"We're with the FAA"

I've read lots of stories about it and if finally happened to me, I had
my first ramp check. I flew into South Haven, MI (LWA) today to get
fuel, it's self serve, and as I was fueling two men wearing ID's around
their necks and holding clipboards approached my plane. I couldn't
read what their ID's said, but I thought to myself they may be FAA
guys. They both stood by the pump and didn't interupt me while I was
fueling. As soon as I finished pumping they introduced themselves and
said "we're with the FAA, from the Grand Rapids FSDO". The first thing
they asked is if I was Part 91 and where I flew in from and where I was
going next and why I flew into South Haven. I said to get fuel. Next
they wanted to see my license, medical, registration, and airworthyness
certificate. I gave them all the documents. They asked when the last
annual on the plane was and where it was done, I told them and they
wrote that information down. They asked if I had a GPS and if it was
IFR or VFR, I said VFR and they didn't ask any further questions about
that. They also looked at the dataplate on the plane. They asked how
many hours I had and then just some small talk for about 10 mins. They
asked at least two or three times about where I was flying to next. I
think they were mainly checking to see if I was flying Part 135 or
doing an illegal charter. The weather was 5 miles vis. and clear, but
very hazy. They did ask if I knew if the weather was going to get any
better. I suppose they were checking to see if I had checked the
weather. They were both very nice and the whole thing was pretty
painless.

Chad wrote:
I've read lots of stories about it and if finally happened to me, I had
my first ramp check. I flew into South Haven, MI (LWA) today to get
fuel, it's self serve, and as I was fueling two men wearing ID's around
their necks and holding clipboards approached my plane. I couldn't
read what their ID's said, but I thought to myself they may be FAA
guys. They both stood by the pump and didn't interupt me while I was
fueling. As soon as I finished pumping they introduced themselves and
said "we're with the FAA, from the Grand Rapids FSDO". The first thing
they asked is if I was Part 91 and where I flew in from and where I was
going next and why I flew into South Haven. I said to get fuel. Next
they wanted to see my license, medical, registration, and airworthyness
certificate. I gave them all the documents. They asked when the last
annual on the plane was and where it was done, I told them and they
wrote that information down. They asked if I had a GPS and if it was
IFR or VFR, I said VFR and they didn't ask any further questions about
that. They also looked at the dataplate on the plane. They asked how
many hours I had and then just some small talk for about 10 mins. They
asked at least two or three times about where I was flying to next. I
think they were mainly checking to see if I was flying Part 135 or
doing an illegal charter. The weather was 5 miles vis. and clear, but
very hazy. They did ask if I knew if the weather was going to get any
better. I suppose they were checking to see if I had checked the
weather. They were both very nice and the whole thing was pretty
painless.

If you are part 91 you can politely refuse. Fly away.....
135 and 121 cannot.
Michelle P

Michelle P wrote:
Chad wrote:
I've read lots of stories about it and if finally happened to me, I had
my first ramp check. I flew into South Haven, MI (LWA) today to get
fuel, it's self serve, and as I was fueling two men wearing ID's around
their necks and holding clipboards approached my plane. I couldn't
read what their ID's said, but I thought to myself they may be FAA
guys. They both stood by the pump and didn't interupt me while I was
fueling. As soon as I finished pumping they introduced themselves and
said "we're with the FAA, from the Grand Rapids FSDO". The first thing
they asked is if I was Part 91 and where I flew in from and where I was
going next and why I flew into South Haven. I said to get fuel. Next
they wanted to see my license, medical, registration, and airworthyness
certificate. I gave them all the documents. They asked when the last
annual on the plane was and where it was done, I told them and they
wrote that information down. They asked if I had a GPS and if it was
IFR or VFR, I said VFR and they didn't ask any further questions about
that. They also looked at the dataplate on the plane. They asked how
many hours I had and then just some small talk for about 10 mins. They
asked at least two or three times about where I was flying to next. I
think they were mainly checking to see if I was flying Part 135 or
doing an illegal charter. The weather was 5 miles vis. and clear, but
very hazy. They did ask if I knew if the weather was going to get any
better. I suppose they were checking to see if I had checked the
weather. They were both very nice and the whole thing was pretty
painless.

If you are part 91 you can politely refuse. Fly away.....
135 and 121 cannot.
Michelle P

This document gives instruction to inspectors for conducting a Part 91
ramp check.
So your saying if an FAA inspector wants to see my license or medical I
can refuse?

http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/e...amp%20check%22

Michelle P wrote:


If you are part 91 you can politely refuse. Fly away.....


Let me know when you do that, I'd like to sit on the ramp and watch.

"Newps" wrote in message
. ..


Michelle P wrote:


If you are part 91 you can politely refuse. Fly away.....


Let me know when you do that, I'd like to sit on the ramp and watch.

They cannot delay a departure.

Dave Stadt wrote:
"Newps" wrote in message
. ..


Michelle P wrote:


If you are part 91 you can politely refuse. Fly away.....


Let me know when you do that, I'd like to sit on the ramp and watch.

They cannot delay a departure.

Maybe not, but you can be sure you'd get a letter in the mail and the
FAA would get their ramp inspection.

Dave Stadt wrote:

They cannot delay a departure.


If a recreational flight, how do (and why would) we argue with
FAA that they're more than nominally delaying the flight?
Without sounding like a disingenuous jerk.

Fred F.

Originally Posted by Michelle P

Chad wrote:[color=blue][i]

If you are part 91 you can politely refuse. Fly away.....
135 and 121 cannot.
Michelle P

not quite. you are required under part 91 to show certificates if asked by any FAA official. the FAA can look at your aircraft, however they cannot enter it without your permission.

for part 135 and 121, the FAA cannot interfer with a scheduled operation, i.e. than cannot delay your departure time for a ramp check.

In article .com,
"Chad" wrote:
If you are part 91 you can politely refuse. Fly away.....
135 and 121 cannot.
Michelle P

This document gives instruction to inspectors for conducting a Part 91
ramp check.
So your saying if an FAA inspector wants to see my license or medical I
can refuse?


You can always refuse. The consequences of refusal, however, may not be
in your best interest.


JKG

Newps wrote:


Michelle P wrote:


If you are part 91 you can politely refuse. Fly away.....


Let me know when you do that, I'd like to sit on the ramp and watch.

If I were flying VFR to burn holes in the sky on a pretty day, I doubt
this sort of thing would work in my favor.

However, if I had filed an IFR flight plan, and I knew that weather
conditions were deteriorating, I'd ask them to keep things short and
sweet. There is no sense in getting rude here unless they develop a
'tude.

I think my example above is a good reason to "fly away" as Michelle
says. I'm sure it's precisely the sort of situation that the writers of
these regulations had in mind.

Jake Brodsky