Keeping the Skies Open; AOPA Battles Overzealous Restrictions
Since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, AOPA has been working, sometimes publicly, sometimes behind the scenes, to keep the nation's airspace open to general aviation.
"We've had to learn to work with a new government agency, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and figure out what to do about the frequent temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) that the TSA imposes for national security reasons," said AOPA President Phil Boyer.
"Before September 11, 2001, most security-related TFRs had to do with presidential trips outside Washington, D.C. Now they cover military bases and nuclear power plants, even theme parks and sporting events. And some have been in place so long, they're beginning to seem more like permanent flight restrictions."
"Security-related airspace restrictions are usually implemented by consensus of an interagency committee that meets once a week or more to review the terrorist threat," explained AOPA Vice President of Airspace, Regulatory, and Certification Policy Melissa Bailey. "Participating agencies include the FAA, the TSA, the Secret Service, the FBI, and others involved in homeland security."
Because of AOPA's extensive contacts at all levels of both the FAA and the TSA, the association is often aware of plans for a new TFR before it's actually imposed, and in many cases can mitigate the restrictions before they're published.
If unnecessary or overly restrictive TFRs are imposed, then fighting them requires a coordinated effort. It takes pressure from the public, AOPA, and Capitol Hill.
When a new restriction is imposed, AOPA quickly makes sure members who are affected know about it, posting information about the TFR on AOPA Online and often publishing a special edition of the AOPA ePilot e-mail newsletter. AOPA also spells out the reason given for establishing the TFR, as well as any objections AOPA has to the restrictions.
At the same time, AOPA's airspace policy staff begins calling contacts at the FAA and the TSA. "Only those two have to balance security with efficiency," said Bailey. "That means they're more likely to look for the middle ground."
AOPA makes sure the two agencies understand the operational and economic impact of the TFR, and offers a recommendation to either eliminate the restriction or alter it to minimize its impact on GA. In the case of the New York and Washington, D.C., Air Defense Identification Zones imposed before the war with Iraq, AOPA proposed a list of operational changes to minimize the impact. Only one suggestion was implemented.
The initial round of phone calls is followed by formal letters outlining AOPA's objections, analysis of the impact, and recommendations.
Aviation technical specialists who staff the AOPA Pilot Information Center begin collecting anecdotal evidence from pilots, which helps AOPA make a stronger case about the real-world negative impact of a TFR.
On Capitol Hill, AOPA's legislative affairs staff calls on members of Congress who are friends of general aviation, as well as members whose pilot constituents are directly affected by the TFRs. "We explain to the members the difficulties the restrictions create for pilots who live and work in their districts and states," said AOPA Legislative Affairs Director Julia Krauss, "and we offer options available to mitigate that impact."
"General aviation continues to be unfairly targeted for restriction, not because of a real, specific threat, but because of the vague, perceived threat," said Boyer. "So AOPA continues to educate policy- and rulemakers about GA, and at the same time works to limit or eliminate restrictions."
FAA Eliminates Longstanding TFR
One of the thorniest issues that AOPA's airspace policy staff has had to contend with since the September 11 terrorist attacks has been the near-permanent status of an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) and 16 security-related temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) scattered from Washington, D.C., in the East to Washington State in the West.
In early May, the FAA rescinded one of the 16 TFRs, which had been centered on Whiteman Air Force Base, home of the Air Force's B-2 bomber wing, in west-central Missouri. Just the week before, AOPA President Phil Boyer had sent a letter to Transportation Security Administration chief Adm. James Loy telling him, "AOPA members are asking, 'Isn't it time for temporary restrictions to be lifted?'"
After the Whiteman Air Force Base restriction was lifted, Boyer said, "We're pleased that the FAA has begun to review these longstanding TFRs, but there's a lot of work still to be done before the National Airspace System is anywhere near back to normal."
NATIONAL ACTION
AOPA Pilot Center Open for Business
The all-new pilot facility at First Flight Airport, sponsored by AOPA on behalf of its members, is now open to assist the nation's pilots who visit the birthplace of powered flight during its centennial year and beyond. AOPA donated the funds to construct the 900-square-foot Pilot Center at the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina.
Despite threatening weather to the north and south of First Flight Airport, several hundred pilots and visitors from around the country, including one pilot from California, flew into the park and nearby Dare County Regional Airport at Manteo to attend the grand-opening ceremonies. Speeches, hot dogs, and tours of the pilot facility and historical park were the highlights of the day.
"As a 64-year-old organization, AOPA was looking for something that was lasting, that serves our members, and sends us into the next century of powered flight," AOPA President Phil Boyer told the crowd of more than 200 pilots. "Let's have a round of applause for the nearly 400,000 AOPA members who have made this first-class facility possible." Noting that the facility will be the only new structure to remain at the park after December's 100th anniversary commemoration, Boyer said, "This structure is built to last, and will be here for visiting pilots for decades to come."
