Warbird Information Exchange

One of the FAA rules is that you need an Aerobatic Comptency Card in order to fly acro in waivered airspace, that is most airshows. Not needed to practice or fly acro elsewhere. It is not hard to get, but is a pain in the rear to deal with. You have to renew every year, regardless of experience or if you are not changing altitude nor adding new manuevers. You are suposed to go to an "ACE" to have them witness your act, and these are supposed to be located around the country. There is an "appproved" list, which names a man near me. One problem is he has been deceased for a few years, so I have to go way out of the area to find an "ACE". Then he has to send the paperwork to ICAS, along with my $250, they fax it on to the local FAA office. When I finally get them on the phone they say they heve no record of the paperwork so I have to get the nice lady at ICAS to fax it again. It is now too late ot recieve my card by mail, so I have to go to Denver and drive out to the FAA office to pick up the card. Of course they will back date it so by the time one recieves it you have already lost about 3 of the 12 months it is valid for. Bet I would not have had to look too hard to find something else to do like practice or maintenance that would actually add to safety; but that is beauracracy today.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

Don't you just love the FAA.

EAA/Warbirds issues akro waivers for free.
They are slightly quicker in processing than ICAS, as history shows.
VL

Remember the FAA's motto:

"We're not happy until you're not happy!"


Cheers!

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Dean Hemphill, K5DH
Port Charlotte, Florida

That's the FAA's??? I thought it was the mission statement at the company I used to work for!!!!

Vlado, just a quick thanks for the beautiful aero routine at Thunder! It was Sweet! The heritage flight was absolutely awesome! Sorry we couldn't chat more at the show. I was back seat to Paul in the T33.

Hope to meet again with more time on our hands.

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"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

Vlado, thanks for the tip, would that it were that simple. It is a little tough getting an ace here, there are 2 on the approved list; one has retired from doing it and the other is also a bit of a problem as he passsed away a few years ago. I went to Howard, but believe it or not he is only on the ICAS list not the EAA list. ICAS was nice and prompt. For the second year in a row the local FAA office apparently lost the paper work that ICAS faxed to them and ICAS sent it again it. Today a friend drove the 80 mile round trip to the FAA office about in west Kansas. Of course my card was not at the "will call" desk as they promised in their fax, nor was the guy in charge. Finally he and it turned up and I now have the card.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

I'll give you twenty bucks for it, Bill...

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"I knew the jig was up when I saw the P-51D-20-NA Mustang blue-nosed bastards from Bodney, and by the way the blue was more of a royal blue than an indigo and the inner landing gear interiors were NOT green, over Berlin."