Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Friendliest aviation Ccmmunity on the web
  • Modern site for PC's, Phones, Tablets - no 3rd party apps required
  • Ask questions, help others, promote aviation
  • Share the passion for aviation
  • Invite everyone to Flightinfo.com and let's have fun

2 Questions about FAA and TSA Inspections

Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Modern secure site, no 3rd party apps required
  • Invite your friends
  • Share the passion of aviation
  • Friendliest aviation community on the web

your_dreamguy

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 3, 2002
Posts
246
I have two questions about FAA and TSA Inspections after going through some re-current training.

1. FAA Enroute Inspection Forms. This is the first time I've heard of this. First, what is the Enroute Inspection Form? Second, does an FAA rep. technically need this form before they start digging through your licenses, Jepp charts, etc.? From my understanding, the FAA would need to present you with Form 110A to ride along. However, can they dig through your licenses, medical, Jepps, etc. if they don't have an Enroute Inspection Form? For example, an FAA guy who just wants to ride along from Point A to B in order to catch a ball game at Point B.

2. TSA Inspectors. I've heard there has been an over-aggressive TSA agent in Little Rock who comes down the jetways and demands to see the FAA certificates and medicals from the flight crew. Does TSA have that authority? I thought TSA only needs to check your badge and nothing else. However, would a TSA agent's request for your license and medical fall under the FAR, that a pilot must surrender their license to any local, state or federal law enforcement official? Personally, a captain of mine told me not to let that TSA board the airplane and too call that person's supervisor, should I face that TSA rep.

What do you think?
 
FAA, I've always been under the impression that if they are traveling on FAA business, they are required to present you with the form and get you certificate and medical info. If they are traveling with their family, for instance, on their own dime they don't have to do squat...sort of like when you jumpseat or buy your own ticket.

TSA, the blue shirt TSA people have ALMOST no authority to board an airplane and inspect the airplane and check your certificates. The blue shirts can board and inspect the airplane and do random security screening of your belongings.

TSA, there are official TSA Inspectors who have real federal credentials, like FAA, FBI, DEA, etc. they can board and ask questions about what you are doing and specific procedures they observed you doing or in their opinion not doing. I'm not sure they would ever need to see your certificates.
 
Interesting questions. I wouldn't think an FAA inspector would need to show anything other than his/her id and request for jumpseat authorization form. How he or she chooses to record their findings has nothing to do with you rather than checking off what they need to see.

As far as the TSA, another good question. I would say that the TSA has the authority to inspect anything or anyone within the sterile area of the airport. But I wouldn't think they'd have jurisdiction over your license or medical since they aren't the authorizing agency, the FAA is. I would assume the have the authority to check your id and that certain security checks were complied with per TSA rules. Anyhow, not sure about it..........
 
Hypothetical question...

Would it be inappropriate to hand the TSA agent a trash bag and ask them to clean out the seatback pockets while they are looking around?
 
TSA cannot ask for your certificate and medical - if they try, tell them you think someone at the checkpoint is trying to sneak through nail clippers with a file. That should immediately spark a code 3 lockdown and prompt a lockdown of the airport and probably make them raise the national threat alert level from orange to really dangerous hot pink
 
An FAA Inspector should show you their credentials (Form 110A) any time they approach you to ask for certificates, aircraft logbooks, etc. The "jumpseat" form mentioned is really for the airline and FAA to have a paper trail of an Inspector's enroute. Usually, the Captain never sees this form (unlike the standard jumpseat form they normally sign).

The "jumpseat" forms are signed out at the office where the Inspector works and come in a little booklet. You could always ask to see it, but it's not going to look any different than a regular jumpseat form, sans the Captain's signature line.
 

Latest resources

Back
Top