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      An MEL to satisfy all FAR requirements, now, and in the future.....

A FAR excerpt from Part 91

91.213  Inoperative instruments and equipment.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, no person may take off an aircraft with inoperative instruments or equipment installed unless the following conditions are met:

(1) An approved Minimum Equipment List exists for that aircraft.

(2) The aircraft has within it a letter of authorization, issued by the FAA Flight Standards district office having jurisdiction over the area in which the operator is located, authorizing operation of the aircraft under the Minimum Equipment List. The letter of authorization may be obtained by written request of the airworthiness certificate holder. The Minimum Equipment List and the letter of authorization constitute a supplemental type certificate for the aircraft.

(3) The approved Minimum Equipment List must --

(i) Be prepared in accordance with the limitations specified in paragraph (b) of this section; and

(ii) Provide for the operation of the aircraft with the instruments and equipment in an inoperable condition.

(4) The aircraft records available to the pilot must include an entry describing the inoperable instruments and equipment.

(5) The aircraft is operated under all applicable conditions and limitations contained in the Minimum Equipment List and the letter authorizing the use of the list.

(b) The following instruments and equipment may not be included in a Minimum Equipment List:

(1) Instruments and equipment that are either specifically or otherwise required by the airworthiness requirements under which the aircraft is type certificated and which are essential for safe operations under all operating conditions.

(2) Instruments and equipment required by an airworthiness directive to be in operable condition unless the airworthiness directive provides otherwise.

(3) Instruments and equipment required for specific operations by this part.

(c) A person authorized to use an approved Minimum Equipment List issued for a specific aircraft under part 121, 125, or 135 of this chapter shall use that Minimum Equipment List in connection with operations conducted with that aircraft under this part without additional approval requirements.

(d) Except for operations conducted in accordance with paragraph (a) or (c) of this section, a person may takeoff an aircraft in operations conducted under this part with inoperative instruments and equipment without an approved Minimum Equipment List provided --

(1) The flight operation is conducted in a --

(i) Rotorcraft, nonturbine-powered airplane, glider, or lighter-than-air aircraft for which a master Minimum Equipment List has not been developed; or

(ii) Small rotorcraft, nonturbine-powered small airplane, glider, or lighter-than-air aircraft for which a Master Minimum Equipment List has been developed; and

(2) The inoperative instruments and equipment are not --

(i) Part of the VFR-day type certification instruments and equipment prescribed in the applicable airworthiness regulations under which the aircraft was type certificated;

(ii) Indicated as required on the aircraft's equipment list, or on the Kinds of Operations Equipment List for the kind of flight operation being conducted;

(iii) Required by §  91.205 or any other rule of this part for the specific kind of flight operation being conducted; or

(iv) Required to be operational by an airworthiness directive; and

(3) The inoperative instruments and equipment are --

(i) Removed from the aircraft, the cockpit control placarded, and the maintenance recorded in accordance with §  43.9 of this chapter; or

(ii) Deactivated and placarded "Inoperative." If deactivation of the inoperative instrument or equipment involves maintenance, it must be accomplished and recorded in accordance with part 43 of this chapter; and

(4) A determination is made by a pilot, who is certificated and appropriately rated under part 61 of this chapter, or by a person, who is certificated and appropriately rated to perform maintenance on the aircraft, that the inoperative instrument or equipment does not constitute a hazard to the aircraft.

An aircraft with inoperative instruments or equipment as provided in paragraph (d) of this section is considered to be in a properly altered condition acceptable to the Administrator.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an aircraft with inoperable instruments or equipment may be operated under a special flight permit issued in accordance with §§  21.197 and 21.199 of this chapter.

Additional information regarding Part 91 ops can be found in AC 91-67 (chapter 1-2)

Here's Chapter 3 and the appendix of AC 91-67.

A FAR excerpt from Part 129

Sec. 129.14 Maintenance program and minimum equipment list requirements for U.S.-registered aircraft.

