Upside-Down Letters

Lowflynjack

Lowflynjack

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Jack Fleetwood
When you're putting new N-numbers on your plane, you should make sure don't use an upside-down M for a W, or an upside-down W for an M. It bothers my CDO... it's like OCD, but with the letters in the correct order. :D

52200126171_5db40eec11_c.jpg


44711790355_eceb81ac83_c.jpg
 
That's how I (and most other people in my previous profession) hand write W's. (Architectural / mechanical drawing background). Though the vertex in the middle isn't as high as the "legs."
 
Oh no, how embarrassing. The beech I could live with... but that poor piper...
 
It makes me wonder, is there a regulation on the font required for N numbers?
 
kaiser said:
It makes me wonder, is there a regulation on the font required for N numbers?
Click to expand...
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...wQFnoECA0QAQ&usg=AOvVaw2rTTl504_jOv8QxWPoq1Bo

7.3 N-Number Legibility.
The N-number is required to be legible and written in capital Roman style letters
without any ornamentation. You may use shading or a border only if it makes the
number more legible. Use the following guidelines:
7.3.1 Make sure the color contrasts sufficiently with the color of the fuselage to make it
easy to read. Be especially careful when the background is highly decorated, as in
checkering. Consider applying the requirements of 14 CFR 23.811(c)(7)(ii) or
14 CFR 25.811(f)(2), Emergency exit marking, as a test of whether the color of the
N-number contrasts sufficiently with the background.
7.3.2 Check the reflectance of external markings. Using electro-optical instruments or
photometer card sets is an acceptable means of verifying reflectance, but these
instruments are not required to establish reflectance. The FAA considers a 12-inch
number legible if you can read it from 500 feet away, in a horizontal line, and
perpendicular to the side of the aircraft during daylight hours, without using an optical
aid such as binoculars.
7.3.3 If you question whether an N-number is legible, because of either color or reflectance,
check with your local FAA inspector.
 
Jim K said:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...wQFnoECA0QAQ&usg=AOvVaw2rTTl504_jOv8QxWPoq1Bo

7.3 N-Number Legibility.
The N-number is required to be legible and written in capital Roman style letters
without any ornamentation. You may use shading or a border only if it makes the
number more legible. Use the following guidelines:
7.3.1 Make sure the color contrasts sufficiently with the color of the fuselage to make it
easy to read. Be especially careful when the background is highly decorated, as in
checkering. Consider applying the requirements of 14 CFR 23.811(c)(7)(ii) or
14 CFR 25.811(f)(2), Emergency exit marking, as a test of whether the color of the
N-number contrasts sufficiently with the background.
7.3.2 Check the reflectance of external markings. Using electro-optical instruments or
photometer card sets is an acceptable means of verifying reflectance, but these
instruments are not required to establish reflectance. The FAA considers a 12-inch
number legible if you can read it from 500 feet away, in a horizontal line, and
perpendicular to the side of the aircraft during daylight hours, without using an optical
aid such as binoculars.
7.3.3 If you question whether an N-number is legible, because of either color or reflectance,
check with your local FAA inspector.
Click to expand...
So....yes?
 
Racerx said:
So....yes?
Click to expand...
Sort of?

"Roman Style letters" isn't really a font.... near as I can tell it means upright block letters; not italicized or cursive.
 
Jim K said:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...wQFnoECA0QAQ&usg=AOvVaw2rTTl504_jOv8QxWPoq1Bo

7.3 N-Number Legibility.
The N-number is required to be legible and written in capital Roman style letters
without any ornamentation. You may use shading or a border only if it makes the
number more legible. Use the following guidelines:
7.3.1 Make sure the color contrasts sufficiently with the color of the fuselage to make it
easy to read. Be especially careful when the background is highly decorated, as in
checkering. Consider applying the requirements of 14 CFR 23.811(c)(7)(ii) or
14 CFR 25.811(f)(2), Emergency exit marking, as a test of whether the color of the
N-number contrasts sufficiently with the background.
7.3.2 Check the reflectance of external markings. Using electro-optical instruments or
photometer card sets is an acceptable means of verifying reflectance, but these
instruments are not required to establish reflectance. The FAA considers a 12-inch
number legible if you can read it from 500 feet away, in a horizontal line, and
perpendicular to the side of the aircraft during daylight hours, without using an optical
aid such as binoculars.
7.3.3 If you question whether an N-number is legible, because of either color or reflectance,
check with your local FAA inspector.
Click to expand...
PoA is much better (and more entertaining) than google. Thanks!
 
