What Power Does the FAA Have?

Here is a picture of the guy if anyone wants to drop a dime on him.
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Hummm... Same guy?
 
I think a bigger threat is your insurance company denying your claim, if/when you crash operating outside the rules.

Yep. My policy says,

"Your policy wil be effective while the aircraft is in flight only [emphasis in original] if all of the following four (4) conditions are met:
1. The pilot flying the aircraft must maintain a valid pilot certificate (including the appropriate ratings) and valid medical certificate as required by the Federal Aviation Administration or its approved equivalent.
[...]​

I've actually seen that happen.
Me too.

People use social media and post all sorts of things about themselves. And it's free to anyone who wants to read it. Think about it. Not sure how you could feel "threatened" when it is you posting the information online. o_O

If you make an insurance claim for personal injury, your Facebook page is the first thing the insurance company looks at. Insurance company lawyers often seek court orders requiring claimants to "friend" the insurance company to open up their FB account, and/or disclose their user name and password on every message board they've ever used -- and courts in many jurisdictions issue such orders.

Here's a cut-and-paste from a set of Requests for Production we received from a big-name insurance defense firm on one of our personal injury cases ...

1. Please produce ********’s electronic devices, including, but not limited to, cell phone(s), computer(s), cameras, iPod(s) and/or iPad(s) to forensic expert [name, address redacted] for evaluation, identification, examination, collection and preservation of all digital evidence contained on ********’s cell phone(s), computer(s), iPad(s) and/or iPod(s).

2. Please produce a copy of ********'s electronic device records, including but not limited to, cell phone records for any and all cell phones identified in response to Interrogatory Nos. 3, 4 and 7 including, but not limited to, any and all text messages received or sent by ******** on any phone from the date of the accident to the present date.

3. Please produce ********’s electronic devices, including, but not limited to, cell phone(s), camera, iPods, iPad(s) and/or computers he used from the date of the accident to the current date.

4. Please produce an electronic copy/.PST file of ********’s personal and/or work Outlook files/folders, including, but not limited to, calendars and emails (inbox, sent, deleted and/or archived).

5. If you have a Facebook account, please provide a complete zip file of your Facebook information. This can be accomplished on the Facebook website by going to Account, selecting Account Settings, and then clicking the "learn more" link on the line that states "Download Your Information." Follow the directions contained on that page and provide the resulting zip file via e-mail, CD/DVD, or thumb drive, as you prefer. If you choose one of the latter options for production and would like a CD/DVD or thumb drive provided to you, please advise and one will be provided by the undersigned.

One of the partners in our law firm was formerly an insurance defense attorney. Going to the claimants' FB page first thing was S.O.P. in his former practice, and for the insurance companies he worked for. They want to harvest whatever they can online as soon as possible, in case the claimant later starts deleting things.

If it's your own insurance company you're fighting with, the company will request whatever they want; and if it's not forthcoming, deny coverage under the cooperation clause of the policy.

You think FAA wouldn't do likewise?
 
As far as I know, possession of firearms in the US is legal. The FAA aren't the guys to enforce infractions of that nature anyway.

And a whole bunch of people have told you exactly what the FAA can do and what it would take to get them to do it.

In other words, you have no proof whatsoever that he's doing anything illegal other than flying when he shouldn't. Yet you denigrate the FAA for doing nothing. The law doesn't operate on hearsay, thankfully.

I'm not sure where I denigrated them or said they're doing nothing.

I never said the guns were illegal. In fact, someone else mentioned he might be in trouble for it and I clearly said the FAA said it wasn't illegal.

Again... I never asked anyone for their advice on what needs to be done to get the FAA to do anything. I asked what power they had, and got answers. I don't plan to do anything whether you or anyone else thinks I should. I'm not easily influence by opinions of others.

It's not in other words, it's in my words that I couldn't gather proof right now if I wanted to, but I'm not in your Little Detectives Club, so I prefer not to anyway. This guy has shown very reckless behavior and is now in what he thinks is a disguise, carrying a weapon (at least one that I know of), not my fight. I don't plan on standing in the bushes to snap shots of him.

