Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

2 Answers

24-Month Pitot/Static Test: Required?

Asked by: 19693 views , , , ,
FAA Regulations

So this came up at work yesterday, from a highly experienced instructor while working with his CFI student:  Everyone always "knows" that the 24-month pitot/static inspection is required...  At least that's what people have just always said.  But reading the FARs, we couldn't find anything requiring it for VFR flights.  The FAR everyone seems to refer to is 91.411, but it specifies it applies to IFR only.  The only other one we can find is 91.205 where it states there must be an "operable? AI and altimeter, but it doesn't outline inspection requirements.  So, what are we missing?  Or is this "requirement" a misconception that's not well known?

Ace Any FAA Written Test!
Actual FAA Questions / Free Lifetime Updates
The best explanations in the business
Fast, efficient study.
Pass Your Checkride With Confidence!
FAA Practical Test prep that reflects actual checkrides.
Any checkride: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, etc.
Written and maintained by actual pilot examiners and master CFIs.
The World's Most Trusted eLogbook
Be Organized, Current, Professional, and Safe.
Highly customizable - for student pilots through pros.
Free Transition Service for users of other eLogs.
Our sincere thanks to pilots such as yourself who support AskACFI while helping themselves by using the awesome PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Android aviation apps of our sponsors.

2 Answers



  1. Kris Kortokrax on Dec 18, 2013

    The wording would seem to allow one to fly into O’Hare’s 30 mile Mode C ring and into the Class B airspace VFR. Would anyone expect that it would be OK for the Mode C altitude reporting equipment described in 91.411 to be misstating the aircraft’s altitude?

    Another question would be: Is there an avionics shop that would do the 91.413 check and not do the 91.411 check? Or is it a package deal?

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  2. Mark Kolber on Dec 21, 2013

    The requirement is a misconception that is not well-known. The 24-month pitot-static checks are technically not required for VFR-only flight.

    Like, Kris, I’ve not heard of the transponder/pitot/static testing not being done together, but that’s mostly because most of the aircraft I’ve flown have been IFR capable.

    The other issue, which Kris also hit on, is what happens if you are in Class B or C and are given a specific altitude to fly? I would bet that it would not be a defense to a 91.123(a) or (b) violation to say “I’m a VFR-only pilot so I never have my static tested for accuracy. I just decided, what the heck, I’m going there anyway.”

    0 Votes Thumb up 1 Votes Thumb down 1 Votes


The following terms have been auto-detected the question above and any answers or discussion provided. Click on a term to see its definition from the Dauntless Aviation JargonBuster Glossary.

Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.