Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By davef77
#1699642
Is it acceptable to carry copies of the mandatory documents required by EASA in electronic form, or must they be hard-copy?

I am thinking of the Certificate of Airworthiness, Certificate of Registration and the POH.

If hard-copy, are copies of the originals acceptable to carry?

Also, I am about to fly to the continent for the first time, any recomendations on what other docs I should carry?
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By Dave W
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1699643
Page 157 of The SkyWay Code specifies originals of Cert of Airworthiness (or Permit) and Cert of Registration, and also lists a comprehensive list of other docs. Obviously passport and licence must be originals, too.

Have a rummage in here as well:
http://www.tinyurl.com/GoingForeign
Rob L liked this
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By 2Donkeys
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1699644
Part NCO.GEN.135 says the following (my bold)

Part NCO wrote:Part NCO covers Non-Commercial flight in Non-Complex Aircraft and requires the following documents to be carried:

The following documents, manuals and information shall be carried on each flight as originals or copies unless otherwise specified:

1- the AFM (Aircraft Flight Manual / Pilot Operating Manual), or equivalent document(s);
2- the original certificate of registration;
3- the original certificate of airworthiness (CofA);
4- the noise certificate, if applicable;
5- the list of specific approvals, if applicable;
6- the aircraft radio licence, if applicable;
7- the third party liability insurance certificate(s);
8- the journey log, or equivalent, for the aircraft;
9- details of the filed ATS flight plan, if applicable;
10- current and suitable aeronautical charts for the route of the proposed flight and all routes along which it is reasonable to expect that the flight may be diverted;
11- procedures and visual signals information for use by intercepting and intercepted aircraft;
12- the MEL (Minimum Equipment List) or CDL (Configuration Deviation List), if applicable; and
13- any other documentation that may be pertinent to the flight or is required by the States concerned with the flight.

Items listed in BOLD must be carried on each flight. ALL items must be carried if flying outside UK Airspace, i.e. London and Scottish FIR's.

The remaining documents may be left at the aerodrome or operating site when the aircraft is operating solely within the London and Scottish Flight Information Regions (FIR).


So copies are OK.
Last edited by 2Donkeys on Wed Jun 12, 2019 3:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
By low&slow
#1699649
But the guidance material says:
GM1 NCO.GEN.135
    (a) . . .
    (b)The documents, manuals and information may be available in a form other than on printed paper. An electronic storage medium is acceptable if accessibility, usability and reliability can be assured.
By GAFlyer4Fun
#1699702
As DaveW is hinting at, I think we are stuffed with electronic copies if the original is on paper and Part NCO says it has to be the original for that particular item.

On the other hand, if the issuing authority could make them available as a digitally signed document to assure its authenticity/legality, then surely it would be ok to carry that on a couple of portable electronic devices and also saved on the internet somewhere?
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By Dave W
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1699741
Well, no need - what EASA are evidently saying (because there's nothing else they could be saying!) is that when they are happy for you to carry copies, those copies can be electronic (if... assured...etc).

If you must carry the originals then obviously they mean the physical document, since there is nothing else.
By bookworm
#1699763
Dave W wrote:Well, no need - what EASA are evidently saying (because there's nothing else they could be saying!) is that when they are happy for you to carry copies, those copies can be electronic (if... assured...etc).

If you must carry the originals then obviously they mean the physical document, since there is nothing else.


That's certainly what was intended when it was drafted. Hopefully we can bring aviation into the 21st century with a fully digital system before too long.
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By RisePilot
#1699766
Authentication of electronic versions of items such as legal documents, records (or even concert tickets) is where I believe blockchain technology will find its "real" usefulness - not so much for things such as Bitcoin.