On 24 Aug 2005 14:16:33 -0700, wrote:

I got in a little trouble with the FAA and they want to take my license...
I'm trying to decide whether to fight it...

Frank, FWIW, I've been up against them three times. On none of the
occasions did I hire an attorney, couldn't afford it, though some
advice (like not volunteering any information AT ALL) on the third one
would have been useful.

The first time I was guilty as hell and stupid too (doing snap rolls
on downwind in the traffic pattern is stupid, which is what comes of
being a young guy with his first airplane). They proposed $3000 civil
penalty or 3 months suspension; I bargained them down to $500, in 5
monthly installments.

The second time I wasn't guilty (of their laundry list of "violations"
arising from a forced landing) and had witnesses to prove it, and they
dropped it.

The third time I wasn't guilty but they had a lying witness (a guy who
hates all airplanes). I accepted a 3 month suspension (bargained down
from longer if I recall) since (though I didn't tell them this!) I had
just disassembled my airplane for a recover job and wouldn't be flying
for awhile anyway.

All this was some years ago.

-Dana
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