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Shreve '08!!!

While this thread started over a particular incident, my comments are general in nature. My comments are not directed at anyone in particular on the board.

As for the particular incident, I'll make this comment. Most of the items mentioned as defective are items you might expect to be defective on a generally neglected airplane. While it doesn't excuse the poor inspection, the fact that these items need attention is not totally unexpected. For example, in my opinion there are two kinds of exhaust. Those that have recently been worked on, and those that need it. I just purchased a 150M. When I got it home, the first thing I did was inspect the exhaust. Guess what, flame cone out. It had passed the annual. Crappy deal.

There is no question that there is much shoddy work going on out there. The first thing I do when buying an airplane is get the thing home and perform a basic safety inspection. As mentioned previously on this thread, many of the specific defects where easily detectable. I would suggest that any airplane purchased should have a similar inspection done immediately after the purchase. I would also suggest that relying exclusivly on a prepurchase inspection to gauge condition is not a great idea.

My comments about not turning the mechanics into the FAA stem mostly from comments I've heard around the airport in the last couple of years. It seems that many folks attitudes have migrated to "turn them into the FAA". We have several cases in recent years where someone has turned in a local person for some infraction and its turned into a witch hunt. Generally, these mechanics are good guys and they are not our enemy.

Turn the tables. We as pilots could be turned in for simple infractions, just like the mechanics. Any simple violation, from paperwork with our airplanes, to airspace, to cloud clearance, Etc, Etc. While we might consider any of these infractions minor on any given day, others might consider them major safety issues.

I say if no one has been physically hurt, keep the FAA out of it.

I heard a fella describe it pretty well recently: After the politicians eat the birthday cake the public gets to fight over the crumbs.

Frustrating indeed!!

When did you get in to politics <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />