Definition
A section of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR Part 91) that lists the instruments and equipment that must be installed and operational on a powered civil aircraft for different categories of flight: VFR day, VFR night, IFR, and flight at and above 24,000 feet MSL.
Plain English
The federal rule that tells you which instruments and equipment your airplane must have working before you can legally fly it, depending on whether you're flying in daylight, at night, or in the clouds.
Context Anchor
You will see section 91.205 when checking whether an aircraft is legally equipped for a planned flight, especially during preflight planning or ground school discussions about required equipment.
Derivation
In a legal reference, a “section” is one numbered rule inside a larger set of rules. Here, “91” points to Part 91, which covers general operating and flight rules, and “.205” points to the exact rule about required instruments and equipment.
Why Pilots Care
Ensures the aircraft is properly equipped for the intended operation, avoiding regulatory violations and supporting safe flight.
Analogy
Think of section 91.205 like a street address inside the FAA rulebook. “Part 91” gets you to the neighborhood, and “.205” gets you to the exact house where the required-equipment rule lives.
Intuition Check
Do not read “section” here as just a paragraph in a textbook. In this context, section 91.205 means a specific FAA regulation that carries legal requirements.
Example Sentence 1
Before the night cross-country, the pilot reviewed section 91.205 to confirm the position lights, anti-collision lights, and landing light were all working.
Example Sentence 2
During the lesson the instructor noted that section 91.205 adds a landing light and position lights once the flight moves into night conditions.