Boyer was introduced by Wright Brothers National Memorial Superintendent Lawrence Belli, who thanked AOPA members for their contribution.
Deputy FAA Administrator Robert A. Sturgell told the crowd that the new facility represents "what AOPA is all about, supporting the general aviation community." He said that the FAA "values its partnership with AOPA and the work we do together."
Adm. Ferg Norton, executive director of the First Flight Centennial Foundation, said that AOPA had "flown solo" in sponsoring the project and expressed the gratitude of the foundation. "This facility is so much like AOPA," he said. "It is simple, efficient, and attractive. It admirably serves the needs of aviators, and it will do much to attract transient pilots to this special place."
The Pilot Center includes a dedicated pilot briefing room with a computerized Meteorlogix MxVision AviationSentry weather briefing system and a second computer equipped with Jeppesen FliteStar route-planning software and access to AOPA Online, as well as wall-mounted navigation charts and workspace for flight planning. The facility is located adjacent to the 3,000-foot-long First Flight Airport runway and provides restrooms and space for an air tour concession.
AOPA's Airport Watch Adopted by EAA
The nation's two largest civilian pilot organizations have joined forces to promote general aviation security.
AOPA President Phil Boyer and Experimental Aircraft Association President Tom Poberezny met at the EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh to tape a special introduction to the Airport Watch videotape. The EAA will distribute this customized version of the security training videotape to its more than 900 chapters nationwide.
"We're pleased to partner with EAA on spreading the Airport Watch message," said Boyer. "Organizations from across the spectrum of general aviation are working with AOPA to make general aviation airport security a personal responsibility for pilots and airport workers."
Poberezny had high praise for the neighborhood watch-style program. "Airport Watch shows the government and the public that pilots care about security and that we're doing something about it," he said.
Under AOPA's Airport Watch program, pilots and airport staff are instructed to report suspicious activities at airports. AOPA has partnered with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which provided the toll-free reporting hotline — 866/GA-SECUR[E] (866/427-3287) — pilots can use to report suspicious activity.
AOPA also has produced the Airport Watch brochure that the association has sent to each of its nearly 400,000 members. The TSA sent the brochures to the remainder of the pilot population. Other organizations, including the Civil Air Patrol and the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association, have incorporated AOPA's Airport Watch materials into presentations to their members.
AOPA's Boyer Praises U.S. House Members Who 'Get' GA
Having government representatives who understand your issues is a key to thoughtful debate and common-sense legislation.
AOPA members are fortunate that the members of the House aviation subcommittee understand general aviation.
AOPA President Phil Boyer recently praised subcommittee members for their firm grasp of how important GA is to the United States, and how critical it is to convey that importance to the general public. And he offered a potent tool to help in that education.
During a recent hearing, Rep. John Duncan Jr. (R-Tenn.) said pointedly, "We need to do a better job helping the general public know how important general aviation is to our economy."
"Obviously, I couldn't agree with you more!" said Boyer in a thank you letter to Duncan.
Boyer noted that AOPA has created a Web site, GA Serving America ( www.gaservingamerica.org), to educate the nonflying public about the benefits they derive from GA.
"AOPA members contributed more than $500,000 to fund ... GA Serving America," wrote Boyer. "The site was designed, from the ground up, to be viewed by members of the general public, local government officials, and business leaders making decisions about their community airport. GA Serving America discusses our 18,000 local airfields, compared to the 30 airports that serve 75 percent of all commercial air travelers. It emphasizes the fact that 145 million people fly in general aviation aircraft annually, and what general aviation means to safety, as well as its impact on the nation now and in the future.
"Thank you again for your support," Boyer concluded. "It's a pleasure to work with you and others on the committee who have such a firm grasp on the vital role general aviation plays in America's air transportation system."
A copy of Boyer's note and a GA Serving America brochure were also sent to every member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
AOPA Backs Bills to Ban Privatized ATC
AOPA spent long hours during this past spring working to support bipartisan congressional bills that would keep air traffic control (ATC) in government hands.
The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) had declared ATC a "commercial activity," opening up the possibility that ATC operations could be turned over to private contractors. Such a move could ultimately lead to a private corporation running the nation's air traffic control system and charging user fees.
But bills introduced in the U.S. House and Senate by Reps. Jack Quinn (R-N.Y.), Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.), James Oberstar (D-Minn.), and Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), and Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) would declare ATC an "inherently governmental" function that must be performed by government personnel, and so remove the decision from OMB.
"Pilots have a long history of fighting fees for air traffic control services," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "I am encouraged to see a commitment by key leaders in both chambers of Congress to prevent any movement in that direction."