Jim K said:
Sort of?

"Roman Style letters" isn't really a font.... near as I can tell it means upright block letters; not italicized or cursive.
Click to expand...

Or Cyrillic, or Hindi, or Katakana, or...
 
Jim K said:
Sort of?

"Roman Style letters" isn't really a font.... near as I can tell it means upright block letters; not italicized or cursive.
Click to expand...
Half of all planes out there have italicized (slanted) N-numbers.
 
Dana said:
Half of all planes out there have italicized (slanted) N-numbers.
Click to expand...
:dunno:

Agreed. I don't enforce the rules.... or write them.

I remember there being some discussion about the tail number on aopa's raffle rv-10 a couple years ago...
RV-10-N260MG-Final-Photo1.jpg

Not sure that exactly complies either...
 
What seems more common to me than upside-down W's and M's are N numbers slanted the wrong way.
 
Jim K said:
Sort of?

"Roman Style letters" isn't really a font.... near as I can tell it means upright block letters; not italicized or cursive.
Click to expand...

That means not like say, Greek or Cyrillic.
 
Sac Arrow said:
That means not like say, Greek or Cyrillic.
Click to expand...
Screenshot_20220707-094035_Chrome.jpg

I think not using non-English letters would be precluded by them not being allowed in the tail number on the first place.
 
Jim K said:
:dunno:

Agreed. I don't enforce the rules.... or write them.

I remember there being some discussion about the tail number on aopa's raffle rv-10 a couple years ago...
View attachment 108429

Not sure that exactly complies either...
Click to expand...
How is the registration still pending on that RV??
 
Racerx said:
How is the registration still pending on that RV??
Click to expand...
I wondered that too. I'm betting the winner sold it.

ETA: not that I'm judging. I probably would've sold it too as it doesn't have enough seats and I can barely afford to keep one airplane in the air.
 
Last edited:
Jim K said:
I wondered that too. I'm betting the winner sold it.

ETA: not that I'm judging. I probably would've sold it too as it doesn't have enough seats and I can barely afford to keep one airplane in the air.
Click to expand...
The real question is when are they going to announce me winning this year's plane...
 
Jim K said:
I wondered that too. I'm betting the winner sold it.

ETA: not that I'm judging. I probably would've sold it too as it doesn't have enough seats and I can barely afford to keep one airplane in the air.
Click to expand...
A better question would be: if you had won it would you have been able to afford the windfall tax?
 
Jim K said:
I think not using non-English letters would be precluded by them not being allowed in the tail number on the first place.
Click to expand...
But does the regulation specify "English" letters only? And English from when?
 
asicer said:
A better question would be: if you had won it would you have been able to afford the windfall tax?
Click to expand...
If there's one thing farmers are good at, it's moving around income & expenses to avoid taxes :D
 
Can you order a vanity N number? ( I hope not... LOL)

N IGOFST
N IBROKE
N STUDMUFFINPLT
 
WDD said:
Can you order a vanity N number? ( I hope not... LOL)

N IGOFST
N IBROKE
N STUDMUFFINPLT
Click to expand...
Sure - as long as you can squeeze it into the proper format...
U.S. registration numbers may not exceed five characters in addition to the standard U.S. registration prefix letter N. These characters may be:
  • One to five numbers (N12345)
  • One to four numbers followed by one letter (N1234Z)
  • One to three numbers followed by two letters (N123AZ)

To avoid confusion with the numbers one and zero, the letters I and O are not to be used.
 
Fun Fact:

AC 45-2E
Appendix C
C-1
Appendix C. Definitions
C.1 ANTIQUE AIRCRAFT.
Paragraphs 1 through 3 below define antique aircraft. [...]
1. A U.S.-registered aircraft built at least 30 years ago, [...]


So you can put the "C" between the N and the first number on your (antique) 172 if it was built before '92
 
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