Utility Category Certification

[Colombianjoe]

If an aircraft is "Utility" certified, in this case a Cherokee 180, are you limited to the utility limitations for any use or can you fly in the normal category limitations for normal maneuvers?
For example, I understand that the POH says no baggage in the baggage compartment in the utility category. Does this mean that the aircraft is limited for all uses under the utility category and, thus, I can never have any baggage in the baggage compartment?

Thank you for your input.

 

[Clark1961]

Utility is a subset of normal in this case. The aircraft can be operated in the normal category and loaded as such.

If loading is restricted to stay within the utility category then the aircraft can be operated in the utility category.

The POH should have limitations for each category.

 

[WillFly4Food]

The utility category, in the PA-28, can simply be though of as a more restrictive loading envelope, than what’s allowed in normal category operation. Look at your airplane’s CG range and weight graph. The envelope defined by the dashed line provides the utility loading limits. If you can load your airplane such that you remain within that boundary, and also comply with additional requirements like no baggage in baggage compartment, then you can operate within utility category limitations for maneuvers and airplane speeds.

You can certainly go beyond the utility loading limits, as long as you remain within the normal category limits, and yes - you can use the baggage compartment. But then you’re subject to more restrictive maneuvers and speeds. Which really shouldn’t be an issue, as those limitations are simply the “normal” ones.

Normal versus Utility simply refers to acceptable G-loading on the aircraft structure. For example normal can withstand 3.8 g and utility can handle 4.4 g, positive, loading, if I remember right. Some light aircraft accomplish a utility categorization by providing an extra loading limitation (the dashed range on the graph), like the PA-28, C-172, etc. Within that utility loading limit, the airplane structure can accept a +4.4 g load, but go outside that limit into the normal category range, and the airplane can only accept +3.8g load, due to the greater weight and moment that is now being handled.

Other airplanes, like the Bonanza, are built and certified to a Utility category standard for all loading and operating limitations.

 

[flyingron]

You have to be careful. Not all of the Bo's are so certified. The original Model 35 had a very tiny utility category. All the rest were certified in the utility category alone (there's no "normal" category envelope at all), all the way up to the current models. It's certainly not an "older" aircraft thing. I'm not sure I can recall off the top of my head any others like this. The contemporary Navion has a more restricted (almost to the point of being unusable) utility category. Many other contemporary planes (like the Cessna 195) have no utility category at all.

A good deal of the four place aircraft that have both a NORMAL and UTILITY category don't allow more than two occupants in the utility category, the Model 35 Bo and the Navions fit into this category. Some actually even restrict you to the front seats.

 

[SkyDog58]

Is both Normal and Utility listed on your airworthiness certificate? Knowing that is step number one.

 

[WillFly4Food]

You have to be careful. Not all of the Bo's are so certified.

Right you are... I was just trying to point out that some airplanes carry the Utility category throughout their loading envelope. But thanks for clarifying that.

 

[flyingron]

Is both Normal and Utility listed on your airworthiness certificate? Knowing that is step number one.

Actually, you just need to know if Utility is listed (if you intend to do those maneuvers).