Larry Ocker
Active Member
My DAR has informed me that he would like me to have an A&P do the first conditional inspection before the inspection takes place. I am quite surprised by this request. Any comments?
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Conditional Inspection
- Thread starter Larry Ocker
- Start date
frazitl
Well Known Member
I understand his position
I think. Just trying to lay some of the liability he might incur off on someone else who (hopefully) has liability insurance. I'd like to do DAR services, but the liability insurance can hardly be paid for by the fees these guys are charging unless it's really a full time job.
when you need a lawyer yourself, they can be your best friend. Otherwise, Shakespeare was right...
I think. Just trying to lay some of the liability he might incur off on someone else who (hopefully) has liability insurance. I'd like to do DAR services, but the liability insurance can hardly be paid for by the fees these guys are charging unless it's really a full time job.
when you need a lawyer yourself, they can be your best friend. Otherwise, Shakespeare was right...
I think that's ridiculous. I'd find another DAR, or use the FSDO. I went the FSDO route with my RV-6A and RV-10. Never a peep about wanting an A&P inspection.
David Paule
Well Known Member
This sounds like a very safe approach to the art of inspection. Different people will tend to find different things, and the first one is a great time to have a very thorough inspection.
I sometimes rotate the AIs that do the annual inspection on my Skywagon, just to get another pair of eyes looking at it.
Dave
I sometimes rotate the AIs that do the annual inspection on my Skywagon, just to get another pair of eyes looking at it.
Dave
Walt
Well Known Member
I agree with Dave, depending on your level of expertise in aircraft building/maintenence it is the prudent/safe thing to do, required or not!
I have done quite a few "pre-inspections" for folks under the EAA tech program and I have yet to find an aircraft with no discrepencies, some of them could have been real show stoppers.
Kahuna
Moderatoring
Larry,
Is he requesting this, or is he requiring this because no other qualified set of eyes has reviewed its readiness?
If he is requesting this because you indicated to him your lack of experience or that no one else of experience has reviewed your project for DAR readiness, or both, well then this is reasonable.
If you have had experienced set of eyes review your project readiness for DAR inspection and he is requiring it regardless, then Id move on.
Many DAR inspections are wasted because the builder had little experience, lacked peer review, and was not ready for DAR inspection.
Alan Carroll
Well Known Member
Seems like it would require a rather brave A&P/IA to sign off on an aircraft that hasn't yet received an airworthiness certificate - are they actually authorized to do this?
Assuming you can find a willing A&P it makes a lot of sense to have someone do the equivalent of a condition inspection before you fly. The requirements of FAR 43 (Append. D) are a lot more detailed and systematic than what is accomplished during the typical technical counselor visit or FAA/DAR inspection. Its also easy to miss stuff during your own inspections (I think everyone does).
LettersFromFlyoverCountry
Well Known Member
One of the things I love about Minnesota is we have a VERY good and LONG-TIME RV builders group here headed by Doug Weiler. it features some of the best and brightest in the RV world -- Tom Berge, Alex Peterson, and Pete Howell, for example. The most popular DAR in this area - Tim Mahoney -- is also in it and is an RV pilot.
I asked Tom and Doug to look over my plane in January in advance of the inspection. Tom's list is unbelievable. I suspect by now, if a DAR knows that Tom Berge looked over your project, that carries some weight.
This really is an unspoken challenge in the RV community. We need to form these builder groups and bring the local DARs into the process.
We need to train our own builder-members to be tech counselors and then make them highly known to the DARs so that when you say Tom Berge, for example, has inspected the plane and here's what he found and here's what I fixed, that means something.
It also gives us confidence that if a Tom Berge AND a Tim Mahoney sign off on a project, it's a solid project.
I just think we need to organize this task a little in the coming years.
BTW, I'm also a firm believer in the art of the barbecue, and extending an invitation to all RVers in a 100 mile radius to fly in for a brat and try to find something wrong with the nearly-completed project that just happens to be sitting by the picnic table.
I asked Tom and Doug to look over my plane in January in advance of the inspection. Tom's list is unbelievable. I suspect by now, if a DAR knows that Tom Berge looked over your project, that carries some weight.
This really is an unspoken challenge in the RV community. We need to form these builder groups and bring the local DARs into the process.
We need to train our own builder-members to be tech counselors and then make them highly known to the DARs so that when you say Tom Berge, for example, has inspected the plane and here's what he found and here's what I fixed, that means something.
It also gives us confidence that if a Tom Berge AND a Tim Mahoney sign off on a project, it's a solid project.
I just think we need to organize this task a little in the coming years.
BTW, I'm also a firm believer in the art of the barbecue, and extending an invitation to all RVers in a 100 mile radius to fly in for a brat and try to find something wrong with the nearly-completed project that just happens to be sitting by the picnic table.
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