Where is the data plate for PA30

[jbravo65]

I was getting myself and my Twinco ready for my first trip across the boarder. One of the items on the list is an aircraft data plate affixed to the aircraft. Well, I cant find mine. Could it be in the nose? Thats the only place I havent looked yet? I hate taking the top nose cover off.

[N3322G]

My 39 has it on the fuselage under the stab on the left side. Maybe it is the same for a 30.

[Zach Grant L1011jock]

All of the PA-30B,C, and 39 should have the data plate exhibited on the underside of the tail, near the tail skid. On the earlier PA-30s the dataplate was mounted to the interior of the aft fuselage, oposite the aft fuse. access panel just forward of the right stab. If it is there, it can be removed and reaffixed to the outside of the fuselage using the existing rivit holes. If you cannot find the original on your aircraft, it is legal to make your own. The aircraft model and serial number must be displayed in a permenent fashon (paint, stickers, plate rivited on, or otherwise perminently affixed to the outside of the airframe are all approved methods of complying.). This is still a requirement for domestic operation as well.
-Zach

[jbravo65]

Ok. I found a plate under the tail next to the tail skid. Its a small plate with just the serial number. Thats it. I guess I was expecting the standard plate with make and model on it.

[Kristin Winter]

I think Maggie's factory plate is in the nose. There has been another plate attached to the fuselage, under the left stab.

[Zach Grant L1011jock]

Kristin,
Both were probably original.
-Zach

[Diller]

Zach
My 250 has two data plates. One under left stab(small) and one attached to inside of baggage door(larger, more data) Could both be from the factory?
For my registering, I have to send in pics of the data plate and don't want to send the wrong one. The way I have understood, it has to be attached to the exterior fuselage . to me the better looking one is on the baggage door. Ideas?

[Zach Grant L1011jock]

The actual data plate for the aircraft is the Piper emblazoned one that resides nicely on the baggage door. The one on the rear fuselage is one added for the regulatory compliance of the DEA rule. This compliance could be done in any perminent means such as a plate, vinyl lettering, stencelling, or any other "perminent" means. That does not mean that that is the aircraft Data Plate, only a convenient means for the DEA personel to see if a plane has a changing N# sickness (pretty lame I know, just one more thing to change,but I guess it made people feel like maybe the crooks weren't that smart, and couldn't figure out how to change the serial numbers too...). As long as you have the Piper Data Plate, an entirely new aircraft could be built around it, all new parts, and you could paint the data on the tail if you wanted to comply with the external data.

Take a picture of your Data Plate on the baggage door.
-Zach

[Diller]