Well its a couple of days before the weekend, but as we will be at our destination over the weekend I think I can legitimately get the ball rolling.
*WE GOT RAMP CHECKED!
We flew from the home strip, Upper Harford UK, to Sion LSGS. Firstly notable because although we were at MTOW on departure and we took off from a runway which is 100m tarmac and then grass which has been rained on non stop for almost the last two weeks, the mighty Jetprop still rotated in about 400m. The excess power in this airframe is incredibly useful. Picked up IFR with help from ‘London Terminal Control’ over the phone and then Farnborough radar once in the air. Nice flight to Switzerland via the usual route XAMAB MOU GVA, but this time we asked for early descent approaching Geneva and cancelled IFR at about 15,000 ft over Lac Leman with this spectacular view or the lake and Alps:
We knew that our best buddy in Switzerland was doing a ski tour climb of the Teysachauz, a magnificent little peak at the beginning of the Prealps. So of course we diverted VFR that way and did a little scenic tour to wave hello.
I lived very near here for 10 years and did some magnificent ski tours in this area. It is not known by many people, who think you have to head for the high alps for ski touring. But in fact, provided the winter is cold and snow is good, the ski touring in the Prealps is fantastic – sheltered powder between the tree glades, great public transportation to get you and home, and much less avalanche risk so safe to go alone. I used to have this area wired.
Arriving in Sion a few minutes later there were officials waiting for us as we opened the door. They were from OFAC (the FAA of Switzerland) for a ramp check. And was it a ramp check. All the usual docs, plus even obscure things like Noise Certificate, Radio Licence and Emergency Beacon Registration. They checked the fire extinguisher, both POHS, to see if the paper approach plates were most recent issue, and how I had planned the flight: fuel, weather and W&B planning. They even knew to ask if I had a quick release O2 masks as the plane is registered to FL270. I don’t have them but we flew at FL250, so we were legal. The only thing they got us on was lack of “first aid kit”, but said they trusted to get one before departure. The whole thing took a good 30 minutes. All the data logged on an electronic form on a special laptop they had. It has been several years since this happened to me, so was a big surprise. They had arrived just before is in a Diamond twin star. They claim they were there for the day and were picking planes at random, but I am not so sure (N Reg, slightly exotic type etc).
One thing I learned is that they accept that if you do a lot of planning electronically that you wont have a written record of it. But they did appeciate me opening and showing them the RocketRoute app on my phone with the plan on it, the ipad with the enroute Metars on Golzre ADL, and how I had used Windy on my iphone to check the destination and enroute weather and winds. They were incredibly polite and nice, but extremely detailed. All rather unnerving. Be prepared, it will happen to all of us one day.
I flew to LJBL to discuss some details about approaching service and to have lunch. The bonus was beautiful weather 
Of course you wouldn’t argue with an official during a ramp check, but the level of detail seems an over reach of authority?
I mean it seems fine to check that you actually have a pilot’s license/certificate, medical, and that you have the required liability insurance for your aircraft, plus basic aircraft documents.
But for a private flight (with no evidence of poor anirmanship) isn’t the rest your business and not theirs? Different for commercial ops obviously…
Buckerfan wrote:
spectacular view or the lake and Alps:
Naaice!
As to myself I am busy changing oil and filter, BSI’ing cylinders, setting up hangar curtains to maintain a clean environment in the shared hangar…maintenance for a few more weeks…
Canuck wrote:
Of course you wouldn’t argue with an official during a ramp check, but the level of detail seems an over reach of authority?
Actually, the level of detail did not bother me, and I do think they had the right to ask all of this. I just received an email from them with an elkectronic copy of their checklist. It is their standard list.
They have the right to ask you whether you are wearing underpants, too, but what are they going to do about the way you planned your flight? The only context where this may come in is some AOC operation where you may have breached the ops manual.
Mass & Balance, Performance calculations and fuel plan are arguably required even in private operations?
Here is an old FOCA ramp check list
I had ground damage, so I’m now waiting for the other plane’s insurance to contact me
