FLC OF A B24 ACFT WAS CAUGHT CARRYING PAX.

Narrative

WE HAVE BEEN OPERATING THIS B-24 AND B17 THIS WAY FOR 5 YRS. WE GET ROUGHLY 50 RAMP CHKS A YR. I HAVE CARRIED TOP FAA ONBOARD DOING WHAT WE DID THE DAY IN QUESTION. IT BOILS DOWN TO INTERP OF RULES. THE NW FSDO DECIDED THEY WOULD DICTATE WHAT THE REGULATIONS SAY. WE CALLED BEFORE THE FLT IN QUESTION AND ASKED THEM WHAT THEY WANTED US TO DO. THEY INTERP THAT AIRSHOW MUST HAVE WAIVER AIRSPACE SO WE COULD NOT LAND WITH MORE THAN MINIMUM CREW AT THE AIRSHOW. SO WE STOPPED AT TROUSDALE TO LET OFF 2 PAX AND THEN PROCEEDED TO HILLSBORO AIRSHOW. IT WAS A SET-UP. THEY HAD AN FAA OFFICIAL WAITING FOR US AT TROUSDALE TO VERIFY WE LET OFF PAX. THEY RAMP CHKED US WHEN WE ARRIVED AT HILLSBORO. THEY SAID A VIOLATION IS IN PROGRESS BECAUSE WE LANDED AT A NON AIRSHOW ARPT BEFORE WE CAME TO HILLSBORO. THEY OK'ED THIS THE DAY BEFORE AND PEOPLE WERE WAITING WHEN WE DID IT TO SAY 'YOU'RE BUSTED.' WE LAND AT APPROX 180 CITIES A YR. OUR FSDO CALLS AN AIRSHOW OF I- B24 WAS OK. WE HAVE BEEN IN THE MOUNTAIN FSDO BEFORE WITHOUT ANY PROBS. THIS IS SOME FED TRYING TO PLAY 'GOD.' HEADS WILL ROLL IN THE FAA OVER THIS ONE. EVEN CLINTON WAS ON THIS PLANE.