Europe Ramp check and SMS

[G3G4]

Has anyone been ramp checked in Europe and asked for their SMS program? How did the ramp check go and what did they ask for?

 

[2000Easyguy]

No first hand info (knocking wood!) but check this link. Scrolling down tells you what they're looking for..

http://www.easa.europa.eu/approvals...afety-assessment-of-foreign-aircraft-SAFA.php

 

[moonlight]

We had the displeasure of one at Le Bourget. It was hands down the most extensive check of this type I've ever been through.

There were two inspectors, one for ops and one for mx. The ops inspector went through ALL of our paperwork, and I mean ALL of it. He even went through the Jepps, and commented on the fact that we must have some sort of problem with our delivery system...the update log showed several updates being put in on the same date. Very fortunately, just prior to this trip I had audited all of our onboard paperwork/equipment and made sure it was all current. He even knew which versions of enroute charts were current. We had one low that had just expired, a new one had been issued 2 days before. Since we were 4 days into the trip, we didn't have it with us. This was noted. Pilot docs (license, medical, passport), aircraft docs (reg, a/w cert, air carrier cert, etc), insurance docs, and yes, our SMS manual. He also wanted to see W & B docs...he made us run a new W & B just to show that we could, we had already done one before he showed up.

The Mx inspector crawled around the airplane poking his nose everywhere we'd let him.

Overall, it took about 45 mins, start to finish.

Overall, he was fairly pleasant...for a Frenchie. Compared to our astute F'ingAA inspectors, this guy was a pro. He really knew his stuff and acted professional, but no nonsense. That's as much credit as I can muster for the French.

 

[G3G4]

So they were asking for the SMS Manual. Im to understand that the SMS is still not yet a "requierment" but will soon be. But that inspectors are asking for it just to see if people are working on getting theirs up to speed. We are working on ours and have a rough draft manual done but has not yet been audited.

 

[SCT]

I wonder if an ISBAO certificate would satisfy them or do they actually want to see an SMS manual?

 

[LJ45]

We had the displeasure of one at Le Bourget. It was hands down the most extensive check of this type I've ever been through.

There were two inspectors, one for ops and one for mx. The ops inspector went through ALL of our paperwork, and I mean ALL of it. He even went through the Jepps, and commented on the fact that we must have some sort of problem with our delivery system...the update log showed several updates being put in on the same date. Very fortunately, just prior to this trip I had audited all of our onboard paperwork/equipment and made sure it was all current. He even knew which versions of enroute charts were current. We had one low that had just expired, a new one had been issued 2 days before. Since we were 4 days into the trip, we didn't have it with us. This was noted. Pilot docs (license, medical, passport), aircraft docs (reg, a/w cert, air carrier cert, etc), insurance docs, and yes, our SMS manual. He also wanted to see W & B docs...he made us run a new W & B just to show that we could, we had already done one before he showed up.

The Mx inspector crawled around the airplane poking his nose everywhere we'd let him.

Overall, it took about 45 mins, start to finish.

Overall, he was fairly pleasant...for a Frenchie. Compared to our astute F'ingAA inspectors, this guy was a pro. He really knew his stuff and acted professional, but no nonsense. That's as much credit as I can muster for the French.

Our FAA needs to return the favor when a french airplane comes over here, including all those green falcons.

 

[Choppy]

SMS is not just a manual that you wave at them! SMS is all throughout our FOM and SOP's!

 

[GIVSP]

SCT-- I heard all you have to show them is your IS-BAO certified, and thats it. They know SMS is part of IS-BAO

 

[Bleeds On]

Are you guys carrying copies of the current status of your mx?

 

[cvoav8r]

I have been SAFA checked 4 times in 6 years. The last one was the only time they ever found anything and they wrote me up. The inspector wrote me up because; although my FAA ticket said "English Proficient" it did not indicate a level number 1-6. I pointed out that I am a native english speaker and in his heavy German accent he replied that he had no proof. Go figure.

 

[moonlight]

Are you guys carrying copies of the current status of your mx?

Yes, we always have a compliance sheet (we're on Avtrack) with us, in particular when we leave the country.

 

[AA717driver]

I have been SAFA checked 4 times in 6 years. The last one was the only time they ever found anything and they wrote me up. The inspector wrote me up because; although my FAA ticket said "English Proficient" it did not indicate a level number 1-6. I pointed out that I am a native english speaker and in his heavy German accent he replied that he had no proof. Go figure.

"Well what number do YOU have? Well, put me down for one higher than yours."

Eurocrats never cease to amaze...

TC