X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:54:35 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from mail-yw0-f52.google.com ([209.85.213.52] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.4.4) with ESMTPS id 5485195 for lml@lancaironline.net; Tue, 17 Apr 2012 10:31:09 -0400 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=209.85.213.52; envelope-from=mehapgood@gmail.com Received: by yhpp61 with SMTP id p61so3071481yhp.25 for ; Tue, 17 Apr 2012 07:30:32 -0700 (PDT) Received: by 10.236.192.230 with SMTP id i66mr15826145yhn.92.1334673032841; Tue, 17 Apr 2012 07:30:32 -0700 (PDT) X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from [192.168.2.92] (rrcs-70-61-86-226.midsouth.biz.rr.com. [70.61.86.226]) by mx.google.com with ESMTPS id q1sm37175605ane.21.2012.04.17.07.30.29 (version=SSLv3 cipher=OTHER); Tue, 17 Apr 2012 07:30:31 -0700 (PDT) X-Original-Sender: Matt Hapgood User-Agent: Microsoft-MacOutlook/14.2.0.120402 X-Original-Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2012 10:30:23 -0400 Subject: Re: [LML] ensure your transponder works From: Matt Hapgood X-Original-To: Lancair List X-Original-Message-ID: Thread-Topic: [LML] ensure your transponder works In-Reply-To: Mime-version: 1.0 Content-type: multipart/alternative; boundary="B_3417503430_202049" > This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand this format, some or all of this message may not be legible. --B_3417503430_202049 Content-type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable Wish I were dealing with such a compassionate FAA office. I've been communicating for 4 weeks with ORL FAA regarding a lost comm episode in my 360. I was IFR and lost comm (IFR flight, maintained clearance, route, altitude, etc.). When I realized the radio had gone quiet I started callin= g for radio checks and using comm 2. Consulted charts, reached the next controller (on Comm 1) and resumed normal flight (ending with instrument approach into my home airport). FAA is all worked up because of 23 minutes of lost comm. I recognize it's not a short amount of time, but they are indicating they will take administrative action. I'm frustrated because I feel like I did everything right. 23 minutes of lost comm was probably 15 to 18 minutes of silence before I started trying radio checks and consulting the charts. The next week I flew the same route and timed every gap of "silence". It was the Sunday that Sun-N-Fun let out and I still had 13 minutes of silence with one controller (this was in FL). But the ORL FAA inspector is very worked up that my lost comm was over 20 minutes=8A So BEWARE and make sure your radios have good reception! And I'm still not sure why I lost comm. The reception has never been great in my little bird (internal antennas), but the only reasonable explanation is that my wife, who often uses the volume control on the headset cord so she can take a little cat-nap, accidentally adjusted my volume to zero, the= n adjusted it back up after we were out of ATC's transmitter range. She coul= d have confused the two controls (they both are tucked into the center armrest). So beware of the possible risks. The FAA may or may not be compassionate. Matt From: Reply-To: Lancair List Date: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 9:52 AM To: Lancair List Subject: [LML] ensure your transponder works Dear subscribers Last week I flew from my home airport in Ohio to the Linden Airport (KLDJ - about 10 miles south of Newark). I flew into this airport IFR before and I recall the controller asking me if I could finish my flight VFR because of all the traffic in this area. This time I decided not to bother anybody and go VFR from the start since the weather was fine. I had a Garmin 320 transponder and the amber light was happily flashing all the way to New York. What I did not know was that the transponder failed and was not sending out a signal.... When I landed the airport stuff came up immediately and told me to call NY FAA. They filed then a Mode C violation and told me not to move the plane without permission. After I hung up with them I got a call from our front desk at my home airport. Homeland security called them while I was still in the air and asked about this airplane that departed from this airport. Fortunately the girl knew me and gave them the right answers. I got a weather briefing before I left. I don't know if this helped. I haven't heard from Homeland Security so far... When I wanted to move the 4P away from the fuel pump my starter died. I had to stay the night and order a new starter overnight. The folks from the Linden airport let me use their hangar because of my emergency situation for free. Tom Madden from AOG aircraft services helped me with ordering the starter, flew my transponder to another airport for bench check, found me a used Garmin 327 transponder replacement, worked with me on the installation of the starter, let me use all his tools and charged me in the end 600$ !!! - what a positive experience in this whole mess!! After explaining the FAA that the old transponder failed and I had a replacement in place I got permission to leave Linden the next day. The new transponder works and everybody can see me again. The FAA indicated that since I have a work order for testing the old transponder (Tom Madden's recommendation) they will drop my charges. I would have never guessed that you can get yourself in so much trouble by just flying VFR..... Ralf -- For archives and unsub http://mail.lancaironline.net:81/lists/lml/List.html --B_3417503430_202049 Content-type: text/html; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable
Wish I we= re dealing with such a compassionate FAA office.  I've been communicati= ng for 4 weeks with ORL FAA regarding a lost comm episode in my 360.  I= was IFR and lost comm (IFR flight, maintained clearance, route, altitude, e= tc.).  When I realized the radio had gone quiet I started calling for r= adio checks and using comm 2.  Consulted charts, reached the next contr= oller (on Comm 1) and resumed normal flight (ending with instrument approach= into my home airport).

