What has the FAA done to you?

SbestCFII

SbestCFII

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CFII Scott - The IFR Coach
It's funny. I've been flying over 24 years and never has the FAA done anything directly or indirectly that has negatively impacted either my flying activities or my ability to fly. If anything, I have been mostly disappointed by their snail-like pace in modernizing technology. From many of the negative comments I have seen on the site, it would look as though the FAA has smacked down at least half the pilots on the forum...right?

What has the FAA done to you? No politics here, just specifically what actual experience(s) have you had to cause such disdain for the FAA?
 
Well

ADSB, forcing the fleet to pay big bucks to fix something that isn't broken, but could be used for...

..User fees and sending ATC jobs to the private sector, yet another attempt has been made to pull this euro crap in the U.S.

But it's all in the name of "safety" as can be seen in the ATP requirement for 121 crews because even though this wouldn't have made a difference in the Colgan crash, we see that we need to require more experienced airline crews... Well unless less you or your parents paid big bucks to go to ERU, in which case because you took some college courses you they'll just waive a huge chunk of required experience :rolleyes2:


Over regulation on certified equipment, look at a dynon skyview vs the certified equal...

And of course just ignoring what the FAA is told to do, as can be seen with their dragging their feet on the pilots bill of right II



Well that's a off the cuff.
 
Made maintenance easier, like allowing battery replacement and relocation, shoulder belt addition, etc in AC43.13-2B. My last field approval a year ago was easier than the almost identical approval on my last plane 6 years ago.

Made medical certification easier, like with CACI regulations, relaxed restrictions on cardiac SIs, etc.

The FAA is less obstructive and less contentious now than they've ever been during my short 25 years of flying.

And for the record, the medical reform process is stuck in DOT, not FAA. PBR2 is stuck in Congress.
 
Well, when you're new to ownership it can be a steep learning curve.

When I bought my first plane I also changed the N-number. What I didn't know was two things: that they have to be of a certain size and that you need to get a replacement Airworthiness Certificate physically at the FSDO.

The N-number size I changed to the correct size after someone told me about it, no big deal. But when I called the FAA/FSDO to ask about why they hadn't sent out a replacement Airworthiness (which I thought happened automatically when you changed N-number), the guy there somehow got very suspicious and started to accuse me. It was like being interrogated by the cops and by the end of it he thought I was a drug smuggler more or less and wouldn't issue an AC without a ramp inspection beforehand. I spoke to someone I know that's close to the FSDO, and he helped me deflect the situation and away from that particular official. In the end I went in and just got the replacement without any trouble, but it left bad taste in my mouth.
 
Never had anything personally good or bad with the FAA. I just think the over-regulation of certified, privately-owned aircraft is making GA unnecessarily expensive. I think the benefits of ADS-B are great, the weather/traffic/etc, but I'd rather it be voluntary. I like the move to eliminate the Class III medical, but as a relatively young buck with zero health issues, I don't fear the trip to the AME.
 
[QUOTEWhat has the FAA done to you? No politics here, just specifically what actual experience(s) have you had to cause such disdain for the FAA?[/QUOTE]

The inspector at the GADO refused to sign the 337 form I brought in and accused me of poor maintenance work because I filled out the form with a pen and not a typewriter. He suggested my A&P license should be pulled because of that. Misunderstanding what he was saying I suggested he actually inspect the plane to insure it was a properly and safely done procedure he just laughed at me and said
" I don't give a g**d**M if the plane is safe, I want the paperwork done right!".
I made a comment that his loud voice was audible to all of the people in the office along with the other inspectors and that he should consider finding a new line of work since FAA was primarily concerned with aircraft safety and not paperwork. ( boy was I ever wrong). I wish small recorders had been around then. One of the other inspectors told him to sign the form and as I left the office he told me I should not bring any more forms in but to send them through an AI without my name on them. This was many years ago but I haven't seen any real change in attitude since then. I now go into a FSDO office and find that I'm locked in a tiny cubicle where I have to speak to an unseen person via intercom in order to pick up paperwork. If they're satisfied I'm not a terrorist they might send out a junior agent to speak to me. Otherwise I can pick up whatever forms I asked for in the drawer that pops out of a wall and wait for someone to unlock the door to get out. What a crock.....
Thats why there are bad feelings about the FAA.

