Narrative:

I work for a part 135 helicopter company. On sep/xa/99, my company sent me to fly a bell 206B on a power line contract. I was to carry 2 individuals to observe the electrical lines and spot problems in the air. We were to carry video equipment for filming, so it was important that the helicopter doors be removed. I was informed by my director of operations to land at the baton rouge airport and remove the aircraft's doors. Upon my second landing of the day for fuel, I was approached by the FAA of the baton rouge FSDO and was informed that I have violated far 45.21 (aircraft markings). (The aircraft's n-number is half on the fuselage and half on the doors.) since I was the PIC, I was the one that was at fault. According to the FAA, I tried to explain that my company does this contract, and they have never had any problems with the local FSDO over removing the doors. I agreed with the inspector that it was hard to determine what the n-number actually was, and that I wouldn't take off again until I put the doors back on! But the inspector wasn't happy with that. He said that I would be receiving a certified letter in the mail requesting an investigation of this matter. I tried to tell him that I was working in a class C airspace, and that the tower had my full n-number. And I stayed on the same transponder code all day. I have found myself in the middle of something that should have been worked out between my company and the local FAA. Registration numbers should be placed permanently on the aircraft so they cannot be mistakenly removed. On this type of aircraft I have seen n-numbers in these locations: on tailbooms, vertical fins, etc. These would be better than the aircraft's doors.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BELL 206B HELI PLT IS CITED BY AN FAA INSPECTOR FOR REMOVING THE DOORS FOR A PHOTO MISSION SINCE THE ACFT'S N-NUMBER WAS THEN PARTLY REMOVED WITH THE DOORS AT BTR, LA.

Narrative: I WORK FOR A PART 135 HELI COMPANY. ON SEP/XA/99, MY COMPANY SENT ME TO FLY A BELL 206B ON A PWR LINE CONTRACT. I WAS TO CARRY 2 INDIVIDUALS TO OBSERVE THE ELECTRICAL LINES AND SPOT PROBS IN THE AIR. WE WERE TO CARRY VIDEO EQUIP FOR FILMING, SO IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THE HELI DOORS BE REMOVED. I WAS INFORMED BY MY DIRECTOR OF OPS TO LAND AT THE BATON ROUGE ARPT AND REMOVE THE ACFT'S DOORS. UPON MY SECOND LNDG OF THE DAY FOR FUEL, I WAS APCHED BY THE FAA OF THE BATON ROUGE FSDO AND WAS INFORMED THAT I HAVE VIOLATED FAR 45.21 (ACFT MARKINGS). (THE ACFT'S N-NUMBER IS HALF ON THE FUSELAGE AND HALF ON THE DOORS.) SINCE I WAS THE PIC, I WAS THE ONE THAT WAS AT FAULT. ACCORDING TO THE FAA, I TRIED TO EXPLAIN THAT MY COMPANY DOES THIS CONTRACT, AND THEY HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBS WITH THE LCL FSDO OVER REMOVING THE DOORS. I AGREED WITH THE INSPECTOR THAT IT WAS HARD TO DETERMINE WHAT THE N-NUMBER ACTUALLY WAS, AND THAT I WOULDN'T TAKE OFF AGAIN UNTIL I PUT THE DOORS BACK ON! BUT THE INSPECTOR WASN'T HAPPY WITH THAT. HE SAID THAT I WOULD BE RECEIVING A CERTIFIED LETTER IN THE MAIL REQUESTING AN INVESTIGATION OF THIS MATTER. I TRIED TO TELL HIM THAT I WAS WORKING IN A CLASS C AIRSPACE, AND THAT THE TWR HAD MY FULL N-NUMBER. AND I STAYED ON THE SAME XPONDER CODE ALL DAY. I HAVE FOUND MYSELF IN THE MIDDLE OF SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN WORKED OUT BTWN MY COMPANY AND THE LCL FAA. REGISTRATION NUMBERS SHOULD BE PLACED PERMANENTLY ON THE ACFT SO THEY CANNOT BE MISTAKENLY REMOVED. ON THIS TYPE OF ACFT I HAVE SEEN N-NUMBERS IN THESE LOCATIONS: ON TAILBOOMS, VERT FINS, ETC. THESE WOULD BE BETTER THAN THE ACFT'S DOORS.

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.