Aviation Terms->

Minimum Equipment List. Identifies equipment installed on the aircraft that may under certain conditions be inoperative and still allow the aircraft to be airworthy. Removal of any item of equipment that affects the airworthiness of an aircraft requires following an approved procedure. A properly certified maintenance person must record the removal in accordance with proper CFR (Code of Federal regulations). A person authorized by FAR’s must make the appropriate adjustments to the aircraft’s weight and balance information and the aircraft for return to service. The operator must evaluate any proposed deactivation to assure there is no adverse effect that could render another system less than fully capable of its intended function. As long as an item is on the list, if it is broken the plane will be allowed to fly and the item can be repaired in a designated time frame. An MEL could also be thought of as an "inoperative equipment list" since the plane can fly and be air worthy without the listed items beings in working order.