AOPA Expo in California
AOPA Expo 2002 takes place from October 24 through 26 in Palm Springs. Visitors can get a preview of the excitement on Wednesday, October 23, when more than 80 aircraft taxi through the streets of Palm Springs. More than 500 exhibitors are expected to demonstrate the newest equipment and aircraft available. For more information, visit the AOPA Expo 2002 Web site ( www.aopa.org/expo/).
AOPA seeks state help to reopen Dunsmuir, restore funding to five other airports
In a meeting with Austin Wiswell, chief of the California Division of Aeronautics, AOPA Regional Representative John Pfeifer and Bill Dunn, AOPA's vice president of regional affairs, asked for the speedy reopening of Dunsmuir Municipal-Mott Airport.
The airport was closed last year by the state Division of Aeronautics because trees located on property adjacent to the airport penetrated the airport runway safety areas. Many of the trees in question are on property located outside the City of Dunsmuir, which operates the airport, but in Siskiyou County and are owned by private individuals as well as the U.S. Forest Service.
The refusal of some property owners to cut their trees has meant more than the closure of Dunsmuir's airport. Now the problem has expanded to affect five additional airports, all operated by Siskiyou County. The county has a law on the books allowing it to cut trees that impact airport operations, but it has not acted to enforce this law at Dunsmuir. As a result, the state decided earlier this year to withhold the annual state grant of $10,000 to each of the county's airports until the county puts in place a plan to remove the trees surrounding Dunsmuir Municipal.
Wiswell, who recently met with county officials to discuss the ongoing problem, indicated that he is optimistic that a resolution can be reached. The county is due to submit to the state a plan that includes benchmarks for evaluating the progress of the tree-removal efforts. Once the plan is accepted by the Division of Aeronautics, airport funding will again flow to Siskiyou County airports. The affected airports are Butte Valley Airport in Dorris, Happy Camp Airport, Scott Valley Airport in Fort Jones, Siskiyou County Airport in Montague, and Weed Airport.
FAA joins battle to keep aviation funding intact
At the urging of AOPA Regional Representative John Pfeifer, the FAA has become involved in the fight to keep $6 million in aviation-generated revenue in the state Aeronautics Account. State legislators have proposed moving the money to the general fund where it could be applied to a variety of nonaviation-related projects.
But Herman Bliss, manager of the FAA's Western-Pacific Region Airports Division, sent a strongly worded letter to the chairman of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee objecting to the transfer. "Under the proposed budget, aeronautic funds that should be dedicated exclusively to airport purposes may be illegally diverted to prohibited uses," Bliss wrote. AOPA had previously written to the chairmen of the Assembly and Senate budget committees objecting to the transfer, which would cut approximately 80 percent from the California Division of Aeronautics' operating budget and could virtually eliminate the state's airport grant program.
Measure could redirect tax revenues to aviation
A bill now awaiting assignment to a state Senate policy committee would move $49 million from the state's general fund to the Aeronautics Account. The money, which would be transferred over a four-year period, is just part of the revenue generated by a sales tax on jet fuel. That tax generates more than $100 million in revenue annually. If the measure ultimately passes, the money could be used for safety and security projects that are now unfunded.
AOPA Regional Representative John Pfeifer testified in favor of the measure before the Assembly Transportation Committee in the spring. That committee voted 15-1 to pass the bill. An amended version of the bill also has passed in the Assembly.
Two other bills under consideration could jeopardize the proposal, however. The measures would reduce the sales tax on jet fuel purchased by air carriers, dramatically cutting revenue from the fuel tax and reducing the money available for transfer to the Aeronautics Account. Observers say the state's current budget difficulties make it unlikely that these measures will pass.
Avgas and jet fuel costs cut at L.A. County airports
Pilots may see lower prices at the pump thanks to Los Angeles County's efforts to cut the cost of aviation fuel. The county board of supervisors recently eliminated the annual minimum gallons for aviation fuel sales and reduced the flowage fee by five cents per gallon on aviation gasoline and by 23 cents per gallon on jet fuel at the county's five airports. Affected airports are El Monte Airport, Compton/Woodley Airport, Whiteman Airport in Los Angeles, Brackett Field in La Verne, and General William J. Fox Airfield in Lancaster.
Association of California Airports considers standardizing security measures
California's general aviation airports could be asked to voluntarily install standard signage designed to increase the security awareness of airport users. The signs would be part of a uniform statewide airport watch program being considered by the Association of California Airports. The association is currently developing the signs and seeking suppliers.
Petaluma volunteer shares expertise
AOPA Airport Support Network volunteer Thomas McGaw is sharing his expertise with other ASN volunteers after successfully creating a business plan to justify building 49 new hangars at Petaluma Municipal Airport. Over a period of three years McGaw worked to show city officials how the hangars could provide economic benefit and then developed a plan to fund the hangar project.
McGaw's success attracted the attention of other ASN volunteers who hope to win approval for hangar development projects at their fields. Using McGaw's business plan as a model, volunteers in states as far away as Texas and Massachusetts have set to work on developing hangar plans for their own fields.
Erratum
The photograph accompanying "AOPA Action in California: El Toro Won't Become Civilian Airport" in the July issue of AOPA Pilot was mislabeled. The photograph actually showed the Marine Corps facility at Tustin.
Upcoming aviation events in California
September
6-7 — Fresno. Sierra Sky Park (Q60). End of Summer Fly-In, sponsored by EAA Chapter 376. Call Wes Nelson, 559/435-6349.
7 — Chino. Chino Airport (CNO). The Air Museum Planes of Fame. Seminar on the Korean Air War. Call 909/597-3722.
14 — Lancaster. General William J. Fox Airfield (WJF). Annual Old Fashioned Fly-In. Call 661/940-1709.
19-21 — San Diego. Doubletree Hotel-Mission Valley. The Silver Wings Annual Convention and Powder Puff Derby Reunion. Call Barbara Evans, 925/736-1795.
21-22 — Riverside. Flabob Airport (RIR). Annual Open House Fly-In, sponsored by EAA Chapter One. Call Dave Stits, 909/682-6236.
21-22 — Visalia. Visalia Municipal Airport (VIS). Vintage Years Air and Car Show. Call 559/696-7735.
27-29 — Victorville. El Mirage Dry Lake. Ken Brock Freedom Fly-In. Call Marie Brock, 714/898-4366.
28 — Corona. Corona Municipal Airport (AJO). Corona Airfaire 2002. Call Bill Cobb, 909/736-2289.
October
4-5 — Van Nuys. Van Nuys Airport (VNY). California Pilots Association Annual Meeting. Call 800/319-5286.
4-6 — Salinas. Salinas Municipal Airport (SNS). California International Airshow. Call 831/754-1983.
5 — Bakersfield. Meadows Field (BFL). Vegas in the Valley Poker Run, hosted by the Bakersfield Ninety-Nines. Call 661/588-2512.
5 — Chino. Chino Airport (CNO). The Air Museum Planes of Fame. Seminar on Naval Aviation. Call 909/597-3722.
Major airshows and events are published in AOPA Pilot. Calendar is updated weekly on the Web ( www.aopa.org/pilot/calendar/). Weekend flying destinations are posted each Friday in AOPA ePilot.
