Federal Air Regulations
The basic intent of the FARs is to promote safety. Over time this intent has been revised and amended to where absolute safety is equated with absolute control. Today's FARs are very specific to every foreseeable event based only on what has happened previously. As one of my students recently told me, "The airframe is not on the minimum equipment list, why?"

While most pilots mainly deal with FAR Parts 61 and 91, there are actually 199 different FAR Parts. It takes three volumes of nearly 2000 pages to contain the complete FARs. Ignorance of any of the FARs can never be used as an excuse from FAA sanction.

Only FARs Generally Applicable to General Aviation pilots.
Volume I (Parts 1 to 59)
Part 1 Definitions and Abbreviations
Volume II (Parts 60 to 139)
Part 61 Certification of Pilots and Flight Instructors
Part 67 Medical Standards and Certification
Part 71 Designation of Federal Airways & Airspace
Part 73 Special Use Airspace
Part 91 General Operating and Flight Rules
Part 97 Standard Instrument Approach Procedures
Part 135 Air Taxi and Commercial Operators
Volume III (Parts 140 to 199)
Part 141 Pilot Schools

It all started with the 1926 Air Commerce Act, which formed a federal bureau. Aircraft numbers and performance soon brought about a complete overhaul in 1958 when the Federal Aviation Agency (Administration) was created to make all safety rules. Like Topsey, it grew. In 1967 the National Transportation Safety Board was created as part of the Department of Transportation. In 1974 the NTSB became an independent agency making 'finding fault' more likely to finger the FAA for its mistakes.

The most likely unpleasantness that is going to occur to the pilot of the 90's is a meeting with the FAA over some infraction of the FAR's. Low flights account for more NTSB appeals than any other type of violation. Following ATC instructions that include low flight have been found in violation. Congested area flight is wide open for FAA/NTSB second-guessing.
The FARs are deliberately vague. The use of imprecise terms helps when government agencies enforce regulations. The violation is determined by subjective judgment. However, if an accident occurs, that's proof of a violation.

It is somewhat contradictory that with a third class medical you can take and pass the requirements for the commercial and ATP ratings while being unable to use them until or unless a higher class medical is obtained.

FAR 61 changes in August 1997
--The term 'authorized instructor' is now used for all instructors.
· Cross country time requires a landing destination and use of a
navigational method. No distance is required except for more than
50 NM straight line when required for getting a rating such as
private pilot.
..Pilot and medical certificates must be in personal possession.
..Powered-lift aircraft is a new category.
..Ability the write English required.
..No medical required from flight instructor if not PIC or required crew.
..Complex and high performance airplanes require separate endorsements.
..Endorsements required for altitude, type rating, and tailwheel.
..30 day wait between tests no longer exists.
..Student pilot solo time is PIC time.
..Second in command time requires you be both required and qualified.
..24 month flight review required, new rating, or award program will count.
--Instrument currency requires 6 approaches, holding, tracking via nav.
--VFR type ratings no longer allowed.
--Instrument rating requires only 50 hours x-country time. 40 hours of time of which 15 is with CFII. 250 NM IFR flight with three approaches.
Private pilot requires 3 hours hood, 3 hours x-country training, and 100 nm night flight and only 150 nm x-country.
--CFR self endorsements not allowed.

1999 Changes
--AIM
--New Landing procedure
Do not exit the landing runway on to another runway without ATC authorization.

--New flight procedure
Do not pass aircraft called by ATC as a 'factor' until it is in landing phase,  is on the missed, has turned away, or flies a diverging course.

Violation Possibles:
Descending from pattern altitude before turning base (local law)
Failure to obtain information prior to flight.
Improper altitude for direction of flight.
Failure to communicate before entering Class D airspace.
Failure to obtain proper clearance into Class B airspace.
Failure to follow clearance as given.
Failure to have radio volume high enough to hear ATC.
Failure to have a current sectional or Area chart.
Making a low pass over an uncontrolled runway

The most likely pilot/aircraft violation according to FAA statistics is going to be an airspace violation. The pilot who does not know where he is not going to know what to say and when. Most often the pilot has a fear of contacting too soon. Far better, too soon than late or even not at all. Chart reading is quite often a major part of the problem. More often it is deficient pilotage skills in recognition and orientation. In recent memory from just flights of this year I have heard pilots give their positions which along with altitude would place them in my cockpit. Two minutes later it becomes apparent that what they were reporting was what they could see, not where they were.

Condition Notices
A Condition Notice is a form used by the FAA Flight Standards Services when an FAA inspector does a ramp inspection on aircraft. This inspection can occur at any time but no authority exists to allow opening or entry into the aircraft. The form allows exterior inspection for discrepancies only.

The aircraft cannot be grounded by this inspection or form. Once the discrepancies have been confirmed by mechanic or owner/operator then any flight would require a one flight ferry permit to a repair site. The form has an auxiliary form titles "Certification of Corrective Action" with provision for the signature of the mechanic doing the repair work. There is no penalty for not completing this part.

FAA Enforcement
FAA inspector may give warning. To initiate action inspector must prepare an Enforcement Investigative Report and gather evidence to support such action. Pilots are expected to have a compliance attitude.

Aviation Safety Reporting System
AC No: 00-46D
Aviation Safety Reporting Program (ASRP)
/ASRP lets those involved with flying provide raw data to NASA for processing and analysis with assured anonymity. The reports cannot be used for FAA/NTSB enforcement action unless a crime is involved.

I would urge every pilot to have several blank Aviation Safety Reporting Forms on every flight. In circumstances where you think you may have exposed yourself to an FAA/FAR violation, completing the form will protect you from FAA sanctions if the act was not intentional. NASA uses the form to make safety recommendations to the FAA to prevent ATC/pilot safety problems. If you don't have the form just send a letter
to:
Aviation Safety Reporting System
P.O. Box 189
Moffett Field, CA
94035-0189

While you're at it, ask to be put on their "Callback" mailing list. It is the best free flying publication in the world.

The purpose of ASRS is to promote flying safety in all aspects of flying by allow the little guy pilot to safely submit material to whose who can make improvement without fear of retribution. Only accidents and crime are not exempt from this protection. (NASA Form 277B at http://asrs.arc.nasa.gov) The pilot who submits an ASRS report gets a receipt that must be saved since all other identification is removed. Should the FAA initiate action
the receipt is your ticket out of trouble.
--2/3 of 277Bs are submitted by airline pilots.
--G/A sent in 23 percent.
--About 1/4 of forms get special study.
--100 of 34000 got to manufacturers.
--67 go to FAA as alerts
--FAA averages 3000 enforcement actions against pilots.
--30-percent had certificates revoked or suspended.
--2/3 of actions were against pilots who fly for a living
--15-percent of private pilots won against the FAA.
--25 percent of private pilots received revoked or suspended licenses.
--Only one in 100 of private pilots violated were exempted because of filed 277Bs.
--Three of ten commercial pilots violated avoided the problem via 277Bs.
--One in ten of ATP violated escaped because of filed 277Bs.
The get Immunity:
--What you did must be inadvertent
--Must not be accident, crime or lack of qualification
--Must have receipt showing Form 277B filed within ten days.
--Can be used only once in five years.

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