pilot4500
IT Architect/ Former Cirrus Charter Pilot
Not long ago I got ramp checked by two FAA inspectors when I landed in MYR. For those of you that don't know, I fly for Ram Air Freight. They are a part 135 carrier based in North Carolina.
I was flying a Piper Seneca. After I landed, I saw two men in black suits and large FAA badges around their necks approach the plane and wait for me to get out. They showed me their FAA credentials and said that they were doing random ramp checks at MYR that day. They asked to see my pilot license, medical, and photo ID. I showed them them those documents and they made a note of it. They then asked to see the aircraft registration certificate, airworthiness certificate, company GOM, Ops specs, maintenence records, and my load manifest. I showed them everything that they asked for.
They examined every square inch of the the plane and could not find anything wrong with it. Pretty good for a 35 year old Seneca! They then watched me load my cargo. We have a scale in the airplane and I weighed every bag like I am supposed to do and then secured it with the cargo net.
They then asked me when was the last time the scale had been calibrated? I honestly did not know and did not have a record of it. He said that if I am using the scale for purpose of weighing cargo that it is required to be calibrated. The inspectors let me go on my way, but they said that they would be contacting my company about the scale calibration issue.
Is there any FAR that requires the scale to be calibrated? If there is I could not find it, but maybe I missed something.
I have been flying for 8 years and that was my first ramp check. I knew it was bound to happen at some point. All in all, I thought it went pretty well.
I was flying a Piper Seneca. After I landed, I saw two men in black suits and large FAA badges around their necks approach the plane and wait for me to get out. They showed me their FAA credentials and said that they were doing random ramp checks at MYR that day. They asked to see my pilot license, medical, and photo ID. I showed them them those documents and they made a note of it. They then asked to see the aircraft registration certificate, airworthiness certificate, company GOM, Ops specs, maintenence records, and my load manifest. I showed them everything that they asked for.
They examined every square inch of the the plane and could not find anything wrong with it. Pretty good for a 35 year old Seneca! They then watched me load my cargo. We have a scale in the airplane and I weighed every bag like I am supposed to do and then secured it with the cargo net.
They then asked me when was the last time the scale had been calibrated? I honestly did not know and did not have a record of it. He said that if I am using the scale for purpose of weighing cargo that it is required to be calibrated. The inspectors let me go on my way, but they said that they would be contacting my company about the scale calibration issue.
Is there any FAR that requires the scale to be calibrated? If there is I could not find it, but maybe I missed something.
I have been flying for 8 years and that was my first ramp check. I knew it was bound to happen at some point. All in all, I thought it went pretty well.