141 FAA INSPECTION!!!! ugh..

BTAcola

New Member
Got a 141 Inspection coming up. And the Chief Pilot is never around, the Assistant Chief just retired and we have not filled the spot. The last CFI that was helping the 141 stuff got a job, so now its me" Im looking for a sort of "checklist" if anyone has one, of what the FAA wants to see during a 141 surprise check.

Here is what i Have so far..:
141 student list(training folders up to date, 141 enrollment forms, etc etc)
141 instructor list (all qualifications/standrides, etc etc)
SOP Binder(s)
141 Certificate on display
Air Agency Certificate on display

I know there HAS TO BE A TON MORE...?? i need serious help with this.
thanks

B. C.
 
If you are not the chief or assistant, it shouldn't be your problem. Don't get abused by management. If you are the manager, where is your chief instructor?!? That is his job.
 
I second that this is not your job, but props for stepping up.

I would also add that all the student training folders are current and are up to date.
Know who is active and inactive.

Make sure your airplanes are in order.

Don't sweat it, he will find something.
 
I second that this is not your job, but props for stepping up.

I would also add that all the student training folders are current and are up to date.
Know who is active and inactive.

Make sure your airplanes are in order.

Don't sweat it, he will find something.

And when they do find something they usually are pretty good about it.
 
I know there HAS TO BE A TON MORE...?? i need serious help with this.
thanks

B. C.
I don't remember much else. When I had my inspections, my POI wanted to see my Chief Flight Instructor files. I had it set up this way though.

For each TCO, I had a binder with tabs that laid out:

  • Letter of Intent
  • Application
  • Aircraft Leases
  • Office Leases and diagram
  • Practice area diagram
  • Student list
  • Syllabus
  • SOP and Safety Book
  • PTS
...and a bunch of other crap that I'd have to go all the way up stairs to look at and see what was in it.

Basically when they showed up, I took out the binder they wanted to see. They looked at it. Then they'd ask for a random student or three. I'd take out their folder with their progress sheets and lesson records. They'd look at those. Then they'd ask for the instructor folder. I'd show them which ever instructor(s) folders they wanted to see. Then they'd go out and look at the plane, check the MEL (if we had them for that plane), check the inspection status, etc. For some reason they always wanted to see my jepp binders to make sure the revisions were current...my personal charts, not charts we used for the students.

It's pretty simple. They were never there more than about 45 minutes. Seems like they never announced it, but rather just showed up when they wanted to. They'd usually combine it with a meeting about our 135 certificate I was working on and then go visit another charter operator on the field for an inspection. It's not a big deal if you're doing the paperwork as it happens...it only becomes a problem if you or any other instructors are slacking on the paperwork and trying to "batch file" it.

-mini
 
Just give them what they want. If you are with them as the inspect the place take a notebook and write down their recommendations as they will have some. Also follow through on the recommendations.
 
If you are not the chief or assistant, it shouldn't be your problem. Don't get abused by management. If you are the manager, where is your chief instructor?!? That is his job.


It's not my problem you are correct, HOWEVER... this is a paid position to help manage the 141 stuff, since the CP is not always available on campus. SO... IM PAID to do some of this stuff...
 
It's not my problem you are correct, HOWEVER... this is a paid position to help manage the 141 stuff, since the CP is not always available on campus. SO... IM PAID to do some of this stuff...

Ok, then so you are basically an assistant chief flight instructor, right? If so, ask for a raise and bump in title. :)

The Chief Flight Instructor should have a good rapport with the POI, whenever possible. Your list looks pretty good, but most POIs like to focus on certain aspects. They understand that your files won't be 100% perfect. Usually, they are looking for gross errors, like missing flights, missing signatures, etc...
 
Go to the FAA dot gov site and find the Aviation Inspector's Handbook and download the checklist portion of "Inspect a 141 School".
 
http://fsims.faa.gov/WDocs/8700.1 GA Ops Insp Handbk/Volume 2/2_144_00.htm

........ and before you knock yourself out looking for the Air Agency Certificate and 141 Certificate, know that the 141 Certificate is the Air Agency Certificate.

........ also, will the inspection be limited to operations, or will airworthiness be included? Obviously, if it includes airworthiness, there are a great many things to check in that area.

Good luck.

THANK YOU SO MUCH! That is exactly what I was looking for!!!!!
 
I got to go through one of those at a flight school, hope it all goes well. The POI we had wanted to make sure we were at least trying to follow all the record keeping regulations for a 141 school, and that when a record was incomplete or wrong, we knew about it. All and all it wasn't too bad. Good luck!
 
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