Microlighters

Saturday at a normally VERY busy little airfield in the fairest. Only this Saturday nobody is flying. Everybody put planes away quicly, locked up hangars and buggered off home, in spite of fantastic flying weather. Ramp inspector on the prowl. This is very disheartening. I spoke to a couple of the chaps, all recon they are legal, but prefer NOT to bring their planes out, for the off chance that they just may have mis-looked something on the check list. I do not have words enough to describe what I feel about this bullshit. that is what it is BULLSHIT.

agree 100%!!!!

Ok I'm not an aviator as you know, but at what point does an aircraft become liable for a ramp inspection- is it literally anytime it's not hangared?- or does the pilot have to have shown some intention to fly?

edit... obvioulsy not just as simple as not being in a hangar- not all aircraft live in hangars.

Jimbo, I think this is all about MONEY. Some of the officialdom obviously think all who can afford anything that flies, HAVE to have "deep pockets". Just how wrong can they be!! Right now I am so bloody poor, I can not even pay attention........

Yissi Boet, stop being so grumpy since you lost the animal, und answer ze kvestyon, dammit

Aeries are required by law to have all these doc's etc for flight, so I assume they can be asked for anytime.... there is plane and pilot. Before take off, most likely just after landing etc...

I have not yet been thru one of these, but some have had positive and some negative. I have no opinion. If like traffic police they are full of shit, I am full of shit. if they are friendly and try to help, I am friendly and try to help. I do not fear them, but I do not like the attitude that often follows people with a little bit of misplaced power....

I am waiting for the ouke to pic up that the radio station lciense and the plane are reg in 2 different names. All legal, so if he looking for a fight he will take issue over BS. if not he will enquire out of interest why the difference. (Simple answer - ICASA )

I was at the airfield washing my plane and making sure everything was in order for it's anual inspection when the gentleman from the CAA arrived. He and a member from our club walked over to my hanger and we had a lovely discussion. Guys, these people aren't out to get us. I would rather be legal and have them on my side than to play hide and seak. They can only go by the book and if we do the same then we can work together for the better of our beloved sport.

Ranger wrote:He and a member from our club walked over to my hanger and we had a lovely discussion. Guys, these people aren't out to get us. I would rather be legal and have them on my side than to play hide and seak. They can only go by the book and if we do the same then we can work together for the better of our beloved sport.

Whats the chances of this being self regulated. As in the boat / yaght recreation sections. standards need to be conformed to, so the club ou mannde/ safety committee checks and approves each vessel and places a tag on indicating so- end of story.

If airfields / clubs would check the aerries, give some certificate and notify the authorities the reg of clean bill of health, they should find no reason to come prowling. Similerly if you get inspected at another strip, they should respect that and pass you over.

Then there's alway interpretation of a trike needing a fire extinguisher for that cabin fire.

The problem with this fellow is, that he is allways on the lookout for something WRONG. No warries about what is right. He is out to NAIL you. That is the vibe I have been getting from my fellow aviators at MS.










And yes, lest I forget, I THINK I have everything in my little briefcase, in the luggage compartment of my aerie, marked: Ramp Check Bullshit. So I hope I am legal. I spent hours painstakingly putting EVERYTHING that I think they want and more, together. So I am likely to get violent if someone comes along, telling me I am still illegal.

Damn, pity I missed him. I have been meticulous in making sure that my machine and I comply fully and I have had it all (ramp inspection list stuff) checked out by a CFI and an AP. I am quite keen to get inspected. Two things I know may be a problem - 1) the first aid kit is not the 'official' one and 2) the fire extinguisher is not Halon. Both were supplied by the AA (ja ja before you start... Automobile Association and NOT Alcoholics Anonymous).

My opinion is, if its good enough for millions of vehicles on the road then surely its good enough for my little Gyro?

Would be interesting to know if he would ground me for those two things...?
Dan gaan iemand ge word.

Then again, I suppose the defense will be "we don't make the laws, we just have to ensure that they are complied with"

I have been in aviation for 26 years and have had many inspections by CAA. I have often had things that were not in order but have never been pulled over the coals by anyone at CAA. I have been shown the correct way do do things and that is it. Make sure your paperwork is correct, if not apologise and then get it right. I don't think CAA officials take great delight in finding things wrong, they are just there to do there job.

Jet ranger - we were told by a CAA official that nowhere does the regulation actually tell you which fire extinguisher or which first aid to kit to use. SO as long as you have some sort of both in there there is nothing more he can have to say about it. Same with signal strips. There is nothing that say what it has to be so if you have a roll of toilet paper and you can make signal strips out if it he has to accept it.

I spoke to Pierre at AP meeting at Bethlehem and he told me Midas extinguisher/first aid kit is ok.He said to have a space blancket on board which is ideal for emergencies and can be cut into strips for signal strips.Make sure you got all certified copies of certificates and that is that.
Nice to be legal!

German wrote:I spoke to Pierre at AP meeting at Bethlehem and he told me Midas extinguisher/first aid kit is ok.He said to have a space blancket on board which is ideal for emergencies and can be cut into strips for signal strips.Make sure you got all certified copies of certificates and that is that.
Nice to be legal!

Where do you cut the line of whether you can carry it safely. The law states that you must have a fire extinguisher, but only if you can carry it safely!