Cub Driver wrote:

The argument goes that it makes it easy for them to check the ID of the plane without
having to enter the plane and it's more difficult to falsify than the painted
N-numbers.

Oh! You mean the *data plate*?

But haven't they been on airplanes all along?

Not in that location. The data plate was located inside the aircraft until the early
'90s. Then the feds passed two regulations; one required that all aircraft have 12"
high N-numbers and the other required an identification plate be added at the tail.
These were quickly ammended to allow aircraft with smaller numbers to retain them
until the next paint job, allow some other aircraft (mainly antiques) to retain the
smaller numbers, and to allow the registration info to be painted on instead of
having a plate if the aircraft did not originally come with an exterior plate.

In my '69 Cessna, the data plate was inside the cabin and the serial number and
aircraft type were painted on the fuselage below the horizontal stabilizer. My Maule
was built after the regs went into effect, and the data plate is riveted to the tail.

George Patterson
This marriage is off to a shaky start. The groom just asked the band to
play "Your cheatin' heart", and the bride just requested "Don't come home
a'drinkin' with lovin' on your mind".