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FAA fires Texas DPE....For What Now???

Glad to see this story is hitting the mainstream. Curious to see how the FAA Public Relations department spins it. Ken has done more to promote safe operations in the real world than most any FAA person I know. Bureaucrats.
 
It sounds like that FAA desk jockey is trying to make a name for himself, or justify his job, and is of the same caliber as the guy that grounded Bob Hoover.
 
It sounds like that FAA desk jockey is trying to make a name for himself, or justify his job, and is of the same caliber as the guy that grounded Bob Hoover.
One of them is getting close to retirement and maybe he is jockeying for Ken's job.
 
It seems to me that this DPE saying “you know how to do this? In a someone else’s airplane” is about as much of an admonishment as a man can make. If this is the whole story, its the FAA who should be admonished. I have responded to questions about “waterskiing airplanes” by saying that some people think that might be a good idea. My response has never been taken by anybody as anything less than the DIG that it was intended as.

The section that Wittekiend said concerned the FAA is at the 1:22:48 point in the video.
 
As noted above, Ken is a good guy, and has no doubt been a great contributor to aviation education and flight safety.

Well never know what agenda prompted this shameful “ambush”. Unfortunately, the FAA seems to be hard wired to never reverse themselves.

My sympathies to Ken, and to a generation of aviators who won’t have the privilege and learning experience of a practical test with him.

MTV
 
There are those times the able minded, skilled people don't fit in with those that are incompetent and have no clue what their rules mean. Those rules that prevent the evolution of safety and efficiency.
 
One of them is getting close to retirement and maybe he is jockeying for Ken's job.

Might be something to that Steve.

Unfortunately, I don't believe I know Ken, and I don't deal with that FSDO...

That said, from afar there is something underlying this situation. Could be that had been an argument or discussion, or series of, in which the FAA (one guy that is a retired military in charge of ensuring all pilots have the correct number of gloves in their flight bag now FAA inspector?) and DPE in which the DPE has prevailed as the more knowledgeable one. Some government employees love power, and don't like feeling less knowledgeable than civilians.

This reminds me of the silly shoulder harness and gear light approval requirement 25 years back, the FAA was making everyone take our shoulder harness out and lights off our gear out fish spotting unless 'proper approval' was had, (and not allowed without specific mounting brackets etc.). Most people just pulled the stuff out for annuals and 100 hours, then put it back when we left Anchorage because a shoulder harness wrapped around the tube was much safer than none at all- and flashing lights using automobile blinkers were better than mid-airs.

My guess is after six months few will remember this, and the FAA guy will still be an A$$ to most he deals with, promoting safety through aviation prevention.
 
This kind of stuff just burns my a$$. In 40+ years being involved with the FAA every once in a while you’d run across a situation or person that proves common sense is out the window. Maybe there’s more to this than we know, but if there were legitimate concerns with this guy then they should have been the reason for any “discipline”, not this crap.

I was flying an FAA maintenance charter years ago to Middleton Island. No weather reporting, so couldn’t legally fly an approach. About half way between Anchorage and Middleton, the controller came on and cleared us for the VOR approach. I told him I couldn’t accept that, and just wanted to descend to the MDA and cancel. He said “ya, I don’t know about that but you’re clear for an approach to the Middleton Island airport”. Approach clearance meant I could descend to the MDA, so I did, was visual and cancelled. When I got home, young naive me called my POI to discuss how to handle this in the future. He said “there may have been a violation of the FAR’s here, I’ll be in touch”. I hung up, called the office manager and explained I was trying to figure out how to do things right, but if this is the way they wanted to play I would just become a bandit, like others in the state at the time. POI called me 15 minutes later and apologized. I can’t stand sh** like this. Glad I’m retired.
 
We will likely never know the “real” reason for Ken’s dismissal, though frankly it could be as simple as what the FAA office stated. Wouldn’t surprise me.

The FSDOs are like little fiefdoms these days, and each is very different. But, one common characteristic is that once a decision is made, even by the lowest rank, they’ll stand by it. Again, look at the Bob Hoover fiasco......

MTV
 
Ya, I’ve seen that as well. I understand standing behind your employees to a point, but I preferred to educate my employees so that we avoided the problem in the first place. If the inspector made this decision for the stated reason, odds are it’s not the first, or probably last, time he’ll use a life sentence when a conversation on the phone would likely have been enough.
 
Remember the Q tip prop twin Cessna that was grounded about 25 years ago? The inspector thought that the props were damaged so he grounded the airplane. UFB!

Kurt
 
I worked with Ken this summer to help with his floatplane trip to stay in the Forrest Service Cabins. He was very professional in every way. My interactions with him were outstanding and I now count he and his lovely wife as friends. Another FAA debacle. I remember the Hoover debacle and have NO POSITIVE thoughts from that. The sad thing is the FAA will never admit it is wrong and thus the reputations of so many good FAA reps is tarnished.

