PROPER/*AA

[Grover Summers]

Proper Use of Words. Few people realize the importance of this subject. I was asked for help by another aviation fixed base operator. Due to improperly "interpreting" a regulation that addressed the operational status of equipment at the time of installation, the FAA had chared some of his pilots with illegal operation of one of his planes. The problem arose over use of a plane during day light hours when it had inoperative navigation lights. The FAA was using a FAR which delt with the operational status of a piece of equipmetng at the time of installation, and trying to make it applcible to continued airwrthiness status.
After long discussions with the local and district staff, I was referred to the regional legal department. I pointed out that their interpretaion violated the rules of english grammar and told them to check with a fifth grade english teacher if they doubted what I was saying. I was told that the regulation ws written by an attorney, not an english teacher! I replied that by the rules of mathematics, 2 plus 2 euals four regardless of what an attorney said, and by the rules of english grammer, that law did not say what they were trying to make it say! I gave them the choice of dropping all charges that had been filed agaisnt those pilots, or facing a class action suit for illegal prosecution! They must have checked with an english teacher becasue they dropped all charge and changed their interprertaion of the FAR! Knowing the proper use of the english language is just that important!