Frank
 
As I posted in another thread, they revived a 12 year old SI for a condition I very likely do not have and never have had. The condition was diagnosed about 30 years ago on the basis of an imaging test that was much more primitive and error-prone than similar tests today. Modern imaging has never shown the problem. Yet, I have a "history" of the condition, and it is known to sometimes produce a false negative on imaging studies, and therefore I will have to spend upwards of 2 AMU to produce negative imaging studies to send to the FAA, every year, for the rest of my flying life.
 
azure said:
As I posted in another thread, they revived a 12 year old SI for a condition I very likely do not have and never have had. The condition was diagnosed about 30 years ago on the basis of an imaging test that was much more primitive and error-prone than similar tests today. Modern imaging has never shown the problem. Yet, I have a "history" of the condition, and it is known to sometimes produce a false negative on imaging studies, and therefore I will have to spend upwards of 2 AMU to produce negative imaging studies to send to the FAA, every year, for the rest of my flying life.
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I'm in the SI boat too, for something that hasn't required treatment or shown any signs of returning for almost 6 years. Even the hematologist doubts I'll ever have a problem again.
 
Took three months to return a phone call.

But they finally did after I forgot what I called for.
 
Mandatory re-registration that took way to long than it should with several calls to Oklohoma City only to get political rants against George Bush for not "adding more staff".
 
BiffJ said:
... I now go into a FSDO office and find that I'm locked in a tiny cubicle where I have to speak to an unseen person via intercom in order to pick up paperwork. If they're satisfied I'm not a terrorist they might send out a junior agent to speak to me. Otherwise I can pick up whatever forms I asked for in the drawer that pops out of a wall and wait for someone to unlock the door to get out. ...
Click to expand...

Is this standard operating procedure?
 
In 2004 I had back surgery, a simple laminectomy. I did not report until the next medical when I disclosed on the form. They refused my medical until I had gotten a special exam just for them with a letter from a specialist that in their opinion, I was fit to fly. OK, hoops to jump through and added expense and time. The problem is, I find out years later that none of this was necessary according to the regs. They made me do it either because they were clueless, or just because.

Years later, when I moved to a new address, I went through the procedure of notifying them on my address change for my airplane's registration. They made a mistake and issued my new registration with an error on it. I tried to simply notify them and take care of it by phone, email, or in the mail, but no. They required me to go down to the FSDO which is about 55 miles from me and do it in person with a person there.

The FAA is an arrogant and over reaching bureaucracy that is rife with inefficiency and attitude. Simply put, we need them by their own fiat and they don't need us at all... or so they think. Less pilots, less airplanes, less airports = less need for FAA. Maybe they will realize this soon and throw us some bones. :dunno:
 
I got ramp-checked on my birthday a few years ago.

No, it wasn't a big deal, but that kinda sucked.

On the medical front, their policies have forced me to undergo several tests that were not medically necessary, in the opinion of the doc who had to authorize them.
 
Even though I'm about 99% sure that I could pass a class III medical with SI, there are so many unnecessary hoops to jump through that I quit flying and sold the plane. If I only fly for fun and the BS takes the fun out, what is the point. I had a perfectly adequate Cherokee 140. I'm also not willing to pay artificially inflated prices for an LS when there is no good reason not to fly what I had.
 
In almost fifty years, nothing. They have been helpful when I needed them otherwise, no problem.
 
If we could get rid of the third class medical for private pilots flying small six or less seat aircraft, deregulate enough so I can get more modern avionics in my panel at a reasonable price, and get rid of regulations that make it hard to build new hangars suitable for GA I'd be pretty happy with them.

Oh and if we could get some grants for mogas availability and new hangar construction that would be great....

That said I think overall they do a fairly good job given the scope of what they have to do. Just some things I think need tweaked a bit.
 
register@teamandras.com said:
Is this standard operating procedure?
Click to expand...

It's actually force protection requirements levied from higher up the food chain than the FAA. Similar stuff has gone into effect at other government offices post 9/11 based on perceived risk. Many DoD civilian employees are also protected in a like manner.

So, as frustrated as you may be at the FAA, they didn't actually mandate this level of protection. You'd think the IRS would be more targeted, but, in a interesting burst of common sense, they are not perceived as risking the transportation system so not as protected.

