country and good neighbors.

I regularly operate in Canada, 15 years now, with small numbers; it's never been a problem. My understanding is that the northern ADIZ of the U.S. doesn't require the big numbers, only the southern ADIZ. Go small.

They are an aviation friendly country and good neighbors.

I agree. Canada is a fun place.

But, I'm not very lucky and not real good sometimes. Therefore I need to follow the rules or I end up backed in a corner trying to explain my way out. Temporary numbers seem pretty simple.

I can imagine the customs agent asking "what the hell did you put that tape on here for?"

aqua wrote:I regularly operate in Canada, 15 years now, with small numbers; it's never been a problem. My understanding is that the northern ADIZ of the U.S. doesn't require the big numbers, only the southern ADIZ. Go small.

There is no ADIZ on the souther Canadian border with USA.

http://www.faa.gov/ats/aat/ifim/ifim0104.htm Check out first map. You need the 12 numbers when crossing the ADIZ.

Tim

Tim, that's a good link. I think what Aqua meant to say was the "southern border of the US and Mexico...ADIZ". From the map on the link it shows the ADIZ on East, West and Southern borders. Did I miss something? I go to Canada regularly, though I have large numbers.

Several decades ago US and Canada decided that an ADIZ was not necessary between the two countries. There is an ADIZ at norther border of Canada that is mutually monitored by both us and them.

Big numbers required by USA when coming north from Mexico but not required by Mexico when going south.

Tim

qmdv wrote:
An aircraft displaying marks at least 2 inches high before November 1, 1981 and an aircraft manufactured after November 2, 1981, but before January 1, 1983, may display those marks until the aircraft is repainted or the marks are repainted, restored, or changed;

If manufactured before Nov 1, 1981 at least 2'" no matter how many times it is painted.

Go with the small numbers cus you never know when some A H may be arround that hates his life and wants yours to be miserable too. That is unless you do a lot a lot of Mexico border crossing like Iceman does.

Tim

Does anyboby know the FAA reg on this right off?

Thanks

Benflyn

qmdv wrote:An aircraft displaying marks at least 2 inches high before November 1, 1981 and an aircraft manufactured after November 2, 1981, but before January 1, 1983, may display those marks until the aircraft is repainted or the marks are repainted, restored, or changed;

If manufactured before Nov 1, 1981 at least 2'" no matter how many times it is painted.

Go with the small numbers cus you never know when some A H may be arround that hates his life and wants yours to be miserable too. That is unless you do a lot a lot of Mexico border crossing like Iceman does.

Tim

Watch it!!! If you get a Mexico thing goin this will get moved to hot air

M5guy wrote:Thank you all for your input. Since my plane is a 1976 variety I think I can qualify for small numbers but I'm having my IA render opinion based on perfectly muddy CFR's re this.

A 1976 certainly qualifies. I did some touch up on my 182 when I bought it that caused a portion of the large N #'s to go away. Since it is a 1966, I just disappeared the whole large # from each side and put the small ones on the vertical. It improved the appearance of the bird immensely. You can see it in my photo gallery with a larger photo of my avitar. As long as you aren't flying to Canada and Mexico alot, it shouldn't be a problem.