📘14 CFR §91.205 - Required Equipment for VFR Flight
✏️ Plain-English Summary:
You can’t legally fly an airplane unless it has all the equipment required for the type of flight you’re doing — VFR Day, VFR Night, IFR, etc. If something is inoperative, you must determine whether the flight is still legal (see also §91.213).
✅ Required Equipment for VFR Day
A TOMATO FLAMES — Per §91.205(b)
Letter
Equipment
A
Airspeed Indicator
T
Tachometer (for each engine)
O
Oil Pressure Gauge
M
Manifold Pressure Gauge (for altitude engines)
A
Altimeter
T
Temperature Gauge (for liquid-cooled engines)
O
Oil Temperature Gauge (for air-cooled engines)
F
Fuel Gauge (for each tank)
L
Landing Gear Position Indicator (if retractable)
A
Anti-collision Lights (certified after 3/11/1996)
M
Magnetic Compass
E
ELT (Emergency Locator Transmitter)
S
Seat Belts (and shoulder harnesses where applicable)
🌙 Required Equipment for VFR Night
FLAPS — In addition to A TOMATO FLAMES Per §91.205(c)
Letter
Equipment
F
Fuses (one spare set, or three of each kind, if applicable)
L
Landing Light (if flying for hire)
A
Anti-collision Lights
P
Position Lights (nav lights)
S
Source of Power (electrical system, i.e., battery/alternator)
✈️ Scenario:
You finish preflighting the DA20 and notice the landing light is burned out. Can you go fly solo at night? ❌ Nope — FLAPS requires a landing light when flying for hire, which includes student solo ops.
What if it’s a day flight and the anti-collision light is out? ✅ It depends — if the aircraft was certified before 3/11/1996, you may not be required to have it. ❌ If certified after, it’s required under A TOMATO FLAMES.
🎓 CFI Teaching Tip:
Make students say the acronym before every flight in early training. Then ask:
“What’s required today — A TOMATO FLAMES or FLAPS too?” Follow up by pointing them to 91.205 in the FAR to find it for themselves.
Pair this with §91.213 to explain what to do if something is inoperative.
📚 References:
FAR: 14 CFR §91.205
FAR §91.213: Inoperative Equipment
AC 91-67: Minimum Equipment Requirements
CAPTn Stage 1 Questions – Equipment and legal dispatch topics