Public Use Rules???

[DC4boy]

If your A/C has an airworhiness cert it may not be operated as public use. Period. The FAA has made that clear to us operating under a state contract.

 

[avbug]

Most public use aircraft have airworthiness certificates. Double check that.

 

[con-pilot]

All the aircraft that I flew with the US Marshal Service, Boeing 727s, JetStar, Sabre 80s, etc. all had Standard Airworthiness certificates.

The Jetstar, one of the 72s and all of the Sabre 80s were ex-FAA aircraft.

(We also had two aircraft, key word is had, a King Air 200 and a Lear 28 that had no paperwork what so ever. Seized aircraft from drug lords with foreign registration.)

 

[DC4boy]

I know, its strange..The FAA has told us that in order to operate our A/C in the firefighting environment public use, then we must surrender our airworthiness certs. I dont understand.....

 

[avbug]

There's gotta be more to the situation than that. We've been running the other tankers, LATS and SEATs with airworthiness certs for years. The AC-50's running AA were public use when on the job, but also Part 135, like most all contractors including the helicopters)...all of which have airworthiness certiicates.

A lot of aircraft are operated on both sides of the fence, and whenever not on a public use mission/exclusive use, revert to their plain-jane status and need that certificate.

 

[DC4boy]

There is more. One of our Pilots, who fancies himself an attorney, came to the conclusion that a pilot could be held accountable in a neglegence case. The S-2T/G is not a certified aircraft. Manufactuer gross weight is less than Marsh conversion GW. But, CDF directed Marsh to bulid the A/C to FAA air worthiness cert. spec.'s to ensure quality. Thus they came with AW certificates. If an incident occurred with an A/C operated over manufactuer GW, the pilot could be held accountable. The FAA has told us that, to be 100% Pub. use, CDF must surrender AW certs. There is probably more to it than I understand. But this is what I was told,...

 

[satpak77]

There is more. One of our Pilots, who fancies himself an attorney, came to the conclusion that a pilot could be held accountable in a neglegence case. The S-2T/G is not a certified aircraft. Manufactuer gross weight is less than Marsh conversion GW. But, CDF directed Marsh to bulid the A/C to FAA air worthiness cert. spec.'s to ensure quality. Thus they came with AW certificates. If an incident occurred with an A/C operated over manufactuer GW, the pilot could be held accountable. The FAA has told us that, to be 100% Pub. use, CDF must surrender AW certs. There is probably more to it than I understand. But this is what I was told,...

Call three FSDO's and you will three interpretations of public use. Surrender of the AW is not a requirement to be Public Use.

 

[satpak77]

There is more. One of our Pilots, who fancies himself an attorney, came to the conclusion that a pilot could be held accountable in a neglegence case. The S-2T/G is not a certified aircraft. Manufactuer gross weight is less than Marsh conversion GW. But, CDF directed Marsh to bulid the A/C to FAA air worthiness cert. spec.'s to ensure quality. Thus they came with AW certificates. If an incident occurred with an A/C operated over manufactuer GW, the pilot could be held accountable. The FAA has told us that, to be 100% Pub. use, CDF must surrender AW certs. There is probably more to it than I understand. But this is what I was told,...

Call three FSDO's and you will three interpretations of public use. Surrender of the AW is not a requirement to be Public Use.

 

[NoahWerka]

If your A/C has an airworhiness cert it may not be operated as public use. Period. The FAA has made that clear to us operating under a state contract.

Not true. Used to fly 737's that had A/W certificates and were used for US Marhsal Service flying hauling Federal prisoners around the US. When this A/C wasn't moving cons, it was moving civilians around on Private Charters. Best flying I ever did. Basically, no rules or Regs. Call sign was "JusticeXXX". More than once we got moved the head of the line, or got cleared direct to destination, or told to "disregard holding instructions, proceed direct to XXXXX" by ATC. No "Time and Duty" limits, no releases, no paperwork required. Nothing. Great fun flying.