Ramp Checked:eek:

[TDTURBO]

How many of you have been ramped checked?

 

[ifly4food]

In a 121 operation going to small airports, you get used to it. These small town Feds have nothing better to do.

We were in ROA one time and this hotshot Fed gets on and announces "this is a ramp check, show me your medicals and licences". We show them, and I keep mine in my wallet in flip page transparent picture holders. He insists that I "take it out so that he can feel the quality of the paper and ensure it's not a forgery". I held back my laughter just long enough to pull them all the way out for him. Thank God I hadn't laminated them... this guy might have tried to haul me to the pokey!!!
Then he asks for the aircraft logbooks, and thumbs through every page as if he had any idea what they meant. Next, he goes through the cabin and starts pulling on every seat. The flight attendant didn't know what was going on yet, and asked him exactly what he thought he was doing. His response: "I'm with the FAA and I'm checking for defective equipment". Again, laughter from the cockpit. Finally, Barney Fife here decides that were safe and legal and leaves us. We see him walk directly to the USAir Express airplane next to us and do the same thing. Aparently, he went down the line and checked every aircraft there that day.
Turns out, he was a Fed from Richmond. He did a line check to get to Roanoke that day, and then checked every aircraft that came in. Then he line checked his way home by 5pm. There's your tax money at work, folks.

 

[JediNein]

Right after Sept 11th the FAA started ramp checking all the aircraft at the local flight schools. We had the Safety Program Manager ask us if we'd like a PACE inspection on our aircraft. The inspector told us about the rumor mills and thought it'd look better on their record to be able to show "we've already done ramp checks" than to wait for the "thou shalt" orders.

With our planes available for "709" rides and remedial instruction program training, we told the FAA to get their arses out there and PACE one of our planes like they would for a guy coming in for a "709." They did. They commented on a missing placard, which I made and installed on the spot, and later found the placard not required. The plane passed with flying colors; a learning experience all around.

We had four instructors and three students tagging along on the inspection, along with the aircraft owner. When the aircraft passed, the students commented on how most of the aircraft from their previous schools would not. Presto! Three loyal students and two freelance instructors that make it a priority to use our aircraft.

With that, the FAA left the rest of our fleet alone. I mentioned the FAA's missing placard to the mechanic that worked on the other planes. Amazingly, the mechanic "found" several missing placards, other required items, and backdated two ADs that were about to become due because they missed them on the 100 hours on one plane. We've prevented the b.s. by finding another mechanic for the fleet.

Do I care about ramp checks now? No. It will be a learning experience for the student, and if the instructor is a freelancer, they'll get an education, too.

Fly SAFE!
Jedi Nein

 

[turning2]

I've been ramped a few times, bound to happen while hauling freight. Company dropped us into the middle of an airshow in Symrna TN one yr, nothing quite like taxing around people on an open ramp. We must have been the ugliest airplane on static display, probably why we were ramped. He comes out and introduces himself . We start talking about the airplane, at which point I ask if there's anything he'd like to know, "no he say's I'm quite familiar with the Shorts360". Ok I respond. He starts flipping through our ops specs, looks around the airplane and asks for our licenses and medicals. No problem, happy to oblige. I hand him mine, he flips it over and promply asks "whats this SD3 mean?" D'oh, guess he wasn't too familiar with the plane afterall.

 

[alimaui]

He insists that I "take it out so that he can feel the quality of the paper and ensure it's not a forgery". I held back my laughter just long enough to pull them all the way out for him. Thank God I hadn't laminated them... this guy might have tried to haul me to the pokey!!!

We are permitted to laminate them? Aren't we?

Ali

 

[Timebuilder]

Once, an FAA inspector (who later did my intial CFI) walked up to us (I was working on my commercial at the time) and checked out our licenses and medicals, thanked us, and went on his way. He said it was a routine check.

 

[cl-65link]

I had a Fed ride the jumpseat one day with me from MSP to MCW when I was a J-31 FO. Nice enough guy, however , when we got to the gate in Mason City he looked at the fuel guages and then the flight release and noticed there was a disparity between our fuel on board and the planned fuel on arrival on the release. Then he made some comment about how we must have "leaned" out the mixture or something to that effect. The Captain just smiled and agreed with him, and I could hardly contain my laughter. This is why a GA Fed should stick to airplanes with reciprocating engines and let the 121/135 Feds handle the "big" airplanes.

