Why Warbirds are in danger

[mustangdriver]

Because of crap like this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W_42CGdgrw

Watch both parts.

[Mudge]

I'm sorry, I got about half way through the first one and just couldn't listen to any more of this imbecile's, "I did not. I don't know. I learned to be an expert by watching other experts do it." Good Lord. I've watched mechanics, plumbers, carpenters, and electricians and still can't do any of that stuff. This guy should be fired just for being an idiot.

Mudge the incensed

[mustangdriver]

My favorite quote, "How did you determine tha the aircraft had over flown it's 100 hour? Did you get inside and check it's total time?" His respone, "No, the pilot told us it flew a good bit" Good god.

[JohnB]

We're doomed.

That should be required viewing for anyone who thinks "big government" and the (necessary) "one size fits all" mentality is the way to run an efficient organization.

Read the whole story here on Aviation Week..
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/ ... lty&next=0

[Cherrybomber13]

I saw this last night on Chris's Facebook page... This guy is an idiot... He should be tied to the prop of a Corsair and spun for 100 hours.
I feel so much safer in the air due to guys like this.

[RandolphB]

So...watching this tells me as an A & P that:

1. He knows less on standrad issues than I do.
2. He holds power over me as a result of his job.
3. I am probably over-qualified to hold his good paying job.
4. I probably couldn't be enough of an idiot to actually do his job.
5. That in two months airplanes probably fly over 100 hours because some guy said they might.


I should have stayed in bed this morning...

[The Inspector]

an unlicensed TRON, a friggin' leg shaver!! A one wire!!-Too bad CIRCUIT CITY went bust, this individual of questionable judgement might be able to master installing car stereos. I'll bet he just impresses the heck out everyone down at the 'Y'all come back' tavern.

[JohnB]

I'd guess that anyone who operates, maintains or flies aircraft has a similar story about the FAA.

These guys have no accountability, their union backs them up whether they're right or wrong. This idiot doesn't even have an A&P, yet he's priobaly pulling down $80-100K a year for obviously NOT knowing what he's doing.

Meanwhile, operators have to pay huge legal bills becasue of some often ill-considered enforment action.

Per the Av Week article, the FAA was faulted by a deemocrat congressman from Minnesota about being "too cozy" with operatotrs. So noe they've hired a lot of high paying guys whose job it is to find faults. In a recent Flying magazibne article, retired FAA're Martha Lunkin said the inspection staff at her old office has tripled over the last few years.
If they don't find something, they...and their bosses look bad.

Remember the Bob Hoover affair?
Or when the ferds put a restrictive AD on Bell 47 rotor grips because one crashed in Canada...a isolted incident for an airframe that had been around forever.


And no, I'n not an anti-government nutjob. I spent 20 years in the military and another 5 in a civil fed job, so I have an idea how bureaucracies work (or don't work).

Last edited by JohnB on Sun Nov 13, 2011 3:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[peter]

What a useless waste of air.. I mean seriously.. how the hell did this idiot become an inspector my god?? Heads should roll over this one!

[PostallyPipped]

That was painful to watch!

[Tanker 336]

I’ll wade into this subject with my .02 cents. The FAA certainly doesn’t have the rights to incompetence. Transport Canada has a fair amount of incompetent inspectors as well. I’ll recall a story my father told me back in the 1980’s. Back then my father was the only person in Alberta who held a Pilot & AME Licence for the B-25 Mitchell. He was authorized by DOT (then called Department of Transportation) to endorse other B-25 drivers. This particular story involves an inspector who needed to be endorsed so that he could certify perspective B-25 pilots. However, my father first had to endorse this inspector and then once the inspector was certified he turned around and had to do a re-endorsement on my father to ensure he knew the ins and outs on this type of aircraft. Therefore, my father took this inspector out on a test flight and just after they took off (10 feet off the runway) the inspector instead of simulating a engine loss actually pulled the power back on the Starboard engine and said you just lost an engine what do you do. My father immediately applied power back to the right engine and leveled off and began chastising the inspector mentioning that this was a good way to get yourself killed. Take this story for what’s its worth but I believe my father had no further issues with this inspector.

[fritzthefox]

I don't think any particular organization has a monopoly on incompetence. A single person can be staggeringly incompetent, and frequently is. Fifty percent of the people in the world are of below average intelligence. Grouping them together only makes them less efficient.

[the330thbg]

I don't think any particular organization has a monopoly on incompetence. A single person can be staggeringly incompetent, and frequently is. Fifty percent of the people in the world are of below average intelligence. Grouping them together only makes them less efficient.

you put 535 of those "below average intelligence" in one place and they are called a "Congress"!

[b29flteng]

On a positive note, The FAA representative that gives checkrides for the warbirds/antique aircraft, is a great one. He flys a B-25 on occasion himself, so he understands our problems and works well with us. He gave one of our pilots a check ride this past summer and it worked out great for us.

[K5DH]

Wow. Incredible.

I can't imagine how that fellow manages to find his own butt with both hands. I guess airplane owners had better start keeping all those records that they're not required to keep, just in case an inspector decides that they needed to have kept them, regardless of what the rules say. I mean, according to Mister Highly-qualified Expert Inspector there, that's what a "responsible operator" would do. I guess that means if the owners strictly follow the rules then they're not responsible? Umm...

Wow. Incredible.