What I presented are facts from the FAA and the guy I'm speaking about. This guy was a close friend of mine until he started doing stupid pilot tricks. The two passengers he had that night that didn't pay are pilots. He deceived them in to going along for fun, not telling them he wasn't supposed to have passengers. They didn't know he wasn't a commercial pilot either.

I didn't think I needed to include that I was interviewed by the FAA because I picked up my friends who went along for the ride. One of the investigators knows me well and he either saw me that night or on film later, so they called me. I believe they were watching to see if the pilot took them in his plane after being advised not to. Then they gave me a lot of examples of incidents in the last year, in Texas, where non-commercial pilots were giving commercial rides and killed everyone on board. They told me this is a real issue. When questioned, I told the 100% truth. I've seen his website, I've heard him say he was giving commercial rides, I've never seen him load passengers in the plane personally. I've seen him spray paint his planes many times after flying through a storm. I've been in the plane with him before all of this happened when he flew hard IFR and never filed (I'm a VFR pilot). They know everything I know and more, except for the fact that he's still flying, and they may know that.

The basic facts:
  • He was flying commercial flights.
  • He's not a commercial pilot.
  • He crashed right after dropping off passengers from one of these flights.
  • He crashed because he ran out of fuel.
  • He continued to give commercial flights after this crash.
  • He was busted by the FAA giving these rides.
  • They asked him to surrender his license.
  • He ordered a new one, which he had to surrender.
  • He is still flying.
  • He is still flying in storms so bad he has to spray paint the plane afterwards.
What I've heard, but I haven't seen:
  • He's still giving commercial rides.
Maybe they aren't dropping the ball, maybe they are, but just the facts... no hearsay, should take him out of the air.
 
To add a little more to the story... anyone remember this post? Click Here Same guy, different plane.
 
The other thread you pointed too seems like a fake for sale post.
I promise you it’s not. I told him to take the ad down. He thought it wasn’t bad. You can see the same plane in some of my photo posts when I was using it as a photo plane.
 
I am becoming more and more convinced that the government rules primarily by intimidation.
You needed to be convinced? Some said, about two thousand years ago, that all government is force. Nothing has changed.
 
He's already "outed." The FAA knows all about the guy. That's the whole point.
It's not the FAA I care about. It's potential customers. If someone posted on the B&B site that the pilot and his plane aren't certified to fly (at all, let alone on-demand air taxi) it may hurt someone in the wallet, and perhaps save a life.
 
How much different are the unlicensed rogue land taxis? Picking up clients in unsafe vehicles and having an unlicensed driver... More people are exposed to that risk on a regular basis. Maybe the DoT should focus their efforts on that first?


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There was a part 134.5’er operating I think out of a local airport. Advertised bypassing traffic of driving to the big 4 airports in my area. EWR,LGA,JFK and PHL. Was picking up ppl and dropping ppl off at our field. I think in a 182. Was coming in and out in some crazy weather. Was around early last year for a bit then just dropped off the radar so to speak. Wasn’t based at my field but was picking up and dropping off often weird hours.
 
Ask Boeing what power the FAA has.
How many had to die, in how many distinct events for the FAAther to wake up.

And how much public outcry and media coverage was necessary to poke the bear?

And, how well did "the honor system" and "self certification" work?
 
How many had to die, in how many distinct events for the FAAther to wake up.

And how much public outcry and media coverage was necessary to poke the bear?

And, how well did "the honor system" and "self certification" work?
Oh, please. Our entire company works under that ODA system, as do many. It works fine; I'm elbows deep in it every single day. But even with the government more deeply involved (because they're here to help you, ya know), it would not make any difference unless the government was competent and incorruptible. And that, my friend, is a fantasy.
 
