FAA Ramp check

[crispy critter]

Re: FAA Ramp check

I've been flying since 1990 and have been ramp checked 3 times(passed'em all) and pulled over by a state trooper while giving rides out of a farm field along side of a major hwy,when all was said and done I gave the trooper a ride....I was 17 years old at the time.
I did have a bad experience with a FSDO once over an inccedent in WV. I had a mechanical problem resulting in an off field landing on a mountain top. My medical was expired(which I didn't know,but that was my stupidity) but I was operating a LSA under LS rules. It took me 2 months to prove to them that I did nothing wrong and broke no laws. When he asked for my medical I handed it to him not knowing it had expiered a few days earlier but I stated as I handed it to him that it shouldn't matter becasue I was operating under LS rules but he spent the next 2 months making me think he was going cite me for it anyway. With a little help and a lot of advice from a couple of friends with the FAA(I'll not mentioning any names) I was able to go over the inspectors head a little bit and get the whole thing dropped. A few months later I had to deal with the FAA again over another inncident(this one was my own stupidity and poor judgement) but the guy I delt with then was straight forward and helpful for the most part but I really had to watch what I said to him so not to give him any loop-hole to hang me with. Once again with the help and advice of a couple good friends I was able to get out of that one with only some remeidial training and a promiss to fly smarter. What I did was wrong. I knew it but at the time it was the safest way out of the situation I had put myself into. I might have been able to have kept myself legal but from where I was at the time the safest and easiest way out was to break the rules a little bit and I got caught in doing so. As pilot in command it is always best that we make our own decisions reguardless of laws or restriction in order to insure the safest possible outcome. On this day I really should not have taken off and I should have known that(maybe I did but thought just maybe....) That was the worst decision I made that day and you can bet I will never make that mistake again. The FAA could have took my ticket that day and part of me thinks that maybe they should have,but I'm glad they didn't and even thou the inspector was a little sly,a little pushy,and a little demanding at times, he did get his point across and in the end he really did let me off very easy and helped me more then he knows. He made me realize that I can't get away with everything and even thou he had every right to throw the book at me....he didn't. In fact he suggested some training that really didn't have much to do with the wrong I had commited but was still very helpful and I was able to get caught up on some of the things that has changed since I started flying. I'm glad he didn't come down hard on me,I thank my friends who helped me,and I did learn a lot more over the experiance then most would realize. So I can say from my experiance the FAA is really there to help much more then we give them credit for.

[astjp2]

Re: FAA Ramp check

The main reason for me to start this thread was to see how people felt about the FAA, most of the people I know have just walked away when an inspector came up to them. I am neither condeming them or condoning their actions. If a State trooper or local cop wants to see your stuff, that is a different story. Well I think that some of you out there have had positive experiences. Being a mechanic trying to get field approvals gave me a different impression of the maintenance inspectors. Some of them are no longer in the FAA. I hope that people will keep it coming about thier experiences. Tim

[LLBOYD]

Re: FAA Ramp check

These threads are so interesting, I started flying in 1961 and have never been ramp checked. I flew corporate for many years without incident. The only problem I have had was with the Texas DPS in my dad's 180. I picked up one of my dad's clients, who drilled public utility water wells, on the side of a rural farm to market road one day and was surprised to see the flashing lights coming. I had been very careful to land only when the traffic was not and issue. Well this particular trooper was in the shade of a tree, not visable from the air. Long story short was a stern lecture about scaring him to death thinking I was crashing, and a ticket for being to wide.

[crispy critter]

Re: FAA Ramp check

I thought wide loads were only for those carrying a CDL. Did he get you for that too? I would like to to have been there to hear you explain that one to the judge.....that really would have been funny.Sorry to laugh at your misfortune but you must admitt, that's pretty funny. You land a 180 on a public road in front of a state trooper and the only thing he does is cite you for being too wide.Did you tell him you would try to put a wide load banner across the wings before the next time.lol ......I don't care who ya are,that there was funny.

[Ed O'Brien]

Re: FAA Ramp check

FAA guys that are "badge heavy" have the same problems that FCC, SEC,and even IRS guys do. They live in a white collar world. They live among people who can afford lawyers. For the most part, they deal with responsible people, not thugs... their job? To figure out who are the responsible people and who are the thugs. So it takes a bit more sophistication and deftness to sort this type out and then prosecute. In some cases you'll find "a shoot first and ask questions later" rugged lawman approach. Usually that's because you've been misidentified as a thug. However, acting more like a thug (cussing, fighting, threatening)... will never help your case.

Look at it this way. There are enough IRS and FAA rules to get anybody, any time they want. But there aren't enough IRS/FAA agents or Federal prisons to round up and keep everybody. Both organizations have so many rules even they can't keep track of them all... just the one's that are usually enforced, or more publically understood. To keep everyone compliant they occasionally need to go after a public figure or company. Taking down a "big-tuna" publically gets attention and ups compliance.

Immigration enforcement has the same problems. Around here Immigration Enforcement took down enough illegal aliens to close a meat packing plant. That caused economic dislocation in the community.That community has a Congressman. That Congreesman complained. ICE said they wouldn't do that again, even though ICE was in the right. So badge heavy while not unknown -- is rarer than you think -- because all of these organizations need compliance but less court cost, less publicity sufferage, and less public outrage so... it's worth being nice in the first place. And as a citizen the same is true for you too.