Bill
 
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I wrote a much longer and much more pointed response to this but canceled it because I need my IA, and that’s all I can say.
 
I think the current philosophy is they do not want any information transfer from the DPE to the applicant. Around here, they have pulled DPEs when an examiner even hinted at a suggestion for a better outcome.

So a robot would do a better job of evaluation than a skilled aviator. The robot assigns a task, compares performance to the ACS guidelines, and you either pass or fail.

I refuse (with a select few exceptions) to train for any rating that requires a checkride. I simply won't play that game - I can contribute by teaching taildraggers, slow flight, and stalls. If I wanted to spring for 'chutes and insurance, I would enjoy intro to aerobatics. Alas, the investment would overwhelm the potential profit.
 
When the FAA came out with their new policy's to include "no more field approvals
period". That's when 'we the people" that they are soposed to be working for, made a huge mistake. We should have quickly organized and ramed that right back down
their throats. That has hurt general aviation alot....... These government departments are totally out of control with
power that is completely unaccountable for. So ditto on the horrible mess we are in
right now in this country...... Or I guess I should say 'banana republic'.[emoji19]


Sent from my moto e5 go using SuperCub.Org mobile app
 
Remember, The FAA is not happy until you are not happy! :wink: One day Mr FAA will come begging for help and then Ken will have him wrapped around his finger.
I could tell stories, however many of you already have this nailed.
 
The sad thing is the FAA will never admit it is wrong and thus the reputations of so many good FAA reps is tarnished.

Bill

Couldn't agree more Bill. The problem is that Ken probably had many good interactions with the FAA as well- before they ended his career. All of those good experiences probably don’t mean much to him now. Leadership in any organization comes from the top, but in a bureaucracy with little incentive to improve outcomes, not much ever changes.
 
In the spirit of 2020.... defund the FAA. ;)

Wiser people than me, (an FAA Ops guy) said that the insurance companies do more for safety than any of the sill FAA nonsense.

Think about it a bit and you will realize he was correct.

With the defunding we also need to de-regulate. As will universities and all government agencies, if they have regulations saying you need their help, any less money reduces their willingness to help by 10x the dollar amount.
 
NOT being political, but I think it is unlikely we well see a downturn in regulations going forward. The current president has to be somewhat of an aviation guy as he has his own plane, he could have done more in his four years to help out GA.

I won’t hold my breath for things to get better with the FAA. I am only hoping that the Light Sport regulations get some modifications. 2000# GW.... yes please.

As for Ken, I have researched this a bit and he got a raw deal for sure.

#pilotsforken
 
2,300# please:lol:

The theory is it will go to 2300#, with constant speed props and a few other things as I am sure you know already. We are limited to 1800# max in the airplane design. No way we could ever get over our 1800# based on the 120# baggage for fore/aft W&B and full fuel and the two of us weighing 405#. That is my buddy and I, NOT my wife and I :lol:
 
NOT being political, but I think it is unlikely we well see a downturn in regulations going forward. The current president has to be somewhat of an aviation guy as he has his own plane, he could have done more in his four years to help out GA.

I won’t hold my breath for things to get better with the FAA. I am only hoping that the Light Sport regulations get some modifications. 2000# GW.... yes please.

As for Ken, I have researched this a bit and he got a raw deal for sure.

#pilotsforken
When the director of the FAA is a former airline official, you won't find anything being done which is favorable to us general aviation peons.
 
Just my $00.02 opinion, not taking sides. But it does sound like he had fallen out of grace so to speak.

Spent 25 years in leadership positions and as the saying goes "you are always on stage". Even on the weekends at a restaurant or Home Depot, you might meet employees from work. You must always present yourself properly (you can interpret that how ever you would like).

The point being, even though you may 'not be on the clock', you are still a representative of XY company 24/7.
 
Just my $00.02 opinion, not taking sides. But it does sound like he had fallen out of grace so to speak.

Spent 25 years in leadership positions and as the saying goes "you are always on stage". Even on the weekends at a restaurant or Home Depot, you might meet employees from work. You must always present yourself properly (you can interpret that how ever you would like).

The point being, even though you may 'not be on the clock', you are still a representative of XY company 24/7.

I could not agree with you more, and in fact that very subject was part of every new pilot indoctrination I conducted. That being said, in my opinion, simply not responding to the water ski discussion was not inappropriate in that forum. As far as the glass of wine in that setting, I have seen numerous FAA inspectors and managers have a drink at the end of business at industry events. I have no idea if there is written guidance that addresses any of this. If there is, then different story. Dismissable offenses should be very well spelled out in company/agency guidance and used only when other remedies are not effective in managing performance issues. Of course all of this is just my opinion........
 
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I wrote a much longer and much more pointed response to this but canceled it because I need my IA, and that’s all I can say.

How many times have you thought of ripping it up. That will show them. Then you realize that would make them happy. One less Ia to deal with. Figure we can stick around and be a thorn in there side.


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