On 1 Jan 2006 14:28:01 -0800, "darthpup"
wrote:

First, you are required by FAA regulations to have a physical.
Second, in some states it is mandatory to have insurance.

It's a given that the first was going to be ignored.
Make the assumption that we are not in one of the second states.

If you violate both the above you would probably have your license
revoked and charged by the state for violation of the law.

How do they revoke what you didn't have?

Of course if you do the above and have an accident then the judical
vermin would ravage your carcass in court.


Get blood out of a turnip? I think one of the lawyers in the
following case may have used the turnip phrase when speaking to the
insurance company lawyers.

Not long ago there was a CFI checking out a pilot in their new twin.
I'm not sure what went wrong, but they did a gear up in a *NEW* twin.
As can be expected the owner's insurance company went after the CFI
who has almost nothing. They might be able to garnishee the CFI's
wages if the CFI ever gets a steady job and makes enough to get above
the poverty level. So far it's been nada! The FAA did require some
remedial training for the CFI, but that was it. (as I understand it)

IF you have little financially and your kids are grown and gone you'd
have little to lose, at least up until recently. It's highly unlikely
someone is going to be flying an expensive airplane without insurance
or a valid medical.

Admittedly, if an individual has enough income to pay the rent for the
house or apartment, and gas for the plane this rapidly becomes a risky
proposition. The feds *might* not take everything you have, but the
insurance companies will if they can.

This is not really a difficult problem to consider.

Is there a pilot here who thinks he will not be caught???

There have been many who weren't.

Many a year ago (both pilots have long since been planted before I
moved here and that was 21 years ago)... Let's call them Joe and Sam.

Sam had passed and a bunch of the guys were back at the hangar telling
tall tales with Joe looking a tad more down than the rest. One of the
guys asked Joe why he was so down. Joe remarked that he just wasn't
going to be able to fly any more with Sam gone. When told he'd get
over it, he explained, "No I can fly without Sam as I always filed
IFR using his Name." (Joe didn't have the instrument rating). At this
there was a whole lot of laughter with another explaining, "Joe, you
got nothing to worry about as Sam never had an instrument rating
either!". Joe had been doing this for years.

It may be told in my own way, but I'm just repeating what I was told
about two of the past old timers who used to fly out of the area.

Things have changed much since then. For one, in Michigan the planes
need a state registration with a sticker that goes on the tail Other
than that there are no flags hanging out to say, "Hey! this one needs
to be ramp checked!"

However I don't think I'd want to do it and run the risk of being ramp
checked 1000 miles from home. Besides, most of my stuff is paid for
and I'd have too much to lose.

Until recently you would probably have risked little more than a fine
(if that) in most states. If you were caught and the plane was sold
by the time the case came up, probably not much would be done. Now
days it's a different world and with them getting picky about aircraft
registration, I'd assume they are going to be as picky about pilots.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com
Roger