Ramp Check= Aviation killer

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Welcome Goffel...


I'll jump right in with a couple questions. (Baptism of fire)
Do you need radio station license AND proof of payment or is proof of payment and then the hologram ICASA license acceptable? Some of the licenses I get in Jan and others I have not yet received for 2009.
What is the deal with the fire extinguisher. Does it have to be halon? (Why - Just out of interest since I know jack about fire ext. What would happen if you used a Midas cheapie powder one in closed cockpit?) When do you not have to carry one?
Is a generic first aid kit acceptable? (I read somewhere you have to have certain medication, pills, splints (? ) etc.) Is this the case? I have the AA type travel kits in the planes but have bought 1 "CAA" approved one which cost almost R1000 and looks very similar?
What is the deal with Certified copies and the 3 month validity period? I have the originals in a folder which usually goes with me to and from the plane(sometimes I forget it in office) and I have backup certified copies I leave in the plane (includes copy of licenses). If a certified copy is older than 3 months is it still valid?
Is carrying the Avimap map book sufficient? (Sounds stupid, but I fly a couple routes every week and fly these visually without ref to map, compass or GPS.) I can recite estimates verbatim and am getting quiet good at adjusting for head or tail winds as well. I have not used a map or GPS on these routes for well over a year. To remain legal I have a copy of Avimap in the plane. Is this acceptable, since the inspector will see I have not even looked at it. (No line or flight log?)
Can I do my own Compass swing?
What happens if I loose the little compass correction card thingy? Do I have to stop flying and then get compass swing done agian. What if this happens at remote site? - Sounds trivial to me, but I am told it is not?
International intercept codes? Do I need these in the plane?
Strips? Is bogroll acceptable?

Then Onto a completely different vein.

Why is it so hard to get permission to operate a flying boat or amphib on inland waters in SA. Does CAA have any jurisdiction or is it solely Dept of Water affairs?



Thanks in advance for your time and welcome once again....

[Mogas]

Thanks for your input Goffel
This sort of interaction will go a long way in getting rid of the dangerous "them and us" attitude out there with GA in general and CAA.
I doubt anyone will disagree that at least some regulation is necessary in our sport, there will always be the odd cowboy out there spoiling it for all the rest.
There is also the ongoing problem of grey areas and what is actually applicable and what is not. Contributions from someone such as yourself on the forum will help a lot to put the correct information out there.
A hearty welcome to the forum!
Mogas

[Phot]

Well if I understand correctly what happened on Saturday- every body left when CAA arrived - I have to agree with Boet: Ramp Check=Aviation killer.
There are to many rules which does not make aviation safer, in fact some might even make it less safe, e.g trying to use a fire extinguisher while flying might create more problems than what it solves in a small plane. Other rules have been made ages ago and might have made sense at the time but are either not relevant to microlights or not of much value any more, e.g strips, fire extinguisher on a trike. A cell phone have been more useful than any of these in most emergencies but they are not required?
CAA 'invited' us micro lighters on several occasions to talk to them about changing the rules that does not make sense but several people have tried. CAA like to talk and talk forever (if they bother to show up) although it is clear to most people that it does not make sense (people working for CAA gets paid to talk, we have to do it in our own time and pay for ourselves to get there).
I also have to say that there are really nice guys are CAA, the problem is that they are in this 'system' and sometimes I think that they are just as frustrated with it as us. I think that there are one of two ways out of this: start with the rule book from scratch or pass all responsibility over to the microlight clubs them selfs including making the rules. This will come with certain responsibilities such as grounding the club for a certain period if there is an incident.

My 2c

[John Boucher]

Well George.... I think Goffel shall now have his work cut out for him!

Excellent set of questions and would cover a few important bases when answered by Goffel.

The Amphibians I think has something to do with water Hyacinth if I can recall a conversation correctly with JetRanger. I was looking at this for Van der Kloof (HF Verwoed Dam). Awesome stretch of water for some 80km upstream to the Gariep (PK le Roux) and then another awesome stretch!

[RV4ker (RIP)]

The Amphibians I think has something to do with water Hyacinth if I can recall a conversation correctly with JetRanger. I was looking at this for Van der Kloof (HF Verwoed Dam). Awesome stretch of water for some 80km upstream to the Gariep (PK le Roux) and then another awesome stretch!

Ja that the story I got as well, but it OK to use your boat on Harties and then the Vaal and everything in between so what is the difference? (Jetski's are maybe better EG, since oukes seem to wash them less when taking out of the dam. Sometimes there is a couple KG's of the Hyacinth stuck to the trailer.....

Just want to confirm what the official story is. Do I lobby CAA or Dept of water afairs? CAA i see chance for, but eish wetter effairs are maybe a bridge too far.... Once at the dam would be lekka to be able to play with a wet trike going nowhere fast. There are so amny little dams etc which would make exploring a pleasure since we are no longer allowed to land on the roads (This was a Joke before I get moer'd)

[John Boucher]

Can imagine an old Catalina landing there scaring the shit out of all.... or even a good old Sunderland like in Table Bay years ago!

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Can imagine an old Catalina landing there scaring the shit out of all.... or even a good old Sunderland like in Table Bay years ago!

Small steps Grasshopper

[Goffel]

ok....lets try.

Radio station licence is needed ....(to have a pilots licence you are required to hold either a restricted or general radio licence).
To have and operate the radio,(even a hand-held) you are required to have a radio station licence.....yes, we will accept proof of pyement.

