Be ready for the worst!

Glad to have you back Ed! Hope you're fully back in
flying form and have found a new ride.

Seems like there has been an uptick in FAA inspections
for paperwork - and not just in cases of accidents.

BTW, did anybody check the repack date on your 'chute,
or is that only in cases where you actually used it?

9B


At 17:12 28 March 2004, Ed Byars wrote:




Be ready for the worst:

I totaled my ASW-28 last summer. The next day while
I was 'out of it' in the
hospital, the Feds (FAA-FISDO not the NTSB {because
I didn't get killed I
guess}) inspected the damaged glider and removed all
paperwork and my
smashed PDA. A few weeks later they returned all by
mail with a formal form
letter thanking me and no other comment. This is the
absolute best case
scenario I could have hoped for. Of course it was not
admitted but I am
convinced that this was a compliment for my paperwork
thoroughness. I had
luckily gone through my annual checklist at the beginning
of the season.

This is a warning to remind you to check your paperwork.
Here is what I had
in my glider, all required.

1. Glider Log book (up to date)

In a pouch in the back of the log book was:

2. Pink Airworthiness Certificate (Experimental-Racing
& Exhibition)

3. Six page 34 item provisions for above

4. Program letter for current year (copy of one that
went to FISDO)

5. Exemption letter (for absence of ID on exterior
tail),(Expired)

6. Extension letter for the expired exemption letter.

7. Weight and Balance

I did not have the Aircraft Flight Manual aboard. I
knew it was required but
took a chance and left this bulky item at home.

It's not exactly 'paperwork' but don't forget the
placards in the cockpit
area. Feds love to check them (it's a no-brainer for
them).

Check your paperwork. Don't give them an excuse to
nail you.



The above is bad enough but what about insurance?

The day after my boo-boo my friends collected the bones
in the trailer, took
them to a safe place and called my insurance Co (AIG).

In a couple of days an adjuster came to inspect and
take photos and with a
request to me for copies of:

1. FAA license

2. Current Medical (Yeah I know it's not required
but it was requested)

3. Current BFR

4. Last five pages of my personal flight log book,
especially the page
showing where an instructor signed me off for the type
glider in question.

5. Front page and last two pages of Glider log
book showing current
annual (conditional in this case).

When able I sent all this stuff. Thank goodness everything
was up to date.

Then they could not have been nicer. They arranged
to pick up the bones (no
questions about it being totaled) and sent me a full
check immediately. I
had it insured for what it cost me, which of course
was now underinsured I
reminded them that the trailer was not insured by them
and was not included.
No problem.

Same warning. Don't give the insurance company a chance
to mail you.

Ed Byars