Camarillo (KCMA) - Ramp Check!

fholbert

fholbert

Mod's - Please don't edit my posts!
Anyone else at the Waypoint Cafe today (Sunday 8/6)?

The FAA spent a full 8 hours doing Ramp Checks in the Waypoint Cafe parking area and that place gets really busy. The inspector was writing up a Cessna when I came in so we ran into the restaurant before he could stop us. About half of those inspected were getting violated.
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He was busting people when they left the restaurant too so I didn't want to leave until he was busy far from my plane. I sat sucking on my malt totally entertained by plane after plane getting ramp checked.
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Finally he ran into the bathroom, looked like a WWII movie, props spinning everywhere as we started up and left before he returned.

What a fun day!
 
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Ugh. Sorry for those visiting my home port, who had this experience. (Yes, I think The Regulator® does a necessary job, and so on. But ugh. Sorry that it had to happen in my old backyard.)
 
That's one of the many reasons I stay away from that place. I know more people who have been violated for stupid *redacted* there than at any other airport. When I go to the Waypoint, I drive.
 
God they would probably have a field day with any one of the planes I have flown in the last year and a half due to all of the modifications they have on them with engines, gross weight increases, camera holes and other STC's...

Should tell a coworker to stop in there for fuel and see what happens, haha
 
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mshunter said:
That's one of the many reasons I stay away from that place. I know more people who have been violated for stupid *redacted* there than at any other airport. When I go to the Waypoint, I drive.
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There is plenty of damn-fool behavior in CMA, for what it's worth. It's nothing that a little proficiency training wouldn't fix, though.
 
Tyler Pinkerton said:
God they would probably have a field day with any one of the planes I have flown in the last year and a half due to all of the modifications they have on them with engines, gross weight increases, camera holes and other STC's...

Should tell a coworker to stop in there for fuel and see what happens, haha
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Why? If done properly it's all straightforward. Now, if you're missing required placards and AFM supplements...
 
Roger Roger said:
Why? If done properly it's all straightforward. Now, if you're missing required placards and AFM supplements...
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The planes are legal and everything should be in the planes, it would just be even more of a pain in the ass with a survey aircraft than a normal aircraft I feel because of all of the extra mods. Especially if it was one of our planes with an external sensor.

With my luck, I would get that mythical inspector who has no clue about Q-tip props and tries to ground the plane and claim I prop striked it, lol.
 
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amorris311 said:
FAA on a Sunday?!?
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I don't think a weekday would be as "lucrative" for catching GA violators. I stopped at CMA for fuel once, and it was on a Sunday. The place was a madhouse, so I'm not surprised the inspector found a steady stream of "victims" on a Sunday.
 
Tyler Pinkerton said:
The planes are legal and everything should be in the planes, it would just be even more of a pain in the ass with a survey aircraft than a normal aircraft I feel because of all of the extra mods. Especially if it was one of our planes with an external sensor.

With my luck, I would get that mythical inspector who has no clue about Q-tip props and tries to ground the plane and claim I prop striked it, lol.
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You are not required to carry the STCs with you. Only any supplement to the AFM should there be one, which they're very unlikely to know. Give him a phone number or much better - a mailing address and have him inquire. If they do, have the lawyer deal with them.

@fholbert, I'd have a call into the FSDO if I saw this happening en mass. The FAAs policy is not enforcement anymore, it's compliance.
 
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z987k said:
@fholbert, I'd have a call into the FSDO if I saw this happening en mass. The FAAs policy is not enforcement anymore, it's compliance.
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What did upset me was the impact to aviation business. The FAA spent 8 hours in front of the WayPoint Cafe and Channel Island Aviation. I know the cafe lost revenue Sunday based on the text I sent out, they diverted to Santa Paula for breakfast. People may stay away from those business for a long time to avoid a ramp check.
 
I told an FAA inspector "No" once... All he got out of me was a look at my license and medical. He certainly didn't like my answer though. When he asked "why not", I told him we were a government contracted aircraft with sensitive equipment on board and if he wanted a closer look he would have to talk to the DoD. He didn't seem inclined to press the issue... I think us having an entire hangar all to our little ole selves peaked his interest.
 
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