Narrative:

In february 2007 the company that I fly for; purchased a citation 550 jet. Having very little jet and rvsm altitude experience; I went to school and got a type rating. I also obtained an rvsm certification. The aircraft that was purchased was certified and qualified for rvsm operations. On the demonstration flight we flew the aircraft at an altitude of 35000 feet. The previous owner was operating the aircraft in rvsm airspace. I was under the assumption that as long as the aircraft was certified for rvsm and had a certification for rvsm that I could operate the aircraft there; which I did between the date of purchase to april monday 2007 on several occasions with no problems or conflicts. On april monday 2007 at approximately XA00 pm; I received a phone call from an inspector from the FSDO office asking me if I was operating the aircraft in rvsm airspace. I told him yes. He ask me if I had done so before? I told him yes. He then informed me that was not legal to do so because the owner had to have a LOA from his FSDO office. I have since then met with the FAA investigator and have full knowledge of what should have been done to make this legal. I am in the process of making all corrections and will do so before entering rvsm airspace again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PLT RPTS HIS COMPANY PURCHASED AN RVSM CERTIFIED C550 BUT FAILED TO GET AN LOA FROM THE FSDO PRIOR TO FLYING THE ACFT IN RVSM AIRSPACE.

Narrative: IN FEBRUARY 2007 THE COMPANY THAT I FLY FOR; PURCHASED A CITATION 550 JET. HAVING VERY LITTLE JET AND RVSM ALTITUDE EXPERIENCE; I WENT TO SCHOOL AND GOT A TYPE RATING. I ALSO OBTAINED AN RVSM CERTIFICATION. THE AIRCRAFT THAT WAS PURCHASED WAS CERTIFIED AND QUALIFIED FOR RVSM OPERATIONS. ON THE DEMO FLIGHT WE FLEW THE AIRCRAFT AT AN ALTITUDE OF 35000 FEET. THE PREVIOUS OWNER WAS OPERATING THE AIRCRAFT IN RVSM AIRSPACE. I WAS UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT AS LONG AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS CERTIFIED FOR RVSM AND HAD A CERTIFICATION FOR RVSM THAT I COULD OPERATE THE AIRCRAFT THERE; WHICH I DID BETWEEN THE DATE OF PURCHASE TO APRIL MONDAY 2007 ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WITH NO PROBLEMS OR CONFLICTS. ON APRIL MONDAY 2007 AT APPROXIMATELY XA00 PM; I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM AN INSPECTOR FROM THE FSDO OFFICE ASKING ME IF I WAS OPERATING THE AIRCRAFT IN RVSM AIRSPACE. I TOLD HIM YES. HE ASK ME IF I HAD DONE SO BEFORE? I TOLD HIM YES. HE THEN INFORMED ME THAT WAS NOT LEGAL TO DO SO BECAUSE THE OWNER HAD TO HAVE A LOA FROM HIS FSDO OFFICE. I HAVE SINCE THEN MET WITH THE FAA INVESTIGATOR AND HAVE FULL KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE TO MAKE THIS LEGAL. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING ALL CORRECTIONS AND WILL DO SO BEFORE ENTERING RVSM AIRSPACE AGAIN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.