Mike Spera wrote:


If my IA determines that screwing a bit of plastic onto the instrument
panel (using the existing mounting rails with approved hardware)
constitutes nothing more than a minor alteration, can he simply make a
logbook entry and sign it off?


That is, by definition, a minor alteration. And that is all that is
required for a minor alteration.


What other paperwork must he execute, if
any?

None.




Once done, what happens wan an FAA critter with an attitude problem at
some remote airport where I am not based comes along, peeps in the
window and says "where is your paperwork for this thing"?

Nothing happens. If he asks tell them your mechanic signed it off as a
minor alteration. If he wants to look at the loogbooks the regs say
they have to contact you and you two make an appointment and he can look
at the logs. I would think that if you have an electronic version, I
scan all mine into PDF's, you could just email them over there.



I don't carry
my logbooks. What do the regs say I have to do (produce) right there and
then?


Nuthin', relating to the maintenence. For a ramp check you have to have
the AROW, just what you learned to be a private pilot.



Providing I follow the rules (which you just told me), what can
the FAA person do according to the regs?



See above. And under no circumstances can he "ground" your plane. He
can hang a tag on there stating he thinks something isn't airworthy.
The most famous case is the FSDO inspector who did that on a Mooney with
a Q Tip prop. But you determine if the plane is airworthy. Your
mechanic is the one who gets to decide if the Air Gizmo is a minor
alteration not the FAA. He may ask the FAA for guidance but when you
read the mechanics bible not in a million years is the Gizmo a major
alteration. Any IA who says so should lose his IA priveleges.