Airworthiness Inspection

Now that I have my N-Number assigned for my Powered Parachute, the next step in the process is to have an "airworthiness inspection". This is an inspection of my aircraft, done by a FAA representative authorized to inspect and issue the airworthiness certificate for my aircraft.

I started looking for someone to perform the airworthiness inspection and I was directed to a person about 120 miles away. From all indications this is the closest person to perform this task. So, I contacted him and started working on the process.

Now my Powered Parachute is what is called a "Fat Ultralight" which means it does not meet the definition of an ultralight aircraft. This aircraft exists because of an exception that FAA granted to the ultralight manufacturers to make 2 seat ultralight aircraft for training purposes, which this is. What this also means is that it never had, nor was required to have, an official airworthiness inspection.

Now, any registered aircraft is also required to have an annual inspection. The initial airworthiness inspection will qualify for that inspection for the first time. But next year another inspection will be needed. Our government in a wise decision involving Light Sport Aircraft, authorized owners to take a 16 hour course and become qualified to perform the annual inspection on their own aircraft, thus saving hundreds of dollars each year for the aircraft owners. After quickly evaluation the costs savings, I signed up, took the course and passed it.

Now, back to the airworthiness inspection. Having received my aircraft registration paperwork from the government, I contacted the inspector (commonly referred to as a "DAR" or Designated Airworthiness Representative) and provided him a copy of the registration. He in turn sent me some paperwork about what he requires before the inspection. I also asked him if there were any pet peeves he finds when he inspects aircraft. I wanted to be ready for anything he may look for, especially for his pet peeves.

To my pet peeve question plus several other questions I had asked, I soon discovered that all his answers involved referencing a regulation or maintenance manual. No real answers were provided. So I started to dig into the books.

Then he required me to have a compass on the aircraft. Well, a compass is a good idea but it is not required, at least not for Light Sport Aircraft, which mine is one. I do have a GPS that does the same thing but from his lack of answers on the compass issue, I assumed he will not accept a GPS instead of a compass. He did clearly state that he could not pass the aircraft without a compass on board complete with a compass correction card.

I started to get concerned so I started to research all the references he was giving me. I soon realized that he was making references to "amateur built aircraft", in other words, airplanes built from scratch. Well, mine is not that. It is a fully assembled, flyable, fat ultralight being converting to an Experimental Light Sport Aircraft (E-LSA).

Next he mentioned the test flight phase, which I was aware of. He mentioned that I needed to document various speeds to include stall speeds in slow level flight and in the landing configuration. He comments implied that an airspeed indicator was required.

If you do not know anything about a Powered Parachute, the one fact to know is that if flies at one speed and one speed only. It takes off, flies level, and lands at the exact same speed. More power only makes you climb while less power lets you come down. If you shut the engine off you still fly at that speed, which is anywhere between 25 and 35 miles an hour depending on the load in the aircraft.

Obviously, this DAR knew little about a Powered Parachute. Also, based on his comments, I was concerned about other requirements he may have that he has not mentioned yet. So, I contacted other people I know in the industry and asked them.

Now back to the inspection class. One of the people I asked about these apparently strange requirements was the instructor of that class, who is also a DAR. I did not choose this DAR because he is much farther away than the original DAR I selected to use.

I was advised buy 3 different people in the industry, to include this instructor, that I should consider switching to another DAR for the airworthiness inspection. And that is what I did decide.

Now back to the inspection class again. This class taught us how to do an annual inspection on our personal aircraft. The airworthiness inspection is basically the same thing except the DAR is telling the FAA that at this point the aircraft is safe to fly, and that the DAR will issue the necessary paperwork indicating so. I decided to use the services of the class instructor, who is a DAR, to perform my airworthiness inspection.

As part of the preparation for the airworthiness inspection, the owner must prepare the aircraft. This means clean it, fix anything that is broken, perform all required maintenance, and have the aircraft ready for inspection. Since this class taught me what to look for as far as things that are wrong, I got a head start over the average pilot.

But, I did not realize at the time that if my instructor from the inspection class performs the airworthiness inspection on my personal aircraft, which I had prepped for the airworthiness inspection, it would be like taking a second final exam for the class I took. My aircraft better be ready for the exam, or I may fail, not just my aircraft.

