Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 33

Thread: Registration Red Tape, Ain't This Fun!

Hybrid View

Previous Post Previous Post   Next Post Next Post
  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Posts
    2,575

    Registration Red Tape, Ain't This Fun!

    You would think that the employees at the FAA could find some real work to do, perhaps is closely supervising airline maintenance now that so much of it is outsourced to 2nd world and even 3rd world countries in Latin America, and most major airlines have gone through bankruptcy or are on the brink of it.

    And we know how busy they have been with vital safety work like making sure the Alec Baldwin doesn't use a cell phone on the airplane.

    And let's give them credit where due, last year there was not even one fatality on a major U S airline, so someone at the FAA and the airline must be doing something right.

    But, there must have been at least one employee with time on their hands and/or perhaps a grudge against private general aviation.

    The have come up with a scheme that we have to re-register all our planes. Now normally when the govt, any govt, does something new it is really all about money and whatever the disguise it is a way to get more money out of the public.
    But this does not seem to be the case here, they are only asking for $5 per plane.
    But it still a hassle and for no reason that I can discern.

    And they sent me a notice about it, well in advance. But did they do the logical thing and make the notice that they mailed out be the paper to re-register, so that an owner can just fill in a few lines and sign his name and mail it back with the $5? Heck no, that would be much too logical, and maybe not have enough paperwork to keep the employees going.

    No, we have to go online, to print out the silly form, the one they could have easily mailed me when they sent the notice. Now that may be really easy for someone who lives on a computer. But for me, I am not that good with a computer, so I have got to go find one with a printer that works, maybe the local office supply store and get them to print out this magic form, so I can send it in with my $5.

    So what the effect of this is that being able to use a computer or at least having someone to do it for you is now a defacto requirement to own a registered airplane.

    And most of all, I am 99 % sure that this is a total waste of time, that once all these forms are sent in, they will go into some file and never even be looked at again.
    And not one pilot will be any safer, or have any benefit at all from having any more red tape on file with the FAA.

    I have 2 main fuel tanks in my plane, and each has 2 indicators. One indicator is sometimes erratic. I could take the time to try to fix this now, once before it was a dirty ground wire. Or I could spend the time on this form nonsense. I guess I am a little old fashioned in my thinking that a fuel gauge might be more important that more red tape.
    Last edited by Bill Greenwood; 05-17-2012 at 09:33 PM.

  2. #2
    FlyingRon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    NC26 (Catawba, NC)
    Posts
    2,627
    Don't get me started. The Aircraft Registry has always been a pain in the butt to deal with even BEFORE the new system. Note that they don't provide a way to even do it PROPERLY online. So even if you did have a computer and internet, you can't just go there and submit the blasted reregistration (except for certain time windows with a MAGIC cookie that itself is mailed to you and not available online). I've been working for 12 years to get my wife's name changed to her married name (we bought the plane before we got married). It's a royal pain. I've even sent them a certified true copy of our marriage certificate. Bah!

    This is in stark contrast to the Airmen Registry which will take updates either online, on the phone, or in person. To get her name fixed on her pilot's certificate, we just walked up to the FAA registry guys at their table at Oshkosh (one of our honeymoon stops) and showed them the forms and they changed it on the spot. Of course the Aircraft people at the next table couldn't do that.

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Marietta, GA
    Posts
    963
    Another kicker on this system is that when you get the notice, you have a lengthy period (6 months?) to re-register. But if you pay the $5 bucks immediately, it appears that the 3 year re-registration clock starts again immediately, so you "lose" the grace period remaining on your current registration. Where this ends up is that many of us will be re-registering every 2.5 years, instead of every 3 years. You do have the choice to sit on the re-registration notice for 6 months and hope you don't forget, but forgetting to re-register will inevitably be more painful that registering every 2.5 years...

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Clarklake, MI
    Posts
    2,461
    If I was the gov., the last thing I would want is an accurate account of registered aircraft. Once updated and all the phantom airplanes are gone, the registry will reveal the FAA has >3 employees on the payroll for each airplane, underscoring waste, inefficency and redundancy. Then someone is going to realize the mandatory re-registration is an untapped cash cow. Enjoy the $5 registration while it last. Once the fee hikes start, there will be no limit.

  5. #5
    steveinindy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Indiana
    Posts
    1,449
    I've been working for 12 years to get my wife's name changed to her married name
    There's a reason why we're not putting our aircraft in our names but rather in the name of the company. Actually, there are several, but that's one of them.

    But, there must have been at least one employee with time on their hands and/or perhaps a grudge against private general aviation.
    I think they all work at either CAMI or the Indy FSDO. I've yet to run into anyone at either location who has anything I could classify as a 'grudge'. Hell, several of the FSDO guys were volunteers for one of the GA based charities I'm sort of involved with.

    And not one pilot will be any safer, or have any benefit at all from having any more red tape on file with the FAA
    Remember that the true role of any government agency is to ensure it's continued existence by doing as much busy work as possible so that they can show how important they are. Whether it serves a practical purpose is beside the point...

