ARE RAMP CHECKS RAMPING UP?

Does anyone have firsthand experience with increased ramp check
frequency?



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AOPA ePilot Volume 8, Issue 3 January 20, 2006
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ARE RAMP CHECKS RAMPING UP?
There has been an increasing number of calls lately to the AOPA Pilot
Information Center from members who have been "ramp checked." So
should you be concerned? "Nobody likes being ramp checked, but the
regulations do allow FAA inspectors to do it at their discretion,"
said Woody Cahall, AOPA vice president of aviation services. "But a
ramp check doesn't have to be particularly painful if you understand
the rules and exercise some common sense." An FAA inspector may decide
to check you and your aircraft because he's observed something unsafe,
or it may simply be a random check. You can expect that an inspector
will show you his identification and ask to see your pilot and medical
certificates. "Think about how you would react to a police officer and
a traffic stop," said Cahall. "When he says, 'license and
registration, please,'" you know that a polite response and a
cooperative attitude goes a long way toward minimizing any hassles."
The regulations require that your pilot and medical certificates be
readily available and you should be willing to show them. The
inspector can examine your certificates, but he can't keep them. If
he asks you to "surrender" your certificates, politely decline and
contact an aviation attorney (
http://www.aopa.org/info/certified/lsp.html ).
For more information, see AOPA Online's subject report "Ramp Checks"
( http://www.aopa.org/members/files/topics/rmpcheck.html ). Pilots
should also consider AOPA's Legal Services Plan should they need an
attorney to represent them against an FAA enforcement action.

I've been advised by an attorney who specializes in aviation matters
that if you are requested to present your certificates and medical,
that you carefully specify you are NOT SURRENDERING your certificates
but presenting them for purusal.
This came about many years ago when I was making a lot of flights into
Mexico for corporate ops and frequently was asked to present my
credentials. To avoid any problems, I made copies that I presented
rather than my originals that I kept in my pocket.
Alchemy Video Productions of New Orleans did a couple of presentations
for ramp checks and other FAA "visits" that are nice to know. Not sure
if they are in current production after Katrina and its devastation.

On 24 Jan 2006 08:32:14 -0800, "
wrote in
.com::

I made copies that I presented rather than my originals

Given the overreaching attitude of the FSDO inspectors involved in the
Hoover Emergency Revocation, that sounds like a prudent response.
However, I would expect there to be some formal sort of document of
surrender necessary for you to sign in that event.

On Tue, 24 Jan 2006 16:11:02 GMT, Larry Dighera
wrote:


Does anyone have firsthand experience with increased ramp check
frequency?



I've been flying for over 40 years, and in all that time I've met at
least 40 Feds. To a one, they know, right off the bat, whether or not
you're legal to fly.

I'm going to post another story about a flight I had to take with them
(one). He asked to land the airplane after a check ride and he did
but...

Mike Weller

PS. there are four that were remarkable.

The only way that you can officially surrender your pilot certificate is in
response to a letter from the FAA in which you certify that you understand
that you are surrendering it and the consequences thereof. Handing your
certificate to an FAA representative can in no way be interpreted as
surrender.

Bob Gardner

wrote in message
oups.com...
I've been advised by an attorney who specializes in aviation matters
that if you are requested to present your certificates and medical,
that you carefully specify you are NOT SURRENDERING your certificates
but presenting them for purusal.
This came about many years ago when I was making a lot of flights into
Mexico for corporate ops and frequently was asked to present my
credentials. To avoid any problems, I made copies that I presented
rather than my originals that I kept in my pocket.
Alchemy Video Productions of New Orleans did a couple of presentations
for ramp checks and other FAA "visits" that are nice to know. Not sure
if they are in current production after Katrina and its devastation.

Handing your
certificate to an FAA representative can in no way be interpreted as
surrender.

.... but if the FAA representative decides to "hold on to it for a while
while we investigate..." and you are supposed to fly home now, before
the weather closes in, you are effectively grounded.

What recourse?

Jose
--
Money: what you need when you run out of brains.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

by Jose Jan 24, 2006 at 05:57 PM


.... but if the FAA representative decides to "hold on to it for a while
while we investigate..." and you are supposed to fly home now, before
the weather closes in, you are effectively grounded.

What recourse?

Several, but here is another heavily subsidized alternative:

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/Conten...mtrak/HomePage

Jose wrote:
Handing your certificate to an FAA representative can in no way be
interpreted as surrender.


... but if the FAA representative decides to "hold on to it for a while
while we investigate..." and you are supposed to fly home now, before
the weather closes in, you are effectively grounded.

First off he can't do that. It has, however, happened. The manager of
that FSDO personally returned the certificate to the pilot with the
apologies of the agency. That pilot flew home without the certificate
when the event happened. I wouldn't hesitate to do the same.

Well of course they KNOW right off whether you are legal to fly or
not...
Given that the FAA writes the rules, interprets the rules they write,
and appeals to themselves if some lame brained ALJ should be so witless
as to disagree with them on mere facts; you are legal to fly if the
inspector wants you to be, and you are not legal to fly if the
inspector wants you to be not...

I have been approached at times over the years by persons masquerading
as a government official, demanding that I hand my documents over to
him... I flatly refuse.. Each time I tell the person that if he has
official business with me he must send a letter of request... Once I
have the letter my attorney will advise me what to do... And I turn my
back and resume I was doing before he accosted me...

I will point out that I still have my certificate, medical, etc., and I
am still waiting for the letter...

denny

Interesting, Denny. Have these jokers ever shown their FAA ID's?