Sorry For Bunched Posts

Sorry about having all my blog entries posted at one time. I have been writing now and then and I have just not spent the time on my home computer to post these entries. I write these blog entries on various computers depending where I am and I am not always at a place where I can post them. Many times are they are written on my Palm T|X at lunch time (with a small attached keyboard).

I will try to post as soon as possible after I write a blog entry.

Will the real Starbucks Coffee Shop please stand up!

My daughter was visiting during the Christmas Holidays and during dinner the other night she told me about a recent experience she had at a local coffee shop. As part of a Secret Santa gift exchange at her work, she received a gift card for Starbucks.

My daughter took her gift card down to the local mall in her town to the nationally known bookstore which had a coffee shop inside with a large Starbucks sign overhead. It looked liked a Starbucks, it smelled like a Starbucks, it has all the miscellaneous stuff that Starbuck sells, and the Starbucks logo was all over the place. She went up to the counter, ordered her drink and presented the gift card for payment. This is how she described it.

“I am sorry, but we do not take Starbuck’s gift cards,” said the clerk behind the counter.

“This is Starbucks, right?” asked my daughter.

“Yes and no,” was the reply.

“What?”

“We are a coffee shop selling Starbucks Coffee but we are not at Starbucks Coffee shop.”

“Huh?”

Apparently, this nationally know bookstore has a coffee shop inside many of their stores. This coffee shop sells coffee; Starbucks brand coffee, as well as all the various coffee type drinks that Starbucks is known for. There is even a large Starbucks sign at the entrance and Starbucks logos all over the store. But, this is not a “real” Starbucks.

How is the average person going to know that this is a real Starbucks or not? I have no idea. She later tried another coffee shop inside a local supermarket and that one is a real Starbucks outlet and they gladly accepted the gift card for payment.

The next time I visit a Starbucks store that I have not visited before I will be sure to ask them, “Are you are real Starbucks store?” I bet I will get a few funny looks until I show them my gift card.

Will the real Starbucks please stand up?

Waiting the Long Wait

Have you ever noticed that when you are waiting for something to happen, whether waiting on an order to arrive, waiting for the repairman to show up, or even waiting for 5 o'clock so that you can go home and do more important stuff (more important at least for yourself), it seems to take forever? Well I am in that phase right now with my Ultralight, oh, I mean my new Experimental Light Sport Aircraft. And I am not talking about waiting for good weather, but I am doing that also.

Most people in General Aviation (GA) knows that the new Sport Pilot License and the new Light Sport Aircraft standards have really changed GA for the good. These new license requirements have created hundreds of new pilots. Plus a new process to design and market these new smaller Light Sport Aircraft have created dozens of new aircraft models that are now available from manufacturers all over the world. Therefore, it has never been easier to get a pilot license and it has never been cheaper to buy an airplane.

Now, back to my long wait. I own an ultralight aircraft which are also referred to as “Fat Ultralights”. These two seat ultralight aircraft do not meet the definition of a true FAA rules for a “Part 103 Ultralight” but these aircraft were allowed to be built and marketed as an exception to the rules for training purposes. With the advent of the new Sport Pilot legislation the rules for these Fat Ultralights have changed.

These Fat Ultralights are now called “Experimental Light Sport Aircraft” or an E-LSA. Owners of these E-LSA are required to register their aircraft with the FAA by January 31, 2008. That is, “complete the registration and inspection process on or before” that date. If the owner does not complete the process by this date their existing E-LSA aircraft will be grounded forever. I do not want this to happen to my E-LSA aircraft so I am following the process as quickly as I can. And this is where the long wait comes in.

Last year, when I first started to research the registration process I purchased the “EAA N-Number Registration Kit” directly from EAA (For those of you who do not know, EAA is the Experimental Aircraft Association). From the instructions I received plus comments previously made in several magazines, I determined that the registration process takes 3 to 6 weeks plus a couple of weeks to get the “Airworthiness Inspection”. Three months is more that enough time to complete the process. So, since I have a deadline of January 3, 2008 to be completed, I figured I can put the paperwork in at the beginning of October 2007, giving me four months to get done and leave me with the entire flying season to fly, fly and fly.