Fire exting...CAT's 91.04.21 (2) (1) (2).
An operator or owner may not operate an aircraft unless hand fire extings are provided for use in flight crew......
The type and quantity of extinguishing agent must be suitable for the kinds of fire likely to occurin the compartment where the extiguisher is intended to be used and for personal compartments, must minimise the hazard of toxic gas concentration.
At least ONE hand fire exting, containing Halon 1211, (bromochlorodifluoromethane) or equivalent as the exting agent and ust be conveniently located on the flight deck for use by the flight deck crew.
..
So quantity.....no specifications.
Halon......yes.
...
1st Aid kit.....(91.04.16), theoretically...yes, it must comply......realistically......
...
Map.....for flights of more than 20nm from the point of departure:9ANR's 11.6 (2), an aeronautical chart covering the whole route of the proposed flight.
..
Compass swing....only if you are certified to swing an aeronautical compass or a commercial pilot and higher.
....
If the little piece of paper falls off..... ...
..
Strips.....law does not say that you must carry strips.....but advisable...(space blanket will suffice).....or unused toilet paper if you so wish.
..
But you must carry the signal INSTRUCTIONS.
...
Certified copies......as long as the cirtificate/licence is valid, then so is the certified copy.
..................

Float planes..definitely the department of water affairs...(good luck there), it is to do with the Hyacinth.

.........
By the way, the weather on Sat was hot with an Easterly wind with turbulence and the time was 11:00 o clock......I think that is self explanetory.
...
Wargames.......unfortunately you do not know what happened and why the ATF was withdrawn for a certain person at Morningstar, but you are welcome to ask him what happened and why it was withdrawn, (in my presence please), thereafter, I can promise you, that will understand, and why sometimes it is better not to have interfering friends.....(I am also beginning to understand Boets comments as I believe he was only told one side of the story).
...
I will be in Cape Town from Sat for a week, so if there is anything you would like checked, give me a call and I can pop over to Morningstar and have a look/answer.

Hope this helps
Goffel

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Mooi Man.

Thanks for the efforts...

[AndyG]

Hi All,

I think that this thread could turn out to be one of the better ones we have had on the forum. Goffel has come forward and offered his assistance and I take my hat off to him. I cannot agree more with the sentiments that we all need to work together and what a pleasure to have one of the inspectors available to assist and advise. Welcome Goffel and once you get to know the guys on the forum you will see that we all are here for one reason only and that is because we are passionate about flight. Boet is also a great guy and going forward I think you will see that too.

Cheers,

Andy

[Beaver 550]

I Have worked with CAA for 30+ years. Insitutions exsists and survive because of gray area's. It is a job creator of note. I have an audit at least once a month. Every new arrival has a different angle on what is required and openly states what the previous guy wants is not required. We just do what the new inspector wants because we need the approval which is also not right. All we ask for is for is consistancy. Give us an aproved CAA check list so we can comply with it and the inspector can be consistant. I take my hat of to Goffel for comming on the forum. He seems to want to take some resposiblity. He is one of the few inspectors i know that is prepared to do this. I think we need to treat him with respect and keep him communicating with us. If we have a good relationship with him we can all learn. A lot of the guys agression is because of the inconsistancy and not knowing what is correct. And the inspectors should keep in mind you get more fly's with honey than Sh@t. What happened to the spell check

[Beaver 550]

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[mikemat]

Goffel, I happened to be at Morning Star on the morning in question cleaning my gyro, when I was alerted to the fact that a CAA official, you as it now turns out, was arriving at MS to do ramp inspections. Being relatively low hours and fairly new to flying, my immediate reaction was S*%T, why is he telling me this, and I got fight or flight syndrome. To my shame , I chose flight, simply because of the way that this was communicated to me. I would like to think that I am in full compliance with CAA requirements, with the exception of (I think?!) one small issue around fire extinguishers which I would like to constructively debate with you.

I regret my decision and would very much like if you could PM me and let me know if/when it would be convenient to meet you at Morning Star to take a look through my docs etc..

[Goffel]

With regard to the carriage of flight folios, I have found a contradiction between the CAT's, CAR's and ANR's...just give me time to get back to the office in a weeks time and I will go thru everything and give you the most correct answer.

I will also give all the ANR's pertaining to what is needed on/in the A/C so that everyone is on the same page, as Beaver is most definitely right in what he says about the difference in opinion on what is needed by different ispectors.......so if you have it in black and white with the relevent regs there is nothing contradictry after that.

The guys at Morningstar, if you see me walking around in shorts, plakkies and a T-shirt....I am not working undercover.....I have joined the club.

Goffel

[Grumpy]

Gee, This has become a very refreshing and constructive thread.........
Welcome goffel to this fraternity.

A while ago GA had similar problems with the 'powers that be' concerned with licensing and related issues. Along came Pierre and Willem from RAASA and on another thread you can see the positive comments on having them work with us. What a pleasure that whole process has become.

Now to be able to have you 'work with us'. as opposed to us 'running for cover' when you are around, bodes well for the future of this sport and hobby we so enjoy.

Theres nothing worse than to have 'kak' from authorities and your support dealing with CAA issues will go a long way to minimizing this.

A bright and safer future for GA seems imminent.
Congratulations and 'Welcome' again.