    The Aircraft Registry has always been a pain in the butt to deal with even BEFORE the new system.
    Even the guys I know at the FAA tend to use a lot of four letter words describing that branch. One of the senior guys I know at CAMI actually refers to the Aircraft Registry division as the "pre-retirement parking lot".

    I advised them I had not and the agent replied, "Didn't think so as the number was registered to a 1929 Waco CSO that really couldn't muster 230 kts."
    Jim, if it could, I would be begging you for a ride in it even more than I already do.

    Unlike you, I don't fear or suspect that someone is using my N # in Columbia.
    You'd be surprised how many times it happens. I've seen two planes with the same N number at the same airport before. Someone had some (*cue Ricky Ricardo*) 'splaining to do on that one I bet. Rule #1 of stealing someone's N-number: try to avoid parking two planes down from the guy whose number you're using.
    Unfortunately in science what you believe is irrelevant.

    "I'm an old-fashioned Southern Gentleman. Which means I can be a cast-iron son-of-a-***** when I want to be."- Robert A. Heinlein.



  6. #6

    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    FA40
    Posts
    767
    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Greenwood View Post
    ...way to get more money out of the public.
    But this does not seem to be the case here, they are only asking for $5 per plane...
    I am 99 % sure that this is a total waste of time, that once all these forms are sent in, they will go into some file and never even be looked at again. And not one pilot will be any safer, or have any benefit at all from having any more red tape on file with the FAA.
    it's only five bucks this time. but the enacting legislation allows for price increases without coming back to congress. any bets it will stay five bucks for long?

    i think (think, meaning no basis in fact need be quoted to back up my dismal prognosis) that the purpose behind all this is to cull the aircraft registry. many folks won't pay even five bucks to keep a dataplate alive. when the dust clears next year and all the registrations are done, i think there will be a big drop in total "general aviation aircraft" and thus reason to discount our interests, freedoms, and concerns relative to other "stakeholders" in various aviation-related issues. such as:

    http://www.9news.com/rss/story.aspx?storyid=268207
    http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/05/...e-nato-summit/

  7. #7
    rosiejerryrosie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Carlisle, PA
    Posts
    392
    All you folks who are complaining -- How often do you have to re-regester your automobile? And how much does THAT cost?
    Cheers,
    Jerry

    NC22375
    65LA out of 07N Pennsylvania

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    FA40
    Posts
    767
    Quote Originally Posted by rosiejerryrosie View Post
    All you folks who are complaining -- How often do you have to re-regester your automobile? And how much does THAT cost?
    gosh gee golly, i didn't realize i even had to register my automobile with the federal government! much less RE-register it! thanks for letting me know.

    seriously, since 1903 there has been no requirement to re-register an airplane with the federal government. i find it incredulous that suddenly, with the nation gazillions of pennies in debt, it is suddenly imperative to re-register aircraft every few years for the paltry sum of ANYTHING - other than the opportunity to get the camel's nose into the tent so when the price goes up, people are willing to say, "All you folks who are complaining -- How often do you have to re-register your automobile? And how much does THAT cost?" when we all know that registering automobiles is nothing but a cash cow. after all, when andrew cunanan stole william reese's truck in may 1997, it wasn't found until after cunanan killed gianni versace two months later. if they couldn't find the truck of a murder victim, driven by a nationally-pursued serial killer, until AFTER cunanan committed suicide - why bother to register motor vehicles at all? $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Clarklake, MI
    Posts
    2,461
    Quote Originally Posted by cdrmuetzel@juno.com View Post
    gosh gee golly, i didn't realize i even had to register my automobile with the federal government! much less RE-register it! thanks for letting me know.

    seriously, since 1903 there has been no requirement to re-register an airplane with the federal government. i find it incredulous that suddenly, with the nation gazillions of pennies in debt, it is suddenly imperative to re-register aircraft every few years for the paltry sum of ANYTHING - other than the opportunity to get the camel's nose into the tent so when the price goes up, people are willing to say, "All you folks who are complaining -- How often do you have to re-register your automobile? And how much does THAT cost?" when we all know that registering automobiles is nothing but a cash cow. after all, when andrew cunanan stole william reese's truck in may 1997, it wasn't found until after cunanan killed gianni versace two months later. if they couldn't find the truck of a murder victim, driven by a nationally-pursued serial killer, until AFTER cunanan committed suicide - why bother to register motor vehicles at all? $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
    LOL......good response. If the fed gov implemented the same oversight for autos they would have to hire 3-4 employees for every car on the road. On a positive note, that would certainly solve the unemployment problem in this country...lol
    Last edited by martymayes; 05-18-2012 at 01:52 PM.

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Indiana
    Posts
    112
    Well, there is always passive non-compliance.
    I have a saying that I repeat often.... "you're as free as you want to be..... as long as you're willing to pay the consequences and fight for it.
    The question is, how free are YOU.?? for most the money comes easier than consequences.
    Last edited by Racegunz; 05-18-2012 at 01:42 PM.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •