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Registration vs. Data Plate

Mel

Mel

Legacy Member
Mentor
Hey Guys & Gals, Your Data Plate is supposed to match the registration EXACTLY!

I continuously run across data plates that have a middle initial where the registration does not or vice-versa.

I also find too often where there is a mismatch between model designation. Such as RV8 vs RV-8.

Please pay attention to the details. The FAA does NOT like these little discrepancies.
 
Mel said:
Hey Guys & Gals, Your Data Plate is supposed to match the registration EXACTLY!

I continuously run across data plates that have a middle initial where the registration does not or vice-versa.

I also find too often where there is a mismatch between model designation. Such as RV8 vs RV-8.

Please pay attention to the details. The FAA does NOT like these little discrepancies.
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I find issues pretty often as well.
In the help document I provide to anyone I am working with, I recommend not getting the data plate made/engraved until after the builder has received their Form 8050-3 registration card. then make sure that when it is made, it matches the info on the card. Exactly. Even punctuation.
 
What about changing N numbers. Do you keep the original data plate after you change the N number.
Thanks
 
rvbuilder2002 said:
The only data required on the data plate is MAKE, MODEL, AND SERIAL #
It doesn't have any connection to what Registration # is on the aircraft.
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What Scott said! I started out using fancy data plates that looked cool and had all sorts of data….which someday change! I now use three-line data plates, and recommend that to others. Super simple.
 
Thank you, that’s what I thought, but it was easier to understand from you and the regulations.
 
Mel said:
Please pay attention to the details. The FAA does NOT like these little discrepancies.
Click to expand...

They care about it so much that they changed the builder name (mine) from "Last, First MI" on ALL of the paperwork I submitted to "First MI Last" on AWC (but not on the registration).
 
rvbuilder2002 said:
The only data required on the data plate is MAKE, MODEL, AND SERIAL #
It doesn't have any connection to what Registration # is on the aircraft.
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Yep. However, the OP said

Mel said:
Your Data Plate is supposed to match the registration EXACTLY!
Click to expand...
Hmmmm....

So a data plate that says "Joe Builder, RV-16, #1" has to match the name of the person or company that buys the plane and re-registers it accordingly?

I must be in trouble, then, because my registration lists me as a trustee, but the data plate doesn't (and the first/last/mi order is different, as well).
 
RV7A Flyer said:
Yep. However, the OP said


Hmmmm....

So a data plate that says "Joe Builder, RV-16, #1" has to match the name of the person or company that buys the plane and re-registers it accordingly?

I must be in trouble, then, because my registration lists me as a trustee, but the data plate doesn't (and the first/last/mi order is different, as well).
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You are confusing two different things. The data plate identifies the airplane by showing its serial number, model, and who the original manufacturer was. The original manufacture is the person’s name.
The name of the person that is the current owner is a different part of the registration record. It is not something that goes on the data plate.
 
rvbuilder2002 said:
You are confusing two different things. The data plate identifies the airplane by showing its serial number, model, and who the original manufacturer was. The original manufacture is the person’s name.
The name of the person that is the current owner is a different part of the registration record. It is not something that goes on the data plate.
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I know that. I was concurring with what you said earlier and pointing out the apparent error in the first post. Guess I should have put a /s marker on the end of my post :).

That being the case, the FAA *still* managed change the manufacturer/builder name when the original paperwork for the inspection and AWC was submitted, as I earlier stated (i.e., they don't seem to have the same issues about things matching *exactly* ;) ).
 
rvbuilder2002 said:
I find issues pretty often as well.
In the help document I provide to anyone I am working with, I recommend not getting the data plate made/engraved until after the builder has received their Form 8050-3 registration card. then make sure that when it is made, it matches the info on the card. Exactly. Even punctuation.
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I brought my actual registration card into the trophy shop that engraved my data plate just to make sure it matched exactly. It seems so simple, it’s hard to believe that many people screw this up!
 
Make (ie Manufacturer ie Builder’s name)
Model (RV-7A)
Serial Number (came with the kit from Van’s. This is not the N number).
 
This the most often discovered discrepancy I find on airplanes, both when doing a DAR inspection or a prebuy. It is always the name. It has to be EXACTLY as on the registration. Think of how many people have names have a like-sounding first and last names, like John Paul or Ruth Chris, as examples. One person might be John Paul and another person be Paul John. Pay attention.

The other common mistake I see is builders put Vans Aircraft as the builder. This is only valid for S-LSA and E-LSA. It’s amazing to me how many have slipped through the system and have Vans listed on both the registration and the data plate as the manufacturer.

Vic
 
scrollF4 said:
Make (ie Manufacturer ie Builder’s name)
Model (RV-7A)
Serial Number (came with the kit from Van’s. This is not the N number).
Click to expand...
Serial number can be ANY number (or combination of numbers and letters) you choose when submitting the paperwork for the initial registration/AWC, as long as it is unique to that manufacturer. Mine is 001.
 
So I hate to beat a dead horse, but does the Aircraft Manufacturer have to match the applicant/owner? I would prefer to list the manufacturer as First M. Last, Jr. However the 8050-1 requires Last, First, M., Jr. for the applicant. The only reason is that I would prefer the data plate read First M. Last, Jr.

Thanks for you patience!

John
Closing in on an RV-10!
 
JohnBruns said:
So I hate to beat a dead horse, but does the Aircraft Manufacturer have to match the applicant/owner? I would prefer to list the manufacturer as First M. Last, Jr. However the 8050-1 requires Last, First, M., Jr. for the applicant. The only reason is that I would prefer the data plate read First M. Last, Jr.
Thanks for your patience!
John
Closing in on an RV-10!
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The Aircraft Manufacturer does NOT have to match the applicant/owner. Many "Aircraft Manufacturer" list First, M, Last.
 