AOPA Tells Illinois Governor Meigs Closure Carries Consequences for Chicago, State
In a letter to Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, AOPA President Phil Boyer warned that Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley's demolition of the runways at Merrill C. Meigs Field has generated a great deal of ill will against the city among the nation's general aviation pilots, as well as concern from members of Congress.
"I have heard from more association members outraged by these actions than during the total grounding of general aviation in the days following the September 11 terrorist attacks," Boyer wrote, warning that AOPA members are more than willing to help pressure the city to reopen the airport. "The association has asked its members to boycott Chicago and they are responding. We have already received numerous communications from our members indicating that they will do exactly that."
Boyer also indicated that the consequences could extend beyond the city limits, affecting the entire State of Illinois.
"A number of key federal legislators are every bit as concerned as we are, indicating that they cannot understand why the city would seek federal money for transportation infrastructure projects while tearing out an aviation resource," said Boyer. "These are the same federal legislators that allocate federal funds to cities and states for transportation projects."
MEMBERSHIP ACTION
FBO Rebate Program Recognizes 'Ten Million Dollar Woman'
AOPA member Carol Hake, AOPA 1086099, of Cincinnati is the association's "Ten Million Dollar Woman." She recently received the 10 millionth rebate dollar from the AOPA 5% FBO Rebate Program. Under the program, AOPA credit cardholders receive a 5-percent rebate, up to $250 per year, on purchases from participating fixed-base operators (FBOs).
Representatives from AOPA and AOPA Certified partner MBNA America Bank, N.A., which issues the credit card, met Hake at Ohio's Clermont County Airport. AOPA and Sporty's presented her with gifts to mark the occasion, while MBNA gave her a $500 credit on her AOPA credit card.
Hake says she and her husband, Ed, fly a lot, and the rebates from fuel purchases really add up. "We just got back from Florida and our airplane fuel charges were about $1,000. You can imagine what an impact the 5-percent rebate has. Even when I can pay cash for gas, I don't because of the rebate."
"AOPA was founded, in part, to keep the cost of flying affordable," said AOPA Senior Vice President of Products and Services Karen Gebhart. "Working with our partners at MBNA America, we added the AOPA 5% FBO Rebate Program in 1997. Handing out $10 million in just five years proves just how useful and popular the program is with our members."
AOPA and MBNA continue to improve the program. In April, the bank enabled cardholders to claim their rebates online.
For more information or to apply for the AOPA credit card, visit AOPA Online ( www.aopa.org/info/certified/).
AOPA AIR SAFETY FOUNDATION
ASF Unveils Brand-New Online Airspace Education Program
The AOPA Air Safety Foundation's venerable "Operation Airspace" online tutorial is giving way to a next-generation training program, "Know Before You Go: Navigating Today's Airspace."
"Know Before You Go" is an exciting, interactive program that will help pilots deal not only with the challenges of security-related flight restrictions, but also with normal, everyday airspace issues as well.
Pilots taking the course will learn how to interpret notams, especially temporary flight restriction (TFR) notams; how to safely operate in and around TFRs, Air Defense Identification Zones, and flight-restricted zones such as SFAR 94 around Washington, D.C.; and how not to get intercepted, and what to do if they do.
"Know Before You Go" also offers useful flight-planning tips for every type of airspace across the country. It offers advice on documenting your flight planning to help defend yourself in the event of an enforcement action.
The program is dynamic, and can be quickly updated to reflect the latest changes in the nation's airspace.
Pilots who complete "Know Before You Go" are eligible for credit in the FAA Wings program, and upon successfully completing the online program can print out a graduation certificate on their own computer. The certificate is proof of graduation for the FAA.
To take the course, visit AOPA ASF's Web site ( www.aopa.org/asf/).
ASF Spatial Disorientation Advisor Revised
An updated AOPA Air Safety Foundation Safety Advisor on spatial disorientation is now available to all pilots on the ASF Web site ( www.aopa.org/asf/publications/sa17.pdf).
The free 12-page Spatial Disorientation Safety Advisor booklet was produced to accompany the premier live ASF safety seminar on the subject. That successful seminar, also titled "Spatial Disorientation," was presented at 70 locations nationwide last year, reaching more than 15,000 pilots with critical flight information.
The updated publication includes practical suggestions for avoiding loss of control in an airplane in the event the pilot suffers spatial disorientation, perhaps as a result of accidentally entering the clouds. The suggestions in the new Safety Advisor were based in part on a 2001 ASF research project on pilot reactions to the loss of gyroscopic instruments while under the hood.
Spatial disorientation was cited as a factor in the July 1999 accident that killed John F. Kennedy Jr.
