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Repairman Certificate & FAA

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carl nank

Well Known Member
I have done a search and not found a situation like this issue with FSDO.

When I called the Louisville, KY FSDO to make an appointment for my repairman certificate application, I was told that they would have to issue it by having the FAA guy visit me at my hanger. They would not do the application at the FSDO office because they wanted to see my airplane and check it out first. I told them my DAR already checked out the airplane and issued an airworthiness certificate and I only wanted to get my repairman's certificate. He repeated that they need to have the inspector visit me at my hanger. This conversation happened last September.

I asked for an appointment and he said he would have to get back to me as, since I lived in western KY, and they were quite busy, the inspector would call me for an appointment when he had time.

I asked if I could get the certificate from Nashville TN as I live only 100 miles from Tennessee and 200 miles from Louisville. He said they would not let me do that.

I told him I needed to do this soon as my year was up in November and would need to have the certificate by then or I would not be able to fly the airplane. He said he would make it happen as soon as possible.

Well, it is now February and I still have not heard from them.

Has anyone else had this problem? Everything I have read from my search indicates that you go to FSDO, not that they come to your hanger. I do not mind that they come to my hanger but, I need to get this done.
 
There is a lot of variation in how the repairman certificate is handeled, but it is not at all unusual that they come to see the airplane and ask a few questions - that is how it was for me.

Your problem seems to be that you are very low on their priority list. If it were me however, I would have made several calls well before the November date, figured out who the correct person to be talking to is, and started bugging them for the appointment. Squeeky wheel gets the grease.

erich
 
faa cert.

bring all your paper work and pictures, etc to Sun N Fun and see FAA office on site, and you can get the repairman certificate there. good luck. lbb
 
They are too busy making UPS happy at Louisville. Maybe if the plane was painted brown and had the UPS logo on the sides they might move you up the pecking order. Sorry you are having issues with them but thanks for the heads up. Maybe a call to Pat (your DAR) might help in finding a solution.
 
Just a thought, you could fly the airplane to them.
I do like the Sun N Fun idea. I will be there.
 
Do not antagonize the FAA

The DAR doesn't have any authority over the Repairman Certificate issuance. The FAA people are supposed to verify personally that you built the airplane and are qualified to do your own annual condition inspections. This is certifying the person not the airplane and the certificate looks exactly like your pilot certificate, just different print.

If you maintain a good detailed hand written builder's log that is not an online cut and pastable fraud as was reported in this forum a few weeks ago (that was reported to the FAA who is charged with preventing this kind of abuse - so they know this is going on and they feel the pressure to do their job right) and a correlated builder's photo album and take them with you when you go to the FAA office your chance of getting the repairman certificate for your specific airplane is better than if you do not.

I would follow up with the office to get the job done in an orderly manner and I would document the facts as they happen (dates, times and communication details) and cooperate until the process breaks down. I would continue the process at that point but I would begin a parallel process (as long as you did everything right and built the plane) to appeal to higher authorities for attention to this problem.

Bob Axsom
 
carl nank said:
When I called the Louisville, KY FSDO to make an appointment for my repairman certificate application, I was told that they would have to issue it by having the FAA guy visit me at my hanger. They would not do the application at the FSDO office because they wanted to see my airplane and check it out first.
Click to expand...

Your story is exactly the same as mine, except mine was with the Seattle FSDO about four months ago. I called to ask about the procedure. They told me that they would schedule an appointment to visit my plane and interogate me. However, they wouldn't actually set the appointment!

I finally filled out the required forms (the repairman cert application), photocopy of the 8150 for the plane, as well as the logbook entry showing forty hours flown off, and a photocopy of my pilot license and driver's license. I mailed all of the forms to the FSDO. A week later, I got a call from the Seattle FSDO saying that my application was approved and they were mailing the paper copy to me immediately, hard copy to follow from Oklahoma.

There were still some issues getting the hard copy - Oklahoma didn't like the date that I signed the application was seven days prior to the FSDO's approval, so I had to "recertify" that I had no drug use/alcohol offenses during that seven day period.:eek:

Moral of my story: Just fill out the documentation and send it in. Maybe someone will see it and blast it through - just to get it off of their desk!:D

Hope this info helps you out.
 
New to this what is the year time limit to get the repairman's cert.
Is this from the time you get the DAR inspection to the time you apply for the certificate form the feds?

Thanks
Smilin' jack
Just learning.
HS clecoed togther and
getting ready to dimple and prime.
 
New to this what is the year time limit to get the repairman's cert.
Is this from the time you get the DAR inspection to the time you apply for the certificate form the feds?
Click to expand...

I think he's referring to the condition inspection coming due at 12 months and since he wouldn't be able to do it, the plane would be grounded until he got his Repairmans Certificate. I think I would be a little put out myself if I had to pay someone to do my condition inspection.
 
Last edited:
There is no time limit.....

on obtaining the repairman certificate. However, if you don't get it within a year from the original sign off, then you will not be eligible to sign off that first annual condition inspection.

I recommend that the applicant apply for the certificate very soon after the aircraft certification.

Different FSDOs handle this differently. Their job is to verify that you have been involved in the build enough to competently accomplish the condition inspection.

When I sign off an aircraft, I issue a "letter of recommendation" stating that the applicant has shown sufficient data to qualify for the certificate. Most FSDOs accept my letter and issue the certificate. They don't have to, but most do.

BTW, even though the DAR has no authority to issue the certificate, he can help with the application and recommendation.
 
Atl FSDO

Atlanta FSDO would not accept my letters of recommendation for Repairman certs. They asked me to stop supplying them.
 
I had Mel's Letter of recommendation at the LBB office, nothing to it. FAA were very nice and enjoyed looking at my builders log. Inspector was the same I deal with when he inspects our Air Tractors, that might have helped, who knows.
 
The nuclear option

carl nank said:
I have done a search and not found a situation like this issue with FSDO.


If you have no success with the "nice guy" approach then write your congressman. You'll get a very timely response from the FAA. However make darn sure you've got all "i's" dotted and "t's" crossed. A few around my area have had to stoop to this option.
Click to expand...
 
That's interesting!

Vern said:
Atlanta FSDO would not accept my letters of recommendation for Repairman certs. They asked me to stop supplying them.
Click to expand...

I took my letter to several DAR seminars and every ASI I showed it to really liked it. I've issued it all around the country and never had a complaint.
 
Call EAA HQ

You might want to contact Joe Norris at EAA Headquarters. They may be able to improve your priority.
 
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