So, Mel, and Scott, and Paul,
here is a problem I got stuck with.

I made my data plate to say builder: 'Stephen C. Smith'
.
I submitted my registration application 8050-1 with the name: 'Stephen C. Smith' as manufacturer on line 2.

matched exactly.

On line 6 of 8050-1, it asks for the applicant's name, last name first. So on line 6 I wrote 'Smith, Stephen C.'

Then, when the registration came back complete, the registration says: Smith, Stephen C.

So it doesn't match the data plate exactly. What now?
 
scsmith said:
So, Mel, and Scott, and Paul,
here is a problem I got stuck with.
I made my data plate to say builder: 'Stephen C. Smith'.
I submitted my registration application 8050-1 with the name: 'Stephen C. Smith' as manufacturer on line 2.
matched exactly.
On line 6 of 8050-1, it asks for the applicant's name, last name first. So on line 6 I wrote 'Smith, Stephen C.'
Then, when the registration came back complete, the registration says: Smith, Stephen C.
So it doesn't match the data plate exactly. What now?
Click to expand...
Don't quite understand your problem. If your data plate shows STEPHEN C SMITH as manufacturer and registration shows STEPHEN C SMITH as manufacturer, that is a match. "Applicant" name does not necessarily relate to "manufacturer".
BTW, there should be NO punctuation on your registration or the data plate.
 
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scsmith said:
So, Mel, and Scott, and Paul,
here is a problem I got stuck with.

I made my data plate to say builder: 'Stephen C. Smith'
.
I submitted my registration application 8050-1 with the name: 'Stephen C. Smith' as manufacturer on line 2.

matched exactly.

On line 6 of 8050-1, it asks for the applicant's name, last name first. So on line 6 I wrote 'Smith, Stephen C.'

Then, when the registration came back complete, the registration says: Smith, Stephen C.

So it doesn't match the data plate exactly. What now?
Click to expand...
You need to make a new data plate so that it matches how the manufacture is listed on the registration.
This is the exact reason that I tell all of my certification clients to not make their data plate until they physically possess the 8050–3 registration card so that they can make the data plate one time and have it match.
 
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rvbuilder2002 said:
You need to make a new data plate so that it matches how the manufacture is listed on the registration.
This is the exact reason that I tell all of my certification clients to not make their data plate until they physically possess the 8050–3 registration card so that they can make the data plate one time and have it match.
Click to expand...

scsmith said:
So, Mel, and Scott, and Paul,
here is a problem I got stuck with.

I made my data plate to say builder: 'Stephen C. Smith'
.
I submitted my registration application 8050-1 with the name: 'Stephen C. Smith' as manufacturer on line 2.

matched exactly.

On line 6 of 8050-1, it asks for the applicant's name, last name first. So on line 6 I wrote 'Smith, Stephen C.'

Then, when the registration came back complete, the registration says: Smith, Stephen C.

So it doesn't match the data plate exactly. What now?
Click to expand...
You're going to have to be more specific here. What, exactly, doesn't match?

There's a MANUFACTURER name, where it says "Manufacturer and Manufacturer's Designation of Aircraft", and then there's the box labelled "Issued To", with the *owner's* name (the registrant's name).

The confusion, I think, is that most people building RVs use their name for the manufacturer AND the owner/registrant (cause, why not? we're proud of having built it!). The name on the dataplate has to match the *manufacturer* name, model and serial number on the AWC. The same is true of the manufacturer name on the registration application and the registration itself. That manufacturer name never changes.

But the *registered owner* can be you, your trust, an LLC, the guy you sold it to, whatever. The dataplate has nothing to do with the *registered owner* name.
(I'm sure someone will correct me if my understanding here is wrong).

So what is on your 8050-3 in *both* places?
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Mel said:
Don't quite understand your problem. If your data plate shows STEPHEN C SMITH as manufacturer and registration shows STEPHEN C SMITH as manufacturer, that is a match. "Applicant" name does not necessarily relate to "manufacturer".
BTW, there should be NO punctuation on your registration or the data plate.
Click to expand...
RV7A Flyer said:
You're going to have to be more specific here. What, exactly, doesn't match?

There's a MANUFACTURER name, where it says "Manufacturer and Manufacturer's Designation of Aircraft", and then there's the box labelled "Issued To", with the *owner's* name (the registrant's name).
Click to expand...
I will have to double check next time I am at the hangar, but my recollection is that on line 2 of the 8050-1, "manufacturer" , I put Stephen C Smith, matching the data plate, and yet, when the 8050-3 registration came, on the line that says "manufacturer" the FAA put Smith, Stephen C.

I may recall incorrectly, but I remember that despite my best efforts, I ended up with a mismatch. I like Scott's suggestion - don't make the data plate until you have the registration in hand.
 
The regulations require the builders name be used to designate the manufacturer for an experimental amateur built.
There is no option to use something else.
 
scsmith said:
I will have to double check next time I am at the hangar, but my recollection is that on line 2 of the 8050-1, "manufacturer" , I put Stephen C Smith, matching the data plate, and yet, when the 8050-3 registration came, on the line that says "manufacturer" the FAA put Smith, Stephen C.

I may recall incorrectly, but I remember that despite my best efforts, I ended up with a mismatch. I like Scott's suggestion - don't make the data plate until you have the registration in hand.
Click to expand...
This is entirely possible. I have seen it happen before.
And is why I say to wait to make the data plate.
 
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