    (a) Each foreign air carrier and each foreign person operating a U.S.-
  registered aircraft within or outside the United States in common carriage
  shall ensure that each aircraft is maintained in accordance with a program
  approved by the Administrator.
    (b) No foreign air carrier or foreign person may operate a U.S.-registered
  aircraft with inoperable instruments or equipment unless the following
  conditions are met:
    (1) A master minimum equipment list exists for the aircraft type.
    (2) The foreign operator submits for review and approval its aircraft
  minimum equipment list based on the master minimum equipment list, to the FAA
  Flight Standards District Office having geographic responsibility for the
  operator. The foreign operator must show, before minimum equipment list
  approval can be obtained, that the maintenance procedures used under its
  maintenance program are adequate to support the use of its minimum equipment
  list.
    (3) For leased aircraft maintained and operated under a U.S. operator's
  continuous airworthiness maintenance program and FAA-approved minimum
  equipment list, the foreign operator submits the U.S. operator's approved
  continuous airworthiness maintenance program and approved aircraft minimum
  equipment list to the FAA office prescribed in paragraph (b)(2) of this
  section for review and evaluation. The foreign operator must show that it is
  capable of operating under the lessor's approved maintenance program and that
  it is also capable of meeting the maintenance and operational requirements
  specified in the lessor's approved minimum equipment list.
    (4) The FAA letter of authorization permitting the operator to use an
  approved minimum equipment list is carried aboard the aircraft. The minimum
  equipment list and the letter of authorization constitute a supplemental type
  certificate for the aircraft.
    (5) The approved minimum equipment list provides for the operation of the
  aircraft with certain instruments and equipment in an inoperable condition.
    (6) The aircraft records available to the pilot must include an entry
  describing the inoperable instruments and equipment.
    (7) The aircraft is operated under all applicable conditions and
  limitations contained in the minimum equipment list and the letter
  authorizing the use of the list.

  [Docket No. 24856, Amdt. No. 129-14, 52 FR 20029, May 28, 1987]

A FAR excerpt from Part 135

Sec. 135.179

Inoperable instruments and equipment for multiengine aircraft.

(a) No person may take off an aircraft with inoperable instruments or equipment installed

  unless the following conditions are met:
(1) An approved Minimum Equipment List exists for that aircraft.
(2) The certificate-holding district office has issued the certificate holder

  operations specifications authorizing operations in accordance with an approved

  Minimum Equipment List. The flight crew shall have direct access at all times prior

  to flight to all of the information contained in the approved Minimum Equipment List

  through printed or other means approved by the Administrator in the certificate holders

  operations specifications. An approved Minimum Equipment List, as authorized by the 

  operations specifications, constitutes an approved change to the type design without 

  requiring recertification.
(3) The approved Minimum Equipment List must:
(i) Be prepared in accordance with the limitations specified in paragraph (b) of 

  this section.
(ii) Provide for the operation of the aircraft with certain instruments and equipment in

  an inoperable condition.
(4) Records identifying the inoperable instruments and equipment and the information

  required by (a)(3)(ii) of this section must be available to the pilot.
(5) The aircraft is operated under all applicable conditions and limitations contained

  in the Minimum Equipment List and the operations specifications authorizing use of the

  Minimum Equipment List.
(b) The following instruments and equipment may not be included in the Minimum Equipment

   List:
 (1) Instruments and equipment that are either specifically or otherwise required by the

   airworthiness requirements under which the airplane is type certificated and which are

   essential for safe operations under all operating conditions.
 (2) Instruments and equipment required by an airworthiness directive to be in operable

   condition unless the airworthiness directive provides otherwise.
 (3) Instruments and equipment required for specific operations by this part.
 (c) Notwithstanding paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(3) of this section, an aircraft with

   inoperable instruments or equipment may be operated under a special flight permit

   under Secs. 21.197 and 21.199 of this chapter.

[Amdt. 135-39, 56 FR 12311, Mar. 22, 1991; 56 FR 14290, Apr. 8, 1991;

 Amdt. 135-60, 61 FR 2616, Jan. 26, 1996]