Got ramp checked today

simtech

simtech

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Simtech
Had my first ramp check. It was easy and painless. Nice bunch of guys I had to deal with. They wanted my cert, medical, Id, and plane documents. Easy peasy.
 
Glad it wasn't painful. Were you at a little "GA" airport, or a bigger one? Were the check-ers from FAA, other TLA's, or ??
 
happypilot876 said:
Glad it wasn't painful. Were you at a little "GA" airport, or a bigger one? Were the check-ers from FAA, other TLA's, or ??
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Littleish GA airport. These were actual FAA Guys. They were very friendly and non intrusive. I was a little nervous at first but all was good.
 
Now that they have some money in the budget they need to prove their worth. I thought ramp checks where a thing of the past. In writing but not in actuality .
 
frfly172 said:
Now that they have some money in the budget they need to prove their worth. I thought ramp checks where a thing of the past. In writing but not in actuality .
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Actually it's a part of their work program, albeit a very small part. Typical GA Inspector has maybe 4 or 5 assigned Part 91 ramp inspections per year.

It's not about "proving worth". The fiscal year has just started and the work program has been assigned for the upcoming year, so it's usually busier at the first and tapers off during the last quarter.
 
simtech said:
Had my first ramp check. It was easy and painless. Nice bunch of guys I had to deal with. They wanted my cert, medical, Id, and plane documents. Easy peasy.
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Did they ask for a W&B?
 
Skyscraper said:
It's my understanding that a W&B must be performed for each flight but the physical record does not need to be kept on board.
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Correct. Or if it is a previously known condition or something like that.
 
Skyscraper said:
It's my understanding that a W&B must be performed for each flight but the physical record does not need to be kept on board.
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Of course, every time I take off in my own plane, with just me and full tanks, I do the math, and plot it out on the graph, just in case my near 40 year old POH has changed since the last time I looked at it.
 
Skyscraper said:
It's my understanding that a W&B must be performed for each flight but the physical record does not need to be kept on board.
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The regulations do not say that. Any reliable method can used to insure that the airplane is operated within its operating limits, which includes things like its weight and balance and oil. If I computed W&B for myself and my flight bag and full, partial, and empty fuel in my usual rental months ago, and assuming the plane's empty W&B hasn't changed, I could skip the computation for today's flight.
 
Jim Logajan said:
The regulations do not say that. Any reliable method can used to insure that the airplane is operated within its operating limits, which includes things like its weight and balance and oil. If I computed W&B for myself and my flight bag and full, partial, and empty fuel in my usual rental months ago, and assuming the plane's empty W&B hasn't changed, I could skip the computation for today's flight.
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That makes sense, I wasn't sure of the exact wording of the regulation but figured something along those lines was in there. I don't do a W and B when I'm flying alone with no baggage other than my flight bag because obviously it's within the operational limits given that they haven't changed since the first W and B I did with the same numbers.

Thanks for clarifying that.
 
Skyscraper said:
That makes sense, I wasn't sure of the exact wording of the regulation but figured something along those lines was in there. I don't do a W and B when I'm flying alone with no baggage other than my flight bag because obviously it's within the operational limits given that they haven't changed since the first W and B I did with the same numbers.

Thanks for clarifying that.
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Two places to look...

§ 91.9 Civil aircraft flight manual, marking, and placard requirements.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, no person may operate a civil aircraft without complying with the operating limitations specified in the approved Airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual, markings, and placards, or as otherwise prescribed by the certificating authority of the country of registry.
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Being within the W&B envelope would be part of complying with the operating limitations.

Sec. 91.103 — Preflight action.Each pilot in command shall, before beginning a flight, become familiar with all available information concerning that flight. This information must include—

(b) For any flight, runway lengths at airports of intended use, and the following takeoff and landing distance information:
(1) For civil aircraft for which an approved Airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual containing takeoff and landing distance data is required, the takeoff and landing distance data contained therein; and
(2) For civil aircraft other than those specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, other reliable information appropriate to the aircraft, relating to aircraft performance under expected values of airport elevation and runway slope, aircraft gross weight, and wind and temperature
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You'd need to know your weight for performance planning purposes. Note that neither of these require the document to be in your plane.
 
Sam D said:
Two places to look...



Being within the W&B envelope would be part of complying with the operating limitations.


You'd need to know your weight for performance planning purposes. Note that neither of these require the document to be in your plane.
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Thanks for the specifics Sam! Hope you're well, I'll be in touch soon!
 
simtech said:
Had my first ramp check. It was easy and painless. Nice bunch of guys I had to deal with. They wanted my cert, medical, Id, and plane documents. Easy peasy.
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Was this by the FAA or the Border Patrol?

About a year ago I was confronted by the US Border Patrol helicopter at TJMZ after flying from KFXE non-stop. They were curious about me landing at a field with no facilities. They were three young guys in their 20s polite and friendly. They doublec checked my documents on an iPad. I told them that they missed the Haitian boat coming ashore. Oh well.

José
 
Sam D said:
You'd need to know your weight for performance planning purposes.
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That's not the same as calculating W&B for every flight. If you know that you're within W&B with a particular loading, that's all that matters. For instance, adding or subtracting a toolbox in the back, or fuel in the tanks, or whatever . . .if you have a number of "standard configurations" which are known to be within limits, you're good.
 
I usually fly out of a field that has FSDO 7-8 miles away. So far no ramp checks.

Just hypothetical question. Let's say you do get a ramp check. Can you blow them off, saying "hey, I am late for XYZ, so this will have to wait"
 
Piloto said:
Was this by the FAA or the Border Patrol?

About a year ago I was confronted by the US Border Patrol helicopter at TJMZ after flying from KFXE non-stop. They were curious about me landing at a field with no facilities. They were three young guys in their 20s polite and friendly. They doublec checked my documents on an iPad. I told them that they missed the Haitian boat coming ashore. Oh well.
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Does CBP have the authority to check your FAA docs?
 
Meanee said:
I usually fly out of a field that has FSDO 7-8 miles away. So far no ramp checks.

Just hypothetical question. Let's say you do get a ramp check. Can you blow them off, saying "hey, I am late for XYZ, so this will have to wait"
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Sure.

And then they have the right to send you a LOI (letter of investigation) via certified mail and give you 10 days to set a place and time for them to examine the the aircraft. They can also request any other information such as your personal logbooks also.
 
Lindberg said:
Does CBP have the authority to check your FAA docs?
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When you are confronted with three guys in combat attire coming out of a combat helicopter you bet. But with today technology they didn't need to ask for FAA docs. They could find all the FAA info on their iPad.

With today printers technology anyone can fake FAA documents. Most important one to have is a photo ID document like your passport or drivers license. From the photo ID they can verify everything else on the iPad.

I heard that a guy was carrying a fake medical for flying until on a ramp check the inspectror found on the iPad that it has expired 10 years ago. Make sure your medical is current on the FAA website records.

BTW insurance companies check on the FAA website records before paying any claims but not when enrolling you. If you have no valid medical don't bother having insurance.

José
 
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