How to placard stratus ADS-B transponder out of inspection?

[Bell206]

BTW 91.213 says to placard "INOP" and refers to equipment that doesn't work, not for equipment that has exceeded the time limit for check

Not quite. 213 is equipment based and it's a matter of semantics when it comes to the term "inop." Think of unserviceable when it comes to equipment you can't use for any reason, to include required insp. 215 is operations based concerning flight requirements with/without a xspndr. Some aircraft don't have xspndrs installed. If your xspndr breaks in flight is one thing, but if unserviceble from an equipment point of view prior to flight is something entirely different. Once you comply with 213, if applicable, 215 allows you to fly with the "inop" xspndr. It is what it is.

As for a checkride with the 2 year overdue... not recommended.

 

[Magnus P.IFR]

Used the FARs to my advantage, explained why it wasn’t a necessary inspection for my flight (checkride taken in class D&E) and passed the CPL. Case closed.

 

[Witmo]

I think 91.215 (d) covers the situation you're describing. I think most ATCers, including yourself, would have no issues granting access to airspace with a transponder out of inspection by one minute.

I do advocate following the rules.

A common misconception is that ATC has carte blanche to allow a pilot to violate regulations. They don't (unless a declared emergency exists). If the regulation specifically states that ATC can allow an aircraft with no operable transponder, into airspace it controls, when such airspace requires a transponder, it is one thing and their legal prerogative. The regulations do not allow ATC to tell a pilot he can operate an out of inspection transponder. All ATC can legally do is tell the pilot he can enter their airspace with it off if you were to inform them it is only "out of inspection." Doing an airborne check with ATC in lieu of the required inspection is not enough. If ATC were to tell someone to turn on an out of inspection transponder, bad on them, but the FAA would likely sanction the pilot for breaking a rule he should know. The controller might get some retraining, the pilot would likely get slammed with enforcement action. The FAA is all about following the rules--common sense doesn't necessarily mean a hill of beans to them.

 

[Timbeck2]

Do us all a favor and don't tell ATC your transponder is out of inspection. One, as long as your altitude is within 300' we don't care if the inspection was ten years ago. Two, turning it off makes it harder to separate you from other traffic. Three, ATC doesn't want to get involved with an out of inspection transponder charge. Just get it inspected and involve as few people as possible.

 

[chemgeek]

If you try to get by without a transponder where it is required or expected you will eventually get a letter from the FSDO. I had the altitude reporting go flaky on me at the end of an IFR trip. NBD, just turn off alt reporting and confirm all altitude changes with ATC. On my return trip, everything worked fine for 30-40 minutes then the altitude reporting went wonky again. Same deal. Got a letter from FSDO about flying without accurate mode C. I provided them with documentation of the one month old pitot/static/transponder check--what they were interested in-- and let them know the diagnosis and repair was already under way at the home drone. That made them happy. The cause was an intermittently failing encoding altimiter.

I can't imagine a DPE would be impressed with an applicant showing up with an inoperable ADS-B transponder.

 

[flyingron]

Again, the transponder has nothing to do with IFR. You don't need a transponder to fly IFR, and you must have the transponder inspection even for VFR.

I've managed to fly transponderless airplanes out of class B with a little coordination with ATC. In one case the primary radar was out, so we were invisible to ATC. Another case was after 9/11 and we flight-of-two'd a few transponderless (or even radioless) planes in and out of IAD. My own experience with "STOP ALTITUDE SQUAWK" was the day we were allowed to finally move our planes out of VKX after 9/11. After takeoff I realized my static system had plugged. It was a CAVU day and ATC asked if I could see the ground well, they told me to STOP ALTITUDE SQUAWK and get out of the airspace.