'Notamed closed' question

Open letter to those who don't know how to handle a fed bozo:
Look, your mother taught you not to talk to strangers or she should have,
didn't she? Wassa matter, you too dense to remember? When some bozo
flashes his crappy ID, you ignore it and him... You don't answer... You
don't maintain eye contact. You don't stop and talk to him absolutely not
one word to indicate he even exists... If he has played a game by
pretending to be another pilot and strikes up a conversation about your
plane and then suddenly flashes an ID, simply shut your mouth and walk away
at that point... Not one more word directed to him...

You keep on doing whatever it is you are doing in my case drinking coffee
usually, keep walking, keep tieing the plane down, keep loading/unloading
your luggage, etc... No matter what he says, ignore him... You do NOT
answer, not even with a yes or no when he says, "Did you just land in this
airplane?"... You look through him as though he is invisible... He has NO
police powers - none / nada / zippo... He cannot arrest you, he cannot
"take" your airmans certificate or your drivers license, he cannot detain
you, he cannot MAKE you do anything... He simply cannot touch you...He is
just another person in a public area and he has no authority to interfere
with your movements... The only thing he can do is send you a registered
letter detailing the documents he needs to examine and offering to set a
mutually agreeable time and place... Your atttorney knows how to handle
that...

If he were some street bum who wandered in wearing three layers of old
clothes, with a bottle of Mad Dog 20/20 sticking out of his pocket, would
you hand him your certificate? Well, when some bozo flashes an id and
claims to be the right hand of ghod, just mentally picture that id as being
the bottle of Mad Dog 20/20 and you will know how to handle him......

Denny

"Dennis O'Connor" wrote in message ...
He simply cannot touch you...He is
just another person in a public area and he has no authority to interfere
with your movements... The only thing he can do is send you a registered
letter detailing the documents he needs to examine and offering to set a
mutually agreeable time and place... Your atttorney knows how to handle
that...

According to the regs, you are required to present your certificate
when asked by an FAA rep or law enforcement officer. They do have the
authority to ask for them. You are correct that the FAA guy does not
have the authority to arrest or impede your movements, but if you
don't comply, you've just bought yourself a violation. That's
probably what the registered letter will detail. In the case of
documents that you are not required to carry (like logbooks) the FAA
can send you a letter to arrange for inspection.

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)

Long, long ago in a society far, far away, I would have agreed with you
John... In those days I respected the inspectors of the FAA, FCC, DEA,
etc... The world has changed... The courts have found over and over that the
existence of self serving rules does not negate the responsibility of
government employees to observe due process and constitutional
protections... Sure, they will run over you if you let them - but that is
the key, just say NO... Police will demand that you let them in your house,
but cannot step foot inside if you simply say no... Yes, they can get a
search warrant - and that is a good reminder for them to have to go hat in
hand and beg for permission...

I will not show/surrender my papers to some bozo on the ramp... For all I
know he could be an escaped mental patient who stole someone's ID... He
could be a terrorist with forged documents desperate to get his hands on an
airplane..Even the courts do their business through the mail. If it is good
enough for all levels of the courts, up to the U.S. Supreme Court, then it
is good enough for the FAA... They are just bureaucrats - no more, no
less... Send me an official letter and I will respond - otherwise, keep
your distance...

Denny

"John Galban" wrote in message According to the
regs, you are required to present your certificate
when asked by an FAA rep

Dennis O'Connor wrote:

I will not show/surrender my papers to some bozo on the ramp... For all I
know he could be an escaped mental patient who stole someone's ID... He
could be a terrorist with forged documents desperate to get his hands on an
airplane..Even the courts do their business through the mail. If it is good
enough for all levels of the courts, up to the U.S. Supreme Court, then it
is good enough for the FAA... They are just bureaucrats - no more, no
less... Send me an official letter and I will respond - otherwise, keep
your distance...

Have you ever tested your resolve during a ramp check? If so, what
happened? Though I agree with the sentiment of your post, I generally
adhere to the philosophy that it's unwise to play games with someone who
is in a position to screw you up just because he feels like it. This is
especially true if the person seems to have the intelligence of a garden
tool.

Also, if you don't trust the person's ID and documents, what makes you
think he couldn't also forge a letter using an Oklahoma City PO box as
the return address?

Tim

"Tim Bengtson" wrote in message
...
Dennis O'Connor wrote:

I will not show/surrender my papers to some bozo on the ramp... For all
I
know he could be an escaped mental patient who stole someone's ID... He
could be a terrorist with forged documents desperate to get his hands on
an
airplane..Even the courts do their business through the mail. If it is
good
enough for all levels of the courts, up to the U.S. Supreme Court, then
it
is good enough for the FAA... They are just bureaucrats - no more, no
less... Send me an official letter and I will respond - otherwise, keep
your distance...

Have you ever tested your resolve during a ramp check? If so, what
happened? Though I agree with the sentiment of your post, I generally
adhere to the philosophy that it's unwise to play games with someone who
is in a position to screw you up just because he feels like it. This is
especially true if the person seems to have the intelligence of a garden
tool.

Also, if you don't trust the person's ID and documents, what makes you
think he couldn't also forge a letter using an Oklahoma City PO box as
the return address?

Tim

Somewhere on the EAA WEB site is a "what to do during a ramp check" article.
One of the items is to never ever let the FAA touch your certificate. The
other thing you can do is say it is time for you to depart. The FAA cannot
delay your departure. I carry a copy of the article in the plane and it is
the first thing I would grab if someone presented credentials.