After 24 years of flying fighters in the U.S. Air Force, including a tour with the Thunderbirds, I retired in 2006 and started a new career as an airline pilot. Concurrently, the Patriots Jet Team, flying Experimental Aero L-39s, invited me to join its aerobatic team. After coming up as a pilot in general aviation in the early 1980s, I was excited to recultivate my civilian aviation roots. I had always believed that the FAA existed to promote a safe and mature approach to aviation. Little did I know that my assumptions would be severely challenged after a series of flights in January 2014.
A Tale of Two FAAs
Key Takeaways:
- A highly experienced pilot and instructor faced arbitrary and unjust enforcement actions from regional FAA offices for a meticulously planned experimental aircraft flight, despite adhering to regulations.
- The FAA repeatedly violated its own policies and the pilot's Bill of Rights by improperly reopening a closed case and coercing him into a settlement for alleged DPA overflights, a term it inconsistently defined.
- After a two-year battle involving political advocacy and FOIA requests, higher levels of the FAA acknowledged the regional offices' "arbitrary and capricious" conduct, ultimately expunging the pilot's record, refunding his fine, and highlighting the need for internal reform.
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