FAA Ramp check

[DanBrown]

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!

What are the correct placards -- what should they say and where do they go.

Thanks..

[fearofpavement]

Re: FAA Ramp check

The correct placards are generally listed in the TCDS (Type Certificate Data Sheet). I haven't looked but they may be listed somewhere on the website.

[ROllerton]

Re: FAA Ramp check

My attitude toward people with authority can be quickly determined with a simple glance for a gun on their hip.

[Tony Johnson]

Re: FAA Ramp check

The post of Forrest about Santa brings to mind my experiece as a police officer in Washington D.C. many years ago. It is relevant because it helps understand the position of the "enforcer" such as the FAA guy who may be ramp checking you.

It was not uncommon at the time, in the 70's, to see cars driving at night with no light visibable from the rear. The usual cause was a blown fuse for the tail lights. I encountered this situation often. I carried spare fuses, bought at my own expense, in my patrol car for those occasions. Typically, I would pull the car over, inform the driver that they were showing no lights to the rear and that it was a dangerous situation. I would then give them a fuse. If it was a lady or someone who did not know how to install the fuse, I would install it for them. I did not issue a ticket, because it was a totally understandable "violation" and I did not deem enforcement action warranted.

Every now and then, I would approach a driver in this situation who would start the conversation, like "Santa" with "What the F___ are you stopping me for!" along with other variations....."Don't you have something better to do", "Why don't you go catch some criminals" etc. At that point, I put my fuse away and got out my ticket book.

One one occasion, I had a cabbie give me so much grief that his cab left behind a tow truck and the cabbie left in the back seat of my patrol car on the way to jail. When he got out of jail, his drivers license was returned to him with a big red "suspended" stamp on it. That was an extreme example.


The point is that the enforcment officer you are dealing with may be a pretty nice guy who is looking out for your safety. Don't let your mouth put your A** in jail, or cause a suspension of your privilges.

[Forrest Barber]

Re: FAA Ramp check

Good one, I have been retired as an Alliance PD Capt. for over 15 years. I do miss it. Oh well, the New Chief being sworn in may be interested in opening some old Cold cases... Who knows I may jump back into the game.
thanks Tony

[Ed O'Brien]

Re: FAA Ramp check

Dear Forrest; Anytime you need help cracking a "cold case" -- let me know. I can crack cold cases of Bud, Miller, Coors, and many others. I'm not an expert of course but have never failed in this task... so I suppose, I'm gifted or perhaps just successful. Please hire me as your faithful assistant should you decide to take up Cold Case Cracking professionally.
With regards;
ED OBRIEN

[baldeagle27]

Re: FAA Ramp check

The FAA can ground you and take your certificates on the spot.

They can't take your certificates, can they? I thought that you were only required to show them to the Feds, and not supposed to physically give them to the inspector. They have to go through the legal process to suspend or revoke them, correct?

[VictorBravo]

Re: FAA Ramp check

They can't take your certificates, can they? I thought that you were only required to show them to the Feds, and not supposed to physically give them to the inspector. They have to go through the legal process to suspend or revoke them, correct?

Correct.

If anyone tells you that the FAA can take your license on the spot, tell them that no less than Dave Voelkar of the infamous Van Nuys FSDO personally spoke at our EAA chapter recently, and assured everyone that the FAA cannot and will not do that. They are not law enforcement so they cannot arrest or otherwise order you to surrender anything.

Dave also informed us in no uncertain terms that the attitude of the pilot during the immediate stage of an inquiry or enforcement action is one of the big deciding factors in how aggressive they get. They're not looking for brown nosing or a tearful plea for leniency, they respond to a pilot be honest and open to the possibility that there was a violation committed, and showing interest in making right any wrongs. A professional and reasonably cooperative attitude (even if you are professionally and cooperatively disagreeing with what they are saying) is the key.

[Forrest Barber]

Re: FAA Ramp check

Around here we do not have a lot of ramp checks. A few years ago the Adminstrator thought it would get things under"control" if some inspectors worked say 2- 10PM and visited airports to look for violations.
That is over, many visitors had no idea how to proceed and it really became a learning experience for both sides.
Around here, the airport manger gets a phone call of a possible visit and we have time to clean up and comb our hair.
The Cleveland FSDO and MIDO are good to work with on all issues.

[Ron Coleman]

Re: FAA Ramp check

Was that the same time when some birds were red tagged on the fields for missing screws?

RonC

[astjp2]

Re: FAA Ramp check

Ask Bob Hoover about losing a certificate on the spot! They can and have taken certificates but now there is a process for them so you have the opportunity to challenge thier emergency action. Tim

[Paul713]

Re: FAA Ramp check

Only two ramp checks in 33 years, both while operating Corporate jets. I did have two FAA guys stop by my personal hangar a couple years back. They saw my airplane (Ryan PT-22) asked what it was, looked it over, said "nice aircraft" and left.

[Tom Garrick]

Re: FAA Ramp check

With 46 years of flying and over 22,000 hrs. I have been ramped checked only once. The FAA walked in to the cockpit of my 747 in NRT (Tokyo) and asked to see my licience. I said , "You have got to be kidding". He said,"I am not and I want to see your licience and your medical". With a smile I gave him my fishing licience. "Very funny now give me your other licience", he said without a smile. I could not help it, I pulled out my hunting licience and gave that to him. He did not think it near as funny as I did.

Tom

[astjp2]

Re: FAA Ramp check

Now that IS funny!

[Ed O'Brien]

Re: FAA Ramp check

Tom Garrick;
Really? That's interesting that the FAA has any jurisdiction
in Tokyo... who knew? I'd think that maybe the Japanese FAA (whatever they're called) might be interested... but our own US/FAA working at Narrita? I once heard of a military medical flight landing in some goofy little burg in the Canary Islands getting hit on a ramp check. They couldn't catch the tanker because of rotten weather and had to divert to pick up gas for a trans-Atlantic flight... and happened upon the FAA inspector working in the Canaries. I was in the National Guard at the time and it made headlines and a briefing mention for our crew. These FAA guys do get around, I guess. By the way, I think we were told to be nice to the FAA but the Guard didn't have to be that nice to the FAA.
Being that it was 20 years ago I now forget the details. But I thought it was a balsy FAA inspector who would ramp check a military medical flight. Afterall, we had guns although I'm not sure we had bullets.
With regards;
ED OBRIEN