One weird report
Having some experience in the matter, I would not call that weird, but a normal ramp check. I have been ramp checked (SAFA when CAT) a few times, also in CHE, and the check described in the link above reflects my own experiences.
But CAT is a totally different story. In NCO, they shouldn’t be requesting any documentation that isn’t mandatory under NCO.
Exactly.
Business jets (I am told by a colleague who flies them full time) are regularly hit and turned over. The inspectors check medicals (unheard of in GA IME) and check particular “got you, you little bastard” stuff like whether the RHS has a valid SIC (second in command) rating, and that is aircraft reg specific. And, reading the press, airline crews are checked too, seemingly quite often for alcohol.
But in GA this is rare. I have had my license looked at many times but not once I got the impression the inspector had the slightest idea of what to look for. I carry only the plastic FAA CPL/IR card. The Brussels “dual papers” thing has never been checked, on me or on anybody else I have spoken to, and my UK papers live at home. Today, post brexit, the FAA card is fine for all non UK travel; only the UK CAA could validly ask for UK papers too.
Peter wrote:
The inspectors check medicals (unheard of in GA IME)
I had several ramp checks and medical was checked every time. AFAIK pilot license is valid only with valid medical.
boscomantico wrote:
In NCO, they shouldn’t be requesting any documentation that isn’t mandatory under NCO.
Were there any documents mentioned in Buckerfans’ report that aren’t mandatory under part-NCO? NCO.GEN.135 lists 13 items of which at least 10 were relevant for his flight. (Beside evidence of W&B, fuel and performance calculations, NOTAM and WX checks.)
Airborne_Again wrote:
Beside evidence of W&B, fuel and performance calculations, NOTAM and WX checks
You don’t have to carry any evidence of W&B, fuel and performance calculations, NOTAM and WX checks, do you?
Paper approach plates also aren’t mandated by NCO.
Years back, when I was a part-admin on the Autorouter project, the requirement for the pretty big briefing pack which the AR produces was driven by a number of German pilots who were worried about ramp check inspectors in Germany causing them trouble. So the server generates a huge thick pack, of which a lot is of little use (like the W&B which most users never enter data into, or wx/notam reports for a useless time or location) but the hope was that the hypothetical inspector will be sufficiently impressed…
boscomantico wrote:
You don’t have to carry any evidence of W&B, fuel and performance calculations, NOTAM and WX checks, do you?
That’s a good question… W&B, fuel and performance calculations can of course be redone on the spot on request. NOTAM and WX check are more difficult to prove. In any case I’d say this is a non-issue as most people would use something like SkyDemon and Autorouter and that would show all NOTAM and WX information.
Paper approach plates also aren’t mandated by NCO.
No. That’s true for most of the documents mentioned in NCO.GEN.135, but then you must be able to show that you have them in electronic form.
boscomantico wrote:
You don’t have to carry any evidence of W&B, fuel and performance calculations, NOTAM and WX checks, do you?Paper approach plates also aren’t mandated by NCO.
I think they have the absolute right to ask you to prove that you did all the relevant flight planning inc W&B, fuel, performance etc. The good thing about my ramp check is that about half way through it switched from me handing over item by item the various docs, to more of a conversation. Once this happened it became much easier. Remember, in this case, both of the officials were pilots, and every experienced ones too. So we had a conversation as we talked about how I do route planning with RocketRoute, weather with Windy, enroute weather with Golze etc. They were genuinely interested to learn how I use the various apps available and looked at them on my phone. I do still use paper approach plates, but of course they wanted to check whether the print outs were the latest release. But I was able to explain that I also check in the air, using the Charts feature on my MFD, whether there have been any substantive changes.
My attitide with officials like this is a) dont volunteer more than you are asked for but 2) keep it super friendly, and 3) if you can. demonstrate a good level of professionalism they will overlook minor infractions.