John
 
Graueradler said:
Even though I'm about 99% sure that I could pass a class III medical with SI, there are so many unnecessary hoops to jump through that I quit flying and sold the plane. If I only fly for fun and the BS takes the fun out, what is the point. I had a perfectly adequate Cherokee 140. I'm also not willing to pay artificially inflated prices for an LS when there is no good reason not to fly what I had.
Click to expand...

^^ This ^^ The ridiculous 3rd class requirements have kept my $$ out of aviation and diverted it into other hobbies.
 
I called the FSBO in Maine earlier this year. Left a message.

Got a call back within the hour. He answered all my questions, suggested better ways to do what I wanted. Sent me the forms I needed by mail. Got them 2 days later.

The bastards.
 
I was grounded for several months because some moron in Joklahoma city can't parse sentences properly (this coupled with an idiot AME on my end). Fortunately, the FAA regional flight surgeon in Jamocha Plains was able to get things mostly fixed.

I was stuck on the ground for five weeks at VKX after 9/11 until the FAA could figure out a way to allow me to depart. Even then it was over a year until I was allowed to return.

I've been the subject of two ADs that had no safety consideration but were just instantiated to make profits for the manufacturer (and in the case of Sierra Hotel, I use that term laughably).
 
Jeff Oslick said:
On the medical front, their policies have forced me to undergo several tests that were not medically necessary, in the opinion of the doc who had to authorize them.
Click to expand...

Ditto. They have cost me large amounts of money and down time trying to keep current on the medical standards. My regular doctor rolls his eyes whenever I tell him why I need another test - it's all about CYA for someone at the FAA.

I dunno, maybe we're the reason for the rise in healthcare costs?
 
The FAA gave me an active medical back after it previously expired with no action on my part!
 
Dav8or said:
I don't know, but my one and only interaction with an FAA employee face to face at the FSDO was through bullet proof glass. I guess that says something...
Click to expand...

My last interaction with an FAA employee was when the Ford Tri-motor was at KBJJ last month. He was down checking out their procedures, saw my hangar door open, and we sat and talked for a half hour under the shade of my hangar door. He's looking to buy a classic Fairchild.

We've helped for years with the big Father's Day fly-in breakfast at 2D7 (Beach City, OH), and generally one or two of the controllers from KCAK will come down and help out flippin pancakes on their day off. They even got us a DVD of the radar tracking one year when we had over 200 aircraft in attendance. Looked like a swarm of bees :)

FAA folks are just like cops....they're just people like the rest of us. IMHO YMMV

Jim

Edit- Hey....wait a minute!!! I showed him our airplanes...does that mean the SOB ramp-checked me?? :yikes: LOL...in case anyone take me seriously!
 
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You mean aside from making a four-seat tin can with 1950's technology cost $300,000 a copy?

If I can change the brakes on a 4,500 lb SUV, why can't I change the brakes on a 2,500 lb Skyhawk? Which vehicle uses its brakes more? Which one is more likely to do damage to people or property if its brakes fail?

Merely two examples of the insidious diffuse cost of overbearing regulation.
 
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They allowed me to convert my military experience (ATC/pilot) into civilian certificates (CTO/COM)...I appreciate that.
 
From the other viewpoint, if there was no FAA, what would things be like?
-certainly less expensive all ways around.
-less expensive would mean much more activity; more planes, more airports, more people in aviation, more av businesses, more aviation businesses would be thriving.
-more accidents, yes. Those of us who think the FAA is overreaching understand and accept there would be more injuries and deaths. We think that is ok, even if many others do not understand our standpoint. The goal of zero accidents can only be achieved when there is zero flying. We disagree with this approach.
 
BiffJ said:
. I now go into a FSDO office and find that I'm locked in a tiny cubicle where I have to speak to an unseen person via intercom in order to pick up paperwork. If they're satisfied I'm not a terrorist they might send out a junior agent to speak to me. Otherwise I can pick up whatever forms I asked for in the drawer that pops out of a wall and wait for someone to unlock the door to get out. What a crock.....
Thats why there are bad feelings about the FAA.

Frank
Click to expand...

Wow, They must be really afraid of somebody. Maybe if they treated people with more respect they wouldn't need to go to such drastic measures.
 
SbestCFII said:
It's funny. I've been flying over 24 years and never has the FAA done anything directly or indirectly that has negatively impacted either my flying activities or my ability to fly. If anything, I have been mostly disappointed by their snail-like pace in modernizing technology. From many of the negative comments I have seen on the site, it would look as though the FAA has smacked down at least half the pilots on the forum...right?

