Mailing List lml@lancaironline.net Message #61672
From: Matt Hapgood <matt.hapgood@alumni.duke.edu>
Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net>
Subject: Re: [LML] ensure your transponder works
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:54:35 -0400
To: <lml@lancaironline.net>
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 calling 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…  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, then 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 center armrest).  So beware of the possible risks.  The FAA may or may not be compassionate.

Matt

From: <bronnenmeier@GROBSYSTEMS.COM>
Reply-To: Lancair List <lml@lancaironline.net>
Date: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 9:52 AM
To: Lancair List <lml@lancaironline.net>
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



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