What does it take to get the Feds attention?

[Rip Vanwinkle]

There's some guy sitting two tables down bragging to his buddy about how he flies VFR through IMC all the time and giving him helpful hints about what to say to controllers. Now, personally, I don't care whether he kills his own dumb self, but what about the guy (say, me, for example) he runs in to and kills? So between fantasies of beating his good ole boy head in to the table, I started to idly wonder..."What DOES it take to get the Feds to check someone?" It's a purely theoretical question...I'm not a rat and I don't know this guy from Adam...but I'm curious nonetheless.

 

[FN FAL]

There's some guy sitting two tables down bragging to his buddy about how he flies VFR through IMC all the time and giving him helpful hints about what to say to controllers. Now, personally, I don't care whether he kills his own dumb self, but what about the guy (say, me, for example) he runs in to and kills? So between fantasies of beating his good ole boy head in to the table, I started to idly wonder..."What DOES it take to get the Feds to check someone?" It's a purely theoretical question...I'm not a rat and I don't know this guy from Adam...but I'm curious nonetheless.

I'd say mind your own business, you probably can't tell what it is you're hearing anyway.

 

[Rip Vanwinkle]

I'd say the same to you.

 

[NW_Pilot]

I agree with FN FAL "mind your own business"

 

[FN FAL]

I'd say the same to you.

You'd say that you would mind your own business?

I say mind your own business for several reasons. First, the feds are going to assume that you don't know what you are hearing and call your story "hear-say". So they have already pre-disposed that you probably don't know what you heard.

Second, who cares? Screw them, Let the both of them wind up in the funny papers. The way I look at it, people like that give me something to read in the morning when I dial in the news on my internet.

 

[Rip Vanwinkle]

Yeah, message received. Any other helpful opinions about how I oughtn't offer an opinion of what people say will receive yet another raised eyebrow and be cheerfully disregarded as glaringly hilarious.

Incidently, for those suffering from reading comprehension problems, it might help to re-read my original post.


Edit: FN FAL: as I said, my concern isn't about this joker killing himself. On the other hand, I spend a lot of time cruising IFR at low altitude in a non-turbo piston, sometimes non-radar. What if, instead of running in to a mountain, this jackhole runs in to me? THEN is it my business? Seems a little late. Anyway, the conversation inspired the question, but as I point out above, I have no intention of narking on anyone, ever, although I wouldn't blame someone if they did in a situation like this (were it possible, which I submit you're probably right about...it's not). Enforcement issues aside, the conversation was quite loud, and I'm 100% certain of what I heard. Other awesome topics included how ADFs are "worthless", VORs are "hard to figure out", why people use anything other than GPS, how to pretend you're instrument rated, how high you can REALLY fly without oxygen, the good ole days of flying for years without any license whatsoever, and assorted other swinging-dick retarded good ole boy bull********************.

Anyway. I obviously failed to communicate very well the first time, so let me try again. My interest is in how FSDOs operate. I.E. when a FSDO decides to "go after" a guy, how do they arrive at this decision? If you like, you can suspect me of being someone planning to get away with something illegal myself, which given the nature of the question would maybe be believable (although I'm not). I don't see where it makes any sense to criticize me based on the premises of the question, though.

 

[Flyerjosh]

There's some guy sitting two tables down bragging to his buddy about how he flies VFR through IMC all the time and giving him helpful hints about what to say to controllers. Now, personally, I don't care whether he kills his own dumb self, but what about the guy (say, me, for example) he runs in to and kills? So between fantasies of beating his good ole boy head in to the table, I started to idly wonder..."What DOES it take to get the Feds to check someone?" It's a purely theoretical question...I'm not a rat and I don't know this guy from Adam...but I'm curious nonetheless.

One thing to keep in mind is that there are certain times when you can legally fly in IMC conditions under Visual Flight Rules... not necessarily prudent or smart, but perfectly legal.

 

[FN FAL]

Yeah, message received. Any other helpful opinions about how I oughtn't offer an opinion of what people say will receive yet another raised eyebrow and be cheerfully disregarded as glaringly hilarious.

Incidently, for those suffering from reading comprehension problems, it might help to re-read my original post.

You know the number to fsdo, give em a call and tell em what you heard. I bet when you get off the phone with them, you could look up the word "chagrin" at merriam-websters and that's what you'll be experiencing.

 

[mcjohn]

One thing to keep in mind is that there are certain times when you can legally fly in IMC conditions under Visual Flight Rules... not necessarily prudent or smart, but perfectly legal.

Care to elaborate? Are you just talking about SVFR?

 

[FN FAL]

Care to elaborate? Are you just talking about SVFR?

You can fly in IMC conditions outside of controlled airspace with no IFR flight plan, so long as the pilot is IFR rated and the aircraft meets IFR requirements. In which case, there is no talking to controllers, unless you just want to tell them "hi!"

 

[leardawg]

I did hear a story a few years back about a FSDO inspector overhearing a conversation between a CFI and his student at a diner. Basically, the CFI was bragging about his low-flying exploits, and giving the student tips while telling him how much of a blast he was going to have when he got his license. The inspector tracked the guy down, and he was called in for a re-check. I can't remember the outcome, but acquaintances told me the guy was a total tool as a student, as well as after he managed to get his CFI ticket.