 

[troy]

I have mine laminated, but never been ramped......Anyone?

 

[BigFlyr]

Been ramped lots of times. Never had a problem. Any Fed that says you cant laminate a flight certificate is an idiot. He may state that the certificate has been "altered"... Well, if that's the case then why bother signing it? As for the "quality of the paper" give me a break!!! Any print shop can easily reproduce one. Its up to the FAA to make falsification of certificates more difficult. I wouldn't be surprised if we see it on our Drivers Licenses one day... "Airplane Also".

 

[TurboS7]

Ramped many many times. When I was doing Part 135 we had a neat network with all the 135 operations. When the feds were doing ramp checks we would call each other and let everyone know where and when, us against the feds, worked pretty good.

 

[MTOP_set]

You may laminate -
From AOPA's site I believe
look for "000411_interpretation"

A letter from Donald Byrne, Assistant Chief Counsel, Regulations Division (FAA) to James Knight II, Aviation Technical Specialist, AOPA.

Make sure you sign it first

 

[Freight Dog]

Been ramped flying 135 on 4 different occasions. It consisted of nothing more than checking your weight and balance, your license and medical, etc.

Under 121, I've been ramped... nothing more than "license and medical" and then when he jots down the numbers... "thanks guys, see ya"
I've had a fed in the jumpseat twice. Same thing, no big deal...

As for the myth of "DO NOT GIVE THE FED YOUR LICENSE, HE'LL KEEP IT." That's a crock. They cannot by law. You have to sign documents that you are giving up your license of your free will understanding that you have to retest for all the certificates should you want them back, or something to that effect. So don't make yourself look like an a$$ by refusing to "give" the fed your license.

Also, I have my license laminated, and never had any complaints. Like someone said.. be sure to sign it before you laminate it.

 

[Starcheck]

I've flying for 22 years and been ramped dozens of times. In all the cases except one the Fed was completely professional, and courtious. They've got a job to do, and if you're professional, courtious, open and forthcoming with right answers it makes their job, and your life easier.

As with any large group of people there will be some that are moralistic priggs (no that's not misspelled) determined to make sure everyone toes the line an follows the letter of the law (their interpretation). All you can do in that case is the yessir, nosir dance, and tell your cheif pilot about it, let him deal with it.

 

[Captain Over]

Mine wasn't so much a ramp check as it was a office desk check.
I was sitting at the desk in our flight school when the inspector(the one who did my CFI) poked his head in the door and ask if I had flown today. I said yes and he said "great, I'm doing ramp checks". He was having a hard time finding anyone that had flown that day(GA, at least). He asked for certificate and medical. Wrote down some info, talked a little about the new engine he was putting in his Mooney(I had flown with him in his plane before), said thanks and left.

We do have one FAA plick(a little Japanese-English lingo) here on the field that we avoid. He ramped a student on his first solo...

 

[RJones]

Ramped

Like "Starcheck" I've been ramped a bunch...when the FAA see's an Mu-2 they just gotta ramp check ya.

For the most part they have been professional. I was flying an old "J" model Mu-2 once where the fuel sumps on the tips wouldn't stop dripping fuel, I mean dripping. I pulled into Indy one night and I got ramped. Now it's quite obvious the fuels dripping, however, the FAA guy looked at the fuel dripping as we walked by, climbed into the plane, wanted to see the company manual revision number, my certificates, and then asked; "hows the plane running for ya?" "fine" I said, and he split.

Another time I pulled into Burke Lakefront and got ramped and this FAA guy came totally un-glued. Wanted to see this, accused me of breaking this and that regulation. I asked to see his credentials and he refused, I pressed him until he pulled them out and flahsed them at me, finally I looked at him and said; "I take my lunch break this time every night, if you find anything wrong I'll be inside" and I walked away, he was stunned. When I came out to launch he was gone.

For the most part they've been easy to get along with.

RJ