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FAA
VETE76
Please call EAA headquarters. And let them know the situation so they can deal with it Also. This help us all in long run. There's a lot of fruit cakes in this world. :D 920 426 4800 800 564 6322 Bill J |
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BTW, when the certificate didn't arrive in the 90-day window, I called him back. He said the paperwork got "lost" and had to be resubmitted. I got the certificate 10 days later. -John |
My gripe:
Recently I went to take an instrument checkride in my RV-7A. I called the DPE one month prior and asked what his policy was regarding giving a checkride in an experimental. He told me that if I was willing to fly it, he was willing to give me a checkride stating that DPE's are given some latitude to decide whether to give a ride in a homebuilt.
Fast forward to my checkride: When I showed up at my exam, I informed him that I built my RV-7A myself after he asked if I bought it completed or partially built. I pulled out all of my logbooks including my avionics logs which showed that all of my required checks were up to date (transponder, pitot/static, ELT). He focused on my ELT check and didn't like the way I entered the ELT check in the avionics log. We spent roughly 20 minutes with him griping about the wording. He called a friend of his who is with the FAA in the avionics area and when on the phone with him said "I have a 'handyman' here who changed the batteries in his ELT" and then went on to further discuss the situation with him over the phone in my presence. After he hung up, he sat back with his arms folded across his chest and said he wouldn't fly in this airplane because it wasn't legal. He said the only way I could change the batteries in my ELT was if I had a repairman's certificate. I then informed him that since I had built the airplane myself, I did indeed have a repairman's certificate and produced it for his inspection. He then started in questioning me about CFR Part 23 indicating his disdain that I built and flew a homebuilt yet I wasn't conversant in Part 23. My whole point in this is that after being addressed condescendingly as a "handyman" with his friend from the FAA, it became apparent that there is a subculture of disdain for homebuilders since we don't really follow all of the same rules as the certified aircraft with respect to maintenance. I'm not trying to paint all FAA employees with the same brush but this guy came into the exam with a large chip on his shoulder. If he didn't want to fly in a homebuilt, that's his prerogative but he was a jerk! I have written to the local FSDO yet. I'm wondering if EAA has any input. Sorry for the venting. |
Fast forward to my checkride: When I showed up at my exam, I informed him that I built my RV-7A myself after he asked if I bought it completed or partially built. I pulled out all of my logbooks including my avionics logs which showed that all of my required checks were up to date (transponder, pitot/static, ELT). He focused on my ELT check and didn't like the way I entered the ELT check in the avionics log. We spent roughly 20 minutes with him griping about the wording. He called a friend of his who is with the FAA in the avionics area and when on the phone with him said "I have a 'handyman' here who changed the batteries in his ELT" and then went on to further discuss the situation with him over the phone in my presence. After he hung up, he sat back with his arms folded across his chest and said he wouldn't fly in this airplane because it wasn't legal. He said the only way I could change the batteries in my ELT was if I had a repairman's certificate. I then informed him that since I had built the airplane myself, I did indeed have a repairman's certificate and produced it for his inspection. He then started in questioning me about CFR Part 23 indicating his disdain that I built and flew a homebuilt yet I wasn't conversant in Part 23.
My whole point in this is that after being addressed condescendingly as a "handyman" with his friend from the FAA, it became apparent that there is a subculture of disdain for homebuilders since we don't really follow all of the same rules as the certified aircraft with respect to maintenance. I'm not trying to paint all FAA employees with the same brush but this guy came into the exam with a large chip on his shoulder. If he didn't want to fly in a homebuilt, that's his prerogative but he was a jerk! I have written to the local FSDO yet. I'm wondering if EAA has any input. Sorry for the venting.[/quote] THIS ISNT MY 1ST Ecounter with the FAA. 1984 we built a rally ultralight the 2 seater version. we had to get the FAA to inspect it, as the dar wasnt in the works yet. he looked at it and all he could say at first was, "this just doesn't look like a REAL airplane!! wen he was finished he handed us the air worthyness cert saying as we took it from his hand, "yep, it passed, but it just doesnt look like a real airplane" but its legal. be carefull and enjoy! Mr Lyngel, Rochester fsdo, a real nice and fuuny gentleman! they aren't all bad! |
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fred |
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