In reply to 500E
I also was a victim of the FAA's witch hunt on these Alo's. Marpat was definitely no saint and they aggravated the FAA - hurting us even more. Import paperwork was not perfected and slipped thru the cracks for years. Then a few crooks, pulled 1 too many shady deals with these helicopters and the FAA and Eurocopter USA woke up. Thanks Fulton! The story of the FAA telling the DGAC not to release paperwork is a crock. The factory has that - but it is all on microfiche and they don't have a reader any more. So they have to get an outside source in to research and scan. Took time, but we got our paperwork. In fact, the DGAC wondered what the FAA's problem was and was on the owners side.
Bloody French and overhaul prices on the Alo's & Lama's components is so damn spendy it is tough to see a profit. That is if you go by the book on your maintenance!!
And the FAA inspectors had no idea on what they were looking at or understanding the French records or maintenance manual or even their own FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet (changed it 3 times in such years trying to get it right prior to the lynching). Or Marpat chasing them (the FAA) with a shotgun in one hand and a bottle of moonshine in the other!
Last edited by captyankee; 14th Sep 2010 at 00:25.
Reason: added title