“But not so fast,” as I was recently advised by a FAA representative at a recent aviation safety seminar. They told me that due to the number of last minute registrations they are expecting to be submitted, if your registration application is not into the FAA by July 2007, you may not get it done. July? That means it could take seven months and you still will not get finished! Another FAA representative said that May may be too late also. Taking the advise I received to heart, I completed the registration paperwork and sent in the paperwork to the FAA as quickly as possible.

I talked to several other pilots who have been through this aircraft registration process recently and they said it was 3 to 4 weeks before they received their registration paperwork back from the FAA and then another 3 to 4 weeks to schedule and complete the DAR inspection. The “DAR” inspection is an inspection of the aircraft by an authorized inspector (DAR or Designated Airworthiness Inspector) who will issue, once the inspection is completed and passed, the aircraft's first Airworthiness Certificate.

So hopefully, if everything goes well, I should be able to fly in May, possibly June 2007. That would leave most of the summer available to fly in my new N-Number Experimental Light Sport Aircraft.

I do have some small good news. When I first received my EAA N-Number Kit it recommended that if you want you can request a specific N-Number, if that particular N-Number wasn't in use, you can reserve it for your aircraft. I went ahead and reserved an N-Number for my aircraft. I submitted the N-Number reservation information with my FAA application and now after waiting a week the FAA registry web site (http://registry.faa.gov/) shows that the N-Number I had reserved is now assigned to my aircraft. A week later I got my aircraft registration back in the mail. Yes! It only took me 2 calendar weeks to get my aircraft registration back.

I talked to several people who have already received their registration numbers back and they are all saying 4 to 6 weeks. The only difference for me was that I had already reserved and N-Number so maybe that made it quicker. Or maybe I got in during a not so busy time. I will never know but I am glad it took only two weeks.

The entire registration process is not difficult. I purchased the EAA N-Number Kit and found the information contained helpful and informative. I have also ordered the decal kit from my aircraft's manufacturer and for my Powered Parachute, the manufacturer's kit was better for the decals.

I would still recommend the EAA kit. While the decals provided were not beneficial for my powered parachute, the step by step instructions on how to get your aircraft registered and inspected were very helpful. The manufacturer did provide instructions but not as detailed as the EAA kit.

So step 1 for me is started. My registration paperwork is in, processed and returned. I have removed the ultralight decals and installed all the required decals and mounted my N-Numbers on the plane. Now, I am also waiting on new logbooks to arrive from another vendor. I will need a new aircraft logbook, an new engine logbook and a propeller logbook.

After that it is time to prepare for the “Airworthiness Inspection”. Once the registration paperwork comes back I can schedule that event. Once that is completed, and passed, I have a flyable, registered, N-Number aircraft.

Business Telemarkers

I mentioned a few years ago that I was going to stay away from any office issues. But I felt this issue, whereas it does happen in the office, is not directly office related and could happen in any office. I am talking about the telephone sales cold call. This is where a salesperson calls you up and tries to get you to buy their product. Over the years I have received hundreds of these calls and a few of them stand out.

I received a call from a salesperson for a national computer supply company. Let’s call her Ann. Ann seemed to be a nice, perky, young, 20 something female, at least from her voice. Boy could she flirt. She tried every combination that she could think of to get me buy something from her. Early on she said I was, “on her cool list,” thinking that might help butter me up. I still was not interested in providing her the various makes and models of our computers, printers and copiers. She asked more and more questions about the company, who approved what, how is it done, who is involved and as usually, I gave no names and no information. After several minutes of discussion, to include a discussion of the ice storm we have here and the unexpected 6” of snow they have there (she said she was near Seattle) she again tried to get that information. Still, with no information provided, since warned me that I was slipping off her cool list. Well, I slipped, fell and tumbled right off that list. She was not happy. I did give her my business email so that she can forward her contact information (as I do with all sales reps) but other than that, no promise of anything.

