Changes to Passenger Warning Placards in New FAA Order

October 12, 2017 - The latest version of the FAA order that provides guidance to agency personnel and designees for issuing experimental airworthiness certificates has slightly different language for passenger warning placards. FAA Order 8130.2J now adds the passenger warning placard as an operating limitation for amateur-built aircraft and directs the placard to read, “Passenger warning ― this aircraft does not comply with federal safety regulations for standard aircraft.” This new language omits references to specific types of experimental aircraft, such as amateur-built and light-sport.

In addition to the change in language, the order only references FAR 21.191(g), Operating amateur-built aircraft, in the relevant operating limitation’s certification basis. This would suggest that the operating limitation only applies to amateur-built aircraft, but the order does require the passenger warning for experimental light-sport aircraft in Chapter 17, “Experimental Purpose of Operating Light-Sport Aircraft.” FAA personnel state that 21.191(i), Operating light-sport aircraft, will be included in the operating limitation’s certification basis in the next revision of order 8130.2.

It is important to note that this is not retroactive. Owners of experimental amateur-built or light-sport aircraft with existing airworthiness certificates need not change their passenger warning placard. EAA is updating its certification kits to reflect the new language.