"Yet, you tell others NOT to go to an authoritative source, the FAA - unbelievable!"

The FAA is not necessarily an "authoritative" source. They DO HAVE authority, but they are often sadly ignorant of their own policies, "guidance" and regulations. A couple of glaring examples:

1) Someone inquired about the meaning of the wording in the Centrair Pegase 101A Maintenance Manual that referred to a 3000 hour Structural Life Limit, but also referred to a 3000 hour inspection. The misguided ASE immediately issued an Airworthiness Directive, cramming it through the system in only 88 days, including a 32 day comment period (instead of the minimum 60 days), that ordered owners to cross out all reference to the inspection and throw the glider away at 3000 hours. This in spite of the fact that the glider is certified in Europe with NO LIFE LIMIT as long as it continues to pass the 3000 hour inspection at the appropriate intervals. According to the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) between FAA and EASA, the European standard should apply. The author of the AD, Greg Davison, when queried about this, replied directly, "We don't pay much attention to that." Once Bob Carlton and I started fighting back on the issue, Mr. Davison's managers circled the wagons and backed him up. It took nine years, support from our Congressmen, Senators and their staff and the likelihood of an actual Congressional Hearing to get the FAA to agree to a Global Alternate Means Of Compliance (AMOC) that extended the Pegase life to 4,500 hours.

2) The same Greg Davison issued a memo concerning the perceived 35 year life limit on the IAR Brasov Twin Lark, implying it was to be removed from service upon reaching the limit. However, this was also wrong. The FAA issued a "clarification" in October 2017 stating that the aircraft can continue in service provided it remains in airworthy condition. (http://www.ssa.org/files/member/FAA%...7%20-%20Signed[2543].pdf)

Mr. Davison is no longer in a position to affect certification or issue Airworthiness Directives.

These are just two examples of erroneous decisions from the FAA resulting from misinterpretations. And I can cite a lot more.