This call reminded me of a call I received a couple of years ago. This caller was the absolute worst sales representative I have ever heard of. He cold called me and wanted to sell us toner cartridges for our printers and copiers. I would not give him makes or models nor would I confirm any model or manufacture he mentioned. He said his toner cartridges were 150% guaranteed to out perform any manufacturer’s cartridges. He offered to send a few sample, “If you don’t like it, send it back in 30 days and tear up the invoice.” Well, I have seen that scam before. I said no.

He said, “Don’t you want to save your company money?” I told him I am always interested in saving money and that he can send me a price sheet and we will consider it. He continued to stress the benefit of purchasing their product and we discussed it for a few more minutes. He continued to insist that I try the free product and that he should send it out immediately. Again, I declined the offer and informed him that I cannot accept free samples or gifts.

And then he said the strangest thing. He said, “I am going to get your fired. I want to talk to your boss right now. Since you refuse to save your company money your boss will fire you. Transfer me right away.” Whoa! That is a new tactic. I told him that I would not do that and he responded. “I will just call back and ask for your boss. You can save yourself a lot of grief right now by trying this free sample.” Again, I know that scam and I told him, “Thank you no, we do not want your product nor are we allowed to try free samples.” He responded with, “You better clean out your desk. I am calling your boss.” It is more that a year later and I am still here.

1/2" Sandwich

I was at my local Subway Sandwich shop the other day waiting to order my lunch. When the line moved down to the lady in front of me, she ordered a, “half inch tuna on wheat.” Yes, a “half inch” sandwich she said. The sandwich maker grabbed a foot long wheat loaf from the bread case, I guess it is a bread warmer or keeper, and placed the loaf in front of him on the counter.

The lady said, “I wanted a half inch sandwich.” The sandwich maker replied, “I need to cut the bread,” and he proceeded to cut the 12 inch long loaf of wheat bread in half and placed one half of the loaf back in the bread case.

“That is a half inch sandwich?” asked the lady.

"Yes,” came the reply.

“That is a big sandwich,” she said.

The sandwich maker proceeded to put the cheese and tuna on the sandwich and then cut 1/2” off from the end. He showed the sandwich to the customer and said, “This is an one half inch sandwich. Is that what you want?”

“No, I wanted the half inch sandwich which is about this long,” whereas she showed her hands approximately 6 inches apart.

“So you want a 6 inch or an one half foot sandwich, this big?” as he held up the 6 inch long half loaf.

Suddenly a light bulb must have gone off. The lady had a face full of embarrassment after realizing that she had been saying one half inch while meaning one half foot. The sandwich maker finished the sandwich and included the one half inch he cut off.

I looked around the restaurant at the dozen or so people in the room. All of them had smiles on their faces. But, my quickly I became a little embarrassed for this whole incident because once my sandwich was done, I ended up paying for both of them. Yeah, I was with the lady.

I Got The Finger!

One my way back to the office from lunch the other day, I approached a 4 way stop sign and stopped. To my left another truck was approaching the intersection just about at the same time, but I was there first and stopped just a second before the other vehicle. Normally, when two or more vehicles arrive at an intersection at or close to the same moment the vehicle on the right, which would be me, would have the right of way. But I did not assume the right of way today.

I was not in a hurry to get back to the office as I still had several minutes of my lunchtime to kill. Today is the first day of spring and the sun is shining and the weather is warm enough that my windows were down on my truck and I was in a good mood.

Being a nice driver, as I usually try to be, I signaled to the driver to go ahead and that I will wait. He checked all the directions and then started across the intersection. As he cross in front of my I noticed that he had his arm extended toward me with his middle finger sticking straight up in the air. He gave me the finger!

“What did I do?” I did not give him the finger, in fact my hand was out the window with my fingers together and level as I waited my hand left and right to signal him to proceed. I did not recognize the vehicle so I do not think it is somebody I know. Since I have a new truck, most of the people that know me do not know I got a new truck so others may not recognize me.

But still, I got the finger flashed at me. Maybe he thought I flash my finger at him. I did not intend to flash a finger at him and I do not think I did so accidentally. He clearly got the message that I was allowing him to cross the intersection first, which he did. Who knows!

I guess I can chalk this up to finding another idiot driving around. If I made a list of idiots I have seen, the list would be rather large.