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01-06-2011, 07:23 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Olathe, KS
Posts: 374
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FSDO vs DAR Inspection
For those of you that had the FSDO do your airworthiness inspection, would you do it again? How long did it take for them to schedule your inspection once you sent in all of the requisite paperwork? Do you feel that the FSDO inspector did an adequate inspection?
It seems most people go the DAR route, and I'm somewhat curious what more people don't go through the FSDO.
Thanks,
Scott
7A
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01-06-2011, 07:37 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Dallas area
Posts: 10,768
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Most people go to DAR because they are much more familiar with amateur-built aircraft. While most FSDO inspectors have good intentions, their job is mainly to make sure the placards, registration number, etc. are correct and that you built the aircraft as required by amateur-built rules.
While DARs do the same thing, they usually inspect the aircraft with more of an eye toward safety.
I have found things that would make an aircraft totally unsafe that most FAA ASIs would never notice. And these things are not because the builder was incompetent. They simply missed the items.
Don't misinterpret this to mean that all ASIs are incompetent. Many are very good inspectors. But are you sure that yours is?
__________________
Mel Asberry, DAR since the last century.
EAA Flight Advisor/Tech Counselor, Friend of the RV-1
Recipient of Tony Bingelis Award and Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award
USAF Vet, High School E-LSA Project Mentor.
RV-6 Flying since 1993 (sold)
<rvmel(at)icloud.com>
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01-06-2011, 07:47 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Townsend, Montana
Posts: 3,179
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1. No
2. 4 weeks, then another 2 weeks of BS after the inspection.!!!!!
3. No
I went with the FSDO because I was broke. FSDO=free DAR=$500. It all worked out in the end, but I would rather have budgeted the money and a timely professional inspection... not a paper pusher who doesn't know the rules.
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Retired Dam guy. Life is good.
Brian, N155BKsold but bought back.
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01-06-2011, 07:51 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 1,523
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I had mine inspected by an FSDO inspector. He checked the paperwork.. and a quick glance at the plane.. Other than a "missing wing" he would not have caught anything else.. nor did he try (other than proper functioning of the pitch trim... ).
Cost: $0
Took two weeks after submitting paperwork. Would I do it again? Absolutely.
I had "real" inspections that were done to catch any safety issues performed by 3 different experienced builders (on 3 different days). Ah yes.. that was free too.. (the EAA chapter thing..)... This routine is pretty common in this area so I didn't exactly invent this  We also do have a pretty friendly FSDO here.
Nothing against DARs by any stretch.. just pointing out that there are many ways to skin a cat... (and still be safe).
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Radomir
RV-7A sold
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01-06-2011, 07:58 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Posts: 778
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Maybe an anomaly but I had very good experiences with a FSDO inspector from Milwaukee (Mike Batson). Took only a week or so to schedule, and he did a thorough job inspecting the airplane. He's also been very helpful when I needed help later (for example when I installed a different prop). I would certainly recommend him.
I guess the answer depends on the specific FSDO and inspector?
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Alan Carroll
RV-8 N12AC
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01-06-2011, 08:17 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 297
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FSDO
I used the FSDO to inspect my plane last September.
They sent two guys and they crawled all over my plane for nearly 2 hours.
Very thorough.
They scoured my engine documents & logs for AD compliance, etc.
They offered lots of good suggestions and required a few things be corrected.
Great guys and the cost - $0
Dave
-9A flying
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01-06-2011, 09:01 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Mateo, CA
Posts: 1,419
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Radomir
Cost: $0
Took two weeks after submitting paperwork. Would I do it again? Absolutely.
I had "real" inspections that were done to catch any safety issues performed by 3 different experienced builders (on 3 different days). Ah yes.. that was free too.. (the EAA chapter thing..)... This routine is pretty common in this area so I didn't exactly invent this  We also do have a pretty friendly FSDO here.
Nothing against DARs by any stretch.. just pointing out that there are many ways to skin a cat... (and still be safe).
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This matches my experience. The local FSDO rocks. I had local EAA tech advisors check the plane and the FSDO folks were actually pretty through as well.
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01-07-2011, 09:12 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Petaluma CA
Posts: 59
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OAK FSDO
Had an excellent experience with the Oakland (CA) FSDO.
About a 2 week lead time; The inspector rides a motorcycle and likes to get
out in the field, now and then. He has done a lot of RVs around here. (San Fransisco Bay Area)
I got a very good inspection; he even found 2 items, which were missed by all the local EAA guys.
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Rolf
RV6 N9EY
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01-07-2011, 09:23 AM
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Senior Curmudgeon
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton Airpark, NV A34
Posts: 15,420
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Also gotta put in a good work for the local FSDO-----Good inspection by the gentleman who came out. He was a helicopter mechanic in a past life, so he was quite thorough in the inspection.
Plus, he likes RV's
It took longer than I wanted, but I knew that it was going to when I turned in my paperwork, and was told by the inspector he had a full calendar.
__________________
Mike Starkey
VAF 909
Rv-10, N210LM.
Flying as of 12/4/2010
Phase 1 done, 2/4/2011 
Sold after 240+ wonderful hours of flight.
"Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it."
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01-07-2011, 09:38 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Milwaukee, WI area
Posts: 2,967
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I went FSDO as well, would do it again in a heartbeat. I did talk to Mel and several other DAR's to get a feel for cost and scheduling, but in the end, the local FSDO was good to work with, and felt I did the right thing for me.
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Chad Jensen
Astronics AES, Vertical Power
RV-7, 5 yr build, flew it 68 hours, sold it, miss it.
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