 

[Lear Wanna Be]

I did hear a story a few years back about a FSDO inspector overhearing a conversation between a CFI and his student at a diner. Basically, the CFI was bragging about his low-flying exploits, and giving the student tips while telling him how much of a blast he was going to have when he got his license. The inspector tracked the guy down, and he was called in for a re-check. I can't remember the outcome, but acquaintances told me the guy was a total tool as a student, as well as after he managed to get his CFI ticket.

Both of them are probably inspectors now.

Around here all of the small 135 operators have it in for one another. Lots of people have worked for more than one of the local operators. Seems they all have the "hotline" number on speed dial. One operator just recently was forced into surrendering their 135 certificate. Dirty rats!!!

 

[Ralgha]

You can fly in IMC conditions outside of controlled airspace with no IFR flight plan, so long as the pilot is IFR rated and the aircraft meets IFR requirements. In which case, there is no talking to controllers, unless you just want to tell them "hi!"

True, but you're definatly not VFR in that case.

 

[FN FAL]

I did hear a story a few years back about a FSDO inspector overhearing a conversation between a CFI and his student at a diner. Basically, the CFI was bragging about his low-flying exploits, and giving the student tips while telling him how much of a blast he was going to have when he got his license. The inspector tracked the guy down, and he was called in for a re-check. I can't remember the outcome, but acquaintances told me the guy was a total tool as a student, as well as after he managed to get his CFI ticket.

If what you are saying is true, that scenario is not a case of "hearsay". The FSDO inspector heard the person saying it. Completely different circumstances.

If FSDO advised me that someone was telling them stories out of school about me and they were unfounded, I'd be speaking with an attorney immediately and pursuing all lawful options available to me.

 

[JAFI]

FAA Safety Hotline:

Safety Hotline
Call our 24-Hour Safety Hotline at (800) 255-1111 to report:

• Maintenance improprieties
• Low-flying aircraft
• Aircraft incidents
• Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) violations

http://www.faa.gov/safety/

You can leave your name or not, You can ask to be contacted or not, it is up to you. The person at the other end is a Regional Manager for the Hotline program in that region. Each phone call gets a tracking number and the assigned FSDO must investigate and provide a written report to the Regional Manager what they found.

 

[troy]

unless you seen this tool actually bust some reg, I don't think that you should do anything. He might be not telling the truth, "hanger flying" if you will. Undoubtedlly he is telling the truth, but you can't tell. You might give FSDO a heads up what you heard, but they probably won't do much of anything.

The FAA safety hotline might be the best course of action.

 

[FN FAL]

FAA Safety Hotline:

Safety Hotline
Call our 24-Hour Safety Hotline at (800) 255-1111 to report:

• Maintenance improprieties
• Low-flying aircraft
• Aircraft incidents
• Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) violations

http://www.faa.gov/safety/

You can leave your name or not, You can ask to be contacted or not, it is up to you. The person at the other end is a Regional Manager for the Hotline program in that region. Each phone call gets a tracking number and the assigned FSDO must investigate and provide a written report to the Regional Manager what they found.

It doesn't say what you said on the website, cite a reference please.

 

[FN FAL]

unless you seen this tool actually bust some reg, I don't think that you should do anything. He might be not telling the truth, "hanger flying" if you will. Undoubtedlly he is telling the truth, but you can't tell. You might give FSDO a heads up what you heard, but they probably won't do much of anything.

The FAA safety hotline might be the best course of action.

How can you investigate hearsay? You can't.

"Hello, pilot Johnson?"

"Yes, can I help you?"

"Yea, it's come to our attention that some dude heard you talking to some other dude and we are required to investigate dudes talking and file a dudes talking incident report...were you talking to a dude on such and such a date at such and such a place and time?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Ok, I'll check 'possibly/maybe' on the form and we'll have one of our investigators pull the security camera tapes after getting a subpoena to do so...we'll contact you at a latter date regarding the final disposition of the dudes talking incident report...thank you for your time."

"You're welcome."

 

[NW_Pilot]

How can you investigate hearsay? You can't.

"Hello, pilot Johnson?"

"Yes, can I help you?"

"Yea, it's come to our attention that some dude heard you talking to some other dude and we are required to investigate dudes talking and file a dudes talking incident report...were you talking to a dude on such and such a date at such and such a place and time?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Ok, I'll check 'possibly/maybe' on the form and we'll have one of our investigators pull the security camera tapes after getting a subpoena to do so...we'll contact you at a latter date regarding the final disposition of the dudes talking incident report...thank you for your time."

"Your welcome."

LMFAO ROTF

 

[NW_Pilot]

FAA Safety Hotline:

Safety Hotline
Call our 24-Hour Safety Hotline at (800) 255-1111 to report:

• Maintenance improprieties
• Low-flying aircraft
• Aircraft incidents
• Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) violations

http://www.faa.gov/safety/

You can leave your name or not, You can ask to be contacted or not, it is up to you. The person at the other end is a Regional Manager for the Hotline program in that region. Each phone call gets a tracking number and the assigned FSDO must investigate and provide a written report to the Regional Manager what they found.

You know by calling an 800 number unless you do it on a pay phone they have your info even if your number in unlisted!