Narrative:

Summary of acn 247922: reporter on test flight to receive certification for an eastern european aircraft which had been dismantled and brought to the united states for reconstruction. FAA had been given all relevant information regarding the aircraft 6 weeks prior to the test flight. FAA inspector verbally reviewed speeds prior to flight. Normal maneuvering speed in the 'circuit' is 325 KTS. Reporter was denied the LOA because he had not flown under 250 KTS at the low altitude (2000 ft) and possibly penetrated an arsa and a TCA. It appears to reporter that the FAA inspector had not informed the ATC facilities in the area of his presence and the maneuvering he would do. A senior supervisor from mia had called and demanded to know what was going on with this high speed aircraft. Reporter had been told not to worry about the traffic as it would be taken care of. He felt he was being given priority. Reporter extremely upset because aircraft passed maintenance inspection and he was told he had shown his capability in flying the aircraft and should be very proud of his ability. But still denied the LOA. Pilot had some problems with WX and aircraft. On taxi-out the artificial horizon toppled. Cumulo-nimbus were rolling in from the west eliminating any chance for altitude. In-flight had slight buffeting and noticed mach cone had moved to 2.2 mach position. This required that he not change throttle position, no swift attitude change, and land. This was a very experienced pilot who has flown all over the world in a great variety of aircraft and has participated in 'display' flts and aerobatics. Additionally, he has spent a great deal of time and money to get this aircraft flyable and to receive the LOA. Had had LORAN equipment on board to warn of proximity to the arsa and TCA and does not believe he penetrated the airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TEST FLT OF FOREIGN ACFT TO RECEIVE AN LOA. DENIED DUE SPD OVER 250 KTS BELOW ARSA AND TCA.

Narrative: SUMMARY OF ACN 247922: RPTR ON TEST FLT TO RECEIVE CERTIFICATION FOR AN EASTERN EUROPEAN ACFT WHICH HAD BEEN DISMANTLED AND BROUGHT TO THE UNITED STATES FOR RECONSTRUCTION. FAA HAD BEEN GIVEN ALL RELEVANT INFO REGARDING THE ACFT 6 WKS PRIOR TO THE TEST FLT. FAA INSPECTOR VERBALLY REVIEWED SPDS PRIOR TO FLT. NORMAL MANEUVERING SPD IN THE 'CIRCUIT' IS 325 KTS. RPTR WAS DENIED THE LOA BECAUSE HE HAD NOT FLOWN UNDER 250 KTS AT THE LOW ALT (2000 FT) AND POSSIBLY PENETRATED AN ARSA AND A TCA. IT APPEARS TO RPTR THAT THE FAA INSPECTOR HAD NOT INFORMED THE ATC FACILITIES IN THE AREA OF HIS PRESENCE AND THE MANEUVERING HE WOULD DO. A SENIOR SUPVR FROM MIA HAD CALLED AND DEMANDED TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THIS HIGH SPD ACFT. RPTR HAD BEEN TOLD NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THE TFC AS IT WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF. HE FELT HE WAS BEING GIVEN PRIORITY. RPTR EXTREMELY UPSET BECAUSE ACFT PASSED MAINT INSPECTION AND HE WAS TOLD HE HAD SHOWN HIS CAPABILITY IN FLYING THE ACFT AND SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF HIS ABILITY. BUT STILL DENIED THE LOA. PLT HAD SOME PROBS WITH WX AND ACFT. ON TAXI-OUT THE ARTIFICIAL HORIZON TOPPLED. CUMULO-NIMBUS WERE ROLLING IN FROM THE W ELIMINATING ANY CHANCE FOR ALT. INFLT HAD SLIGHT BUFFETING AND NOTICED MACH CONE HAD MOVED TO 2.2 MACH POS. THIS REQUIRED THAT HE NOT CHANGE THROTTLE POS, NO SWIFT ATTITUDE CHANGE, AND LAND. THIS WAS A VERY EXPERIENCED PLT WHO HAS FLOWN ALL OVER THE WORLD IN A GREAT VARIETY OF ACFT AND HAS PARTICIPATED IN 'DISPLAY' FLTS AND AEROBATICS. ADDITIONALLY, HE HAS SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME AND MONEY TO GET THIS ACFT FLYABLE AND TO RECEIVE THE LOA. HAD HAD LORAN EQUIP ON BOARD TO WARN OF PROX TO THE ARSA AND TCA AND DOES NOT BELIEVE HE PENETRATED THE AIRSPACE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.