The updated Spatial Disorientation Safety Advisor joins dozens of other ASF publications, videos, live seminars, interactive online courses, and training aids available free to all pilots. ASF was founded in 1950 as the safety arm of AOPA and is funded primarily by donations from individual pilots and companies interested in promoting general aviation safety. Since 1950, GA safety has improved by some 90 percent.
AOPA AIRPORT SUPPORT NETWORK
Volunteer of the Month: John Binns
Sometimes ignorance, not animosity, is an airport's worst enemy.
We work hard to keep our airports unencumbered by residential encroachment and obstruction. So imagine the surprise of John Binns, the AOPA Airport Support Network volunteer, and other pilots at RWJ Airpark in Beach City, Texas, when an unlighted 150-foot-tall tower appeared virtually overnight inside the traffic pattern, about 2,000 feet north of the east end of Runway 8/26.
Lee College, a local community college, had contracted to have the tower put up. Binns made a few quick calls to the Federal Communications Commission and the FAA in Fort Worth and determined that the proper notification and permitting procedures had not been followed. After talking the issue over with the FBO and Civil Air Patrol, he contacted county officials, since the tower was on county property, and Lee College representatives to discuss the safety problem the tower created.
The county and college met to discuss the situation and agreed that the location posed a hazard to aircraft using the airport. Lee College moved the tower to another location away from the airport within 30 days. A few simple phone calls were all it took.
Public-use airports in the United States are closing at the rate of about one every two weeks. The AOPA Airport Support Network designates one volunteer per airport to watch for threats and encourage favorable public perception of general aviation. For more information on how you can help support your airport, visit AOPA Online ( www.aopa.org/asn/).
Action in the States
Arizona. Scottsdale: Charles Crinnian, the ASN volunteer for Scottsdale Airport, and AOPA Regional Representative Stacy Howard have been working on a plan to boost the image of general aviation in the area. The plan is especially timely, since the airport is currently the subject of a Part 150 noise study, and the city's announced reason for the study is to find a way to implement operational limitations or flight restrictions.
Indiana. Indianapolis: David Hays, the ASN volunteer at Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport, is keeping a close eye on plans to build a middle school near the airport. He says both the county and the school board are committed to maintaining the airport because of the revenue it brings to the community.
Minnesota. Minneapolis: Flying Cloud Airport and four other designated relievers for Minneapolis-St. Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain Airport are under the gun from financially strapped Northwest Airlines (NWA). According to ASN volunteer Mitchell Anderson, NWA is pressuring the Minneapolis Airports Commission, which runs all six airports, to reduce or eliminate funding for the reliever airports and use that money to lower charges the airline pays at Minneapolis-St. Paul International. Such changes could have a significant impact on what pilots, FBOs, and airport tenants pay at the relievers. AOPA is working closely with Anderson to oppose the NWA proposal.
Ohio. Harrison: The Airport Advisory Group at Cincinnati West Airport is well established and meeting regularly. ASN volunteer Robert Lussow says the airport has undergone a number of improvements, including runway resurfacing and the addition of safety/security lights. Several more projects are planned for this year.
Pennsylvania. Somerset: Allan Witchie, president of the Somerset Aero Club and ASN volunteer for Somerset County Airport, spearheaded a campaign to thwart an electricity-generating windmill farm that would have placed eight 390-foot towers in direct conflict with Somerset County Airport's Runway 14/32. The county zoning board heard three hours of testimony before denying the variance for the towers. "We're all very pleased," said Witchie as he left the hearing. However, the towers' developer may appeal to county court.
THE SOLUTION IS SIMPLE
By Mark Lowdermilk, AOPA ASN program manager
As the saying goes, "Sometimes the best solution is the simplest." For ASN volunteer John Binns that certainly seemed to work — and fast.
As you can see in the above story about RWJ Airpark, in less than 30 days an obstruction was erected and then disassembled and removed, all thanks to a few simple phone calls. Let's look at what those phone calls involved and who gained from the effort.
First a check with the FAA and the Federal Communications Commission uncovered that the proper procedure hadn't been followed. The pilots learned what to watch for in the future.
Next some calls to the airport owner, the FBO, and the Civil Air Patrol united the pilots into a cohesive group to address the issue. Another call, and they knew who to contact to resolve the issue. Everyone learned who the players were.
Finally when the county and the local college that put up the tower were approached and the issue discussed in a calm, rational manner, people listened and action was taken. Folks who knew little about the airport and the operational factors learned a lot more and voluntarily changed their plans to protect the airport.
Teamwork, cooperation, and support — the three most important factors for success in any endeavor, even protecting an airport. In this case everyone learned and everyone won. A few simple phone calls were all it took.
You say you don't have an ASN volunteer for your airport? Nominate someone or become one yourself. It's easy, fun, and your efforts will help protect you and the other GA pilots at your airport. Just visit the Web site ( www.aopa.org/asn/) to learn more.
Do it today! Your airport needs you!
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