With regards; ED OBRIEN

[crispy critter]

Re: FAA Ramp check

All this conversation about ramp checks has jinks me.....I flew into Lexington yesterday for a transponder check and just as I was getting in the airplane to leave I got ramp checked,lol.Go figure. I passed with flying colors.Nice guy,very easy to talk to,he pointed out a couple of things that should be done but nothing law-breaking. i.e. my awc was in the same clear holder as my registration and the registration was over the awc hiding it. He said the rule was the awc is supposed to be visible and the registration was simply supposed to be in the aircraft. Also I had a remote elt switch that was not labled and he recommended that I lable it but it was really no big deal. He was very nice,very thourogh, and very curtious. I just thing it was a little ironic after all this discussion that I get remp checked in the mist of it all.....nobody else that I know who has a pilots license has ever been ramp checked and this makes my thrid time! lol.

[d.grimm]

Re: FAA Ramp check

I read this thread Thursday evening, Friday at 8:30 am the FAA happens to show up at the airport I've just landed at. He said I'd ramp you today but I have to do some proficiency flying and being that it's such a nice day and a Friday, I won't. Never been ramped in 35 years.

[Ed O'Brien]

Re: FAA Ramp check

No matter if your dealing with a police officer, IRS agent, or FAA ramp check (and perhaps your wife too)... sometimes the check is: "Do you (citizen) recognize my authority (cop)." As civilians we missinterprest this as a cop's "lording over us." However, the cop uses this "authority trolling", not to impose authority, but to quickly find those that are disrespectful or challenging this authority. That's the best guy to nab and easiest to make a case against. Also the least likely to have the right paperwork, etc. Think of it as profiling for the permanently POed.

So be kind to your wife -- your children -- police -- and those that have genuine authority over -- not your rights -- but your priviledges -- and pilots licenses are priviledges -- that way, life goes easier. From a guy who used to teach this stuff for a living.
With regards;
ED OBRIEN

[Buell Powell]

Re: FAA Ramp check

I have been flying for 20 years and have never been ramp checked either but I don't think I would mind and might learn some things. I have gone to the FAA in San Antonio to get an authorization for a new data plate for my Fairchild. The guys there were very helpful and we ended up talking more about old airplanes than anything else-I still owe them a ride someday.

[Garry Crookham]

Re: FAA Ramp check

If you want to view the FAA document addressing ramp checks go here: http://fsims.faa.gov/PICResults.aspx?mode=Index&cat=c

scroll down to and click on : Conduct a Part 91 ramp inspection.

Garry Crookham
N5112M
Tulsa

[cpirrmann]

Re: FAA Ramp check

I read this thread Thursday evening, Friday at 8:30 am the FAA happens to show up at the airport I've just landed at. He said I'd ramp you today but I have to do some proficiency flying and being that it's such a nice day and a Friday, I won't. Never been ramped in 35 years.

Maybe somebody's watching this forum?????

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: FAA Ramp check

Wasn't he willing to compare schedules for a later time?
Hank

[Forrest Barber]

Re: FAA Ramp check

I have many stories too, ramped twice, checked up on my 134 1/2 operations twice. Unapproved parts compliance Inspection ( prompted by the Taylorcraft Factory back when I had the "flea market" atmosphere. NTSB checked up on me for "low flying" around a Blimp accident. All turned out very well and I made a few new friends too!
I still believe that the FAA is doing the best they can with the budget and inspectors they have at the time. I do not have the answers I merely try to comply.
Kind of reminds me of the time ( as a Alliance Police Dept Patrol Sgt.) that I was running the old Vascar unit (speed meter) on State St , Alliance, Oh. a posted 35 mph street.
Here comes an old beat up truck toward me from the west at 53 mph with one headlight out , no rear license plate light & when pulling it over, the brake lights did not work. The Driver dressed up as Santa Claus exited the vehicle and slipped on the ice falling on his butt. I approached him thnking about a warning to old Santa , when I smelled the heavy odor of beer upon his breath and his first words were WHAT the F_ _ _ are you stopping me for?? Well, duhhhhh guess what happened to him??

[flyguy]

Re: FAA Ramp check

I guess I should go ahead and put so many labels in the T that one no longer can see the instrument panel, or much of anything else. I'm sure that is what it would take to make it "satisfactory."
All sarcasm aside I probably should do just that. At least it might put the inspector in a more jovial mood.
If I did everything to my T that I know about to make it as legally perfect as I can, it would probably require me to work on it every day for a couple of years. (and cost 50 thousand dollars.)
DC
EDIT: and after all that it still would not be any safer or better for ME to fly. The real safety is in our heads.

[Forrest Barber]

Re: FAA Ramp check

The correct placards are required; back then they were in lieu of a Pilots Operating Handbook. I had to explain that a few times too. The Operation Limitations is necessary too. Airworthiness, Registration. Up to date charts. I usually have an old one in the ship to use as Toilet paper. My Taylorcraft Brick is a lot of fun to show around to the PMI's too!