What has the FAA done to you? No politics here, just specifically what actual experience(s) have you had to cause such disdain for the FAA?
Click to expand...

They issued a rule, many many years ago, that shows that Aeromedical has their heads up their ass when it comes to identifying which conditions are medically grounding, and moreover, how to repair said condition.

For me personally - having kidney stones a long time ago, not having passed one in forever, but being unable to definitively prove that they're not going to come out and disable me midflight is a total boner move by the FAA, and one that even the good doctor himself could not get me around.

AIDS, on each any everyone one of those bastards in OKC.
 
Tried to get a field approval for some capacitance fuel probes on the Comanche - replacing the stupid float sending units that are worthless. Was told it couldn't be done. Nevermind the fact that a bunch of certified planes already use capacitance fuel senders.
 
Extended my schooling by 1 year, in College, because of the dumb 1500hr rule. I had to literally retake 4 classes I made A's in because the "Course ID #" had changed. I was a student in two of my own classes, now isn't that stupid ?? :mad2:

Failed me on my CFI ride because I talked to much......... :dunno:

Besides that I havn't had that much interaction.
 
jsstevens said:
It's actually force protection requirements levied from higher up the food chain than the FAA. Similar stuff has gone into effect at other government offices post 9/11 based on perceived risk. Many DoD civilian employees are also protected in a like manner.

So, as frustrated as you may be at the FAA, they didn't actually mandate this level of protection. You'd think the IRS would be more targeted, but, in a interesting burst of common sense, they are not perceived as risking the transportation system so not as protected.

John
Click to expand...

Not in my experience. 18 yrs DOD civilian at a Marine air base. Have not seen the first pane of bullet proof glass. Want to get on base? Yes, there are armed Marines (with real bullets loaded) at the gate but go to the main gate and say that you want to go golfing, get a pass with a valid drivers license and drive on. Past the front gate guards you will not see any more weapons. Visitors have to sign in with their escort. takes two minutes. I always thought that the FSDO security thing was a little over the top. I have not yet had any problems but I have not asked them to do much either.
 
Morgan3820 said:
Not in my experience. 18 yrs DOD civilian at a Marine air base. Have not seen the first pane of bullet proof glass. Want to get on base? Yes, there are armed Marines (with real bullets loaded) at the gate but go to the main gate and say that you want to go golfing, get a pass with a valid drivers license and drive on. Past the front gate guards you will not see any more weapons. Visitors have to sign in with their escort. takes two minutes. I always thought that the FSDO security thing was a little over the top. I have not yet had any problems but I have not asked them to do much either.
Click to expand...

Same here. 15 years in the Navy and aside from armed watches on the ship and the renta-cops at the base gates, we've got very little protection.
 
Wow...that was nice of them.
 
I think for the 1500 hours rule, you'd have to blame congress and Colgan Air, However, the irony is that, On Colgan Air, both pilots (CAP and FO) both already had well over 1500 hours. So the whole thing only served to drive up the cost of becoming a professional pilot without doing anything to improve compensation. Politically, you can debate raising the minimum wage to $15/hr, but in truth, if that happened, commuter FOs, would likely benefit as much as a fast food workers.
 
James331 said:
Well

ADSB, forcing the fleet to pay big bucks to fix something that isn't broken, but could be used for...

..User fees and sending ATC jobs to the private sector, yet another attempt has been made to pull this euro crap in the U.S.

But it's all in the name of "safety" as can be seen in the ATP requirement for 121 crews because even though this wouldn't have made a difference in the Colgan crash, we see that we need to require more experienced airline crews... Well unless less you or your parents paid big bucks to go to ERU, in which case because you took some college courses you they'll just waive a huge chunk of required experience :rolleyes2:


Over regulation on certified equipment, look at a dynon skyview vs the certified equal...

And of course just ignoring what the FAA is told to do, as can be seen with their dragging their feet on the pilots bill of right II



Well that's a off the cuff.
Click to expand...

A lot of this is more congressional that FAA per se. The 1500 hr. requirement and raising issues in favor of user fees, privatizing ATC, and the Pilots BOR II are prime and undeniable examples of congressional BS, not the FAA per se.
 
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