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The weapon didn't phase them. He had video of someone flying in the back of his plane with the doors off shooting it. They told him it wasn't wise, but not really illegal. It wasn't hunting, just firing it

There are classes/training available to private citizens where you're taught to shoot from a helicopter. My Dad got to do it, his boss sent all upper management to the class as a Christmas bonus. It's a construction company, not something door gunning would be of any real use. Just for fun, unless Dad is a supersecret agent and I don't know it.
 
Really issue is not age, it's black commercial ops. Clearly illegal. Max 5 years in jail / 250,000 fine if they choose to ask the DOJ to prosecute, probably per occurrence. Flagrant, so he's likely to get the max if they choose to ask the DOJ to prosecute.
 
A lot bigger fish to fry than some rogue UberAir operator. DoJ resources have been overwhelmed for decades. BUT if the media makes a deal out of it, then a US Rep’s office will receive complaints and/or want the press exposure, then they will put pressure on the DoJ to follow up and quash the illegal operatOR. Just one man; not the entire illegal system. That’s how it works. Loose lips sink ships.


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There are classes/training available to private citizens where you're taught to shoot from a helicopter. My Dad got to do it, his boss sent all upper management to the class as a Christmas bonus. It's a construction company, not something door gunning would be of any real use. Just for fun, unless Dad is a supersecret agent and I don't know it.
Good for coyote or deer culling.
 
Moreover, if he really is carrying a loaded semiautomatic weapon into an aircraft he may be in violation of more than one state or Federal firearm regulation, since aircraft have a bad habit of crossing state lines.
What federal or state laws is this likely violating?
 
Honestly, I can't believe you aren't willing to report that. If I knew of something like that going on and didn't say anything and the guy killed some innocent slobs, I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing that I could have done something about it.
Maybe you should read the whole thread. The FAA knows everything I know. What would you like me to do? I guess I could lie and say I watched him load passengers into the plane and saw them hand him cash.
 
Make no mistake, I think that the SAT FSDO definitely watches social media - to a creepy extent. To a degree, I understand it, but it still feels like a violation of the 4th amendment.

Please elaborate on this. How can information that you freely post on a social media site be protected in any way by the the forth amendment? And if you think it's a privacy issue, you waived any right you had to privacy (in regards to the content posted) when you willfully posted it on social media.
 
What if it was posted in "private" mode and only available to my friends and apparently government agencies trolling? That and other reasons is why I no longer have Facebook...

There is no such thing as true privacy online. None! However, in reference to you question, how do you know that someone on your list of allowed viewers, didn't then innocently post a picture or comment you made, on another one of their public sites? You don't.

Never assume privacy online!
 
No, the FAA, and all the other government agencies, including the NSA, need to go back and honor the intent of the 4th amendment, the right of the people to be secure in their papers, and that should include written communication with friends - digital or analog - set to "private" or "friends only" unless they actually go get a warrant.
If the problem is real enough that it warrants a warrant, go get the warrant and fully prosecute the deal.

Generally you are not wrong, but once you share information, you no longer have any control of what others do with that information.

I agree that the NSA should not be hacking your passwords or using backdoors, etc.. to view your content. But I'm also intelligent enough to realize that anything I put online, is NOT SAFE an any shape or form. And that is even more true for any information I share with others.

Once it's in their hands, it's out of mine.
 
Time to troll the thread...

Does the fake charter pilot fly more than most here spending their time posting about him?

Is he way more proficient?

:)

No I don’t agree with what he’s doing in the slightest, but I bet those who claim that he will kill himself or passengers are wrong... and may even be less proficient as he is... if put to an objective test.

Hand grenade thrown... lol.
 
I'm not advocating just making an observation, I think if most people knew how many uninsured, revoked and suspended drivers they passed by on the highway everyday...

I swear that every time someone gets revoked or suspended they are driving the next day, sometimes in another accident within weeks.

I'd say good 15% of these people aren't legal to be in the country and if someone dies in an accident they are involved in they flee the country.

Great comment, for automobile travel is closer to 1/3 of drivers have no insurance and maybe no current operator License. How safe do you feel now?
 
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