FAA is all worked= up because of 23 minutes of lost comm.  I recognize it's not a short a= mount of time, but they are indicating they will take administrative action.=  I'm frustrated because I feel like I did everything right.  23 m= inutes of lost comm was probably 15 to 18 minutes of silence before I starte= d trying radio checks and consulting the charts. 

The next week I flew the same route and timed every gap of "si= lence".  It was the Sunday that Sun-N-Fun let out and I still had 13 mi= nutes of silence with one controller (this was in FL).  But the ORL FAA= inspector is very worked up that my lost comm was over 20 minutes… &n= bsp;So BEWARE and make sure your radios have good reception!

=
And I'm still not sure why I lost comm. The reception has never been = great in my little bird (internal antennas), but the only reasonable explana= tion is that my wife, who often uses the volume control on the headset cord = so she can take a little cat-nap, accidentally adjusted my volume to zero, t= hen adjusted it back up after we were out of ATC's transmitter range.  = She could have confused the two controls (they both are tucked into the cent= er armrest).  So beware of the possible risks.  The FAA may or may= not be compassionate.

Matt

From: &l= t;bronnenmeier@GROBSYSTEMS.COM= >
Reply-To: Lancair List &l= t;lml@lancaironline.net>
Date: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 9:52 AMTo: Lancair List <lml@lancaironline.net>
Subject: [LML] ensure your transponder works
<= div>
Dear subscribers

Last = week I flew from my home airport in Ohio to the Linden Airport
(KL= DJ - about 10 miles south of Newark). I flew into this airport IFR
before and I recall the controller asking me if I could finish my flight
VFR because of all the traffic in this area. This time I decided not= to
bother anybody and go VFR from the start since the weather was= fine.

I had a Garmin 320 transponder and the amber= light was happily flashing
all the way to New York. What I did no= t know was that the transponder
failed and was not sending out a s= ignal....

When I landed the airport stuff came up i= mmediately and told me to call
NY FAA. They filed then a Mode C vi= olation and told me not to move the
plane without permission.

After I hung up with them I got a call from our front = desk at my home
airport. Homeland security called them while I was= still in the air and
asked about this airplane that departed from= this airport. Fortunately
the girl  knew me and gave th= em the right answers. I got a weather
briefing before I left. I do= n't know if this helped. I haven't heard
from Homeland Security so= far...

When I wanted to move the 4P away from the = fuel pump my starter died. I
had to stay the night and order a new= starter overnight. The folks from
the Linden airport let me use t= heir hangar because of my emergency
situation for free. Tom Madden= from AOG aircraft services helped me with
ordering the starter, f= lew my transponder to another airport for bench
check, found me a = used Garmin 327 transponder replacement, worked with
me on the ins= tallation of the starter, let me use all his tools and
charged me = in the end 600$ !!! - what a positive experience in this
whole mes= s!!

After explaining the FAA that the old transpond= er failed and I had a
replacement in place I got permission to lea= ve Linden the next day. The
new transponder works and everybody ca= n see me again. The FAA indicated
that since I have a work order f= or testing the old transponder (Tom
Madden's recommendation) they = will drop my charges.

I would have never guessed th= at you can get yourself in so much trouble
by just flying VFR.....=

Ralf


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