Pilot Briefing

AOPA News

AOPA’s Tom Horne receives weather education award 

The Friends and Partners in Aviation Weather organization announced that AOPA Pilot Editor at Large Tom Horne is the recipient of its 2020 Service Award for his work educating pilots about aviation weather. 

Horne was chosen for his “outstanding efforts” educating general aviation pilots about weather hazards and promoting aviation safety. 

The organization announced the selection during its virtual fall meeting, when it also named Roy Rasmussen, a senior scientist and research leader of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, the 2020 recipient of its Weather Award for his liquid water equivalent research to help aviators better understand aircraft icing and winter weather conditions. 

Horne’s award was acknowledged by AOPA Senior Vice President of Media, Communications, and Outreach Tom Haines, who noted that Horne “has educated millions of pilots” through his “Wx Watch” column and other writings in AOPA Pilot and in AOPA’s other media channels over more than 40 years as an aviation journalist.  

As the author of Flying America’s Weather: A Pilot’s Tour of Our Nation’s Weather Regions, Horne “literally wrote the book on aviation weather,” Haines said.  

Friends and Partners in Aviation Weather’s mission is “to increase understanding of the impact of weather on current and emerging aviation operations; identify, discuss, and provide support to problem areas that need further development of accurate and timely weather guidance; and facilitate the integration of weather into the operational decision-making process” to create “the safest, most efficient, and reliable aviation operations possible.” 

Duckworth honored

Senator recognized with AOPA’s Hartranft award

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) is this year’s recipient of the Joseph B. “Doc” Hartranft Jr. Award. She is a pilot and staunch GA supporter who was first elected to the Senate in 2016. The Hartranft award, one of AOPA’s highest honors, is presented annually to an elected or appointed government official who has made significant contributions to the advancement of GA. It is named after AOPA’s first president and former chairman of the board, “Doc” Hartranft.

A member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee including the Aviation Subcommittee, Duckworth sits on one of the most powerful and important committees with aviation sector jurisdiction. A pilot, she knows firsthand the vital role GA plays in our nation’s economy and that GA is often the only reliable access for many rural communities. Duckworth has been a steadfast champion for pilots and the GA community.

Over the past several years, Duckworth has been an outspoken critic of ATC privatization. During the last effort, driven by the airlines, to give away our nation’s ATC system to special interest groups, Duckworth said, “I don’t take our air traffic controllers for granted, and I will not gamble with the safety of the flying public. I strongly oppose any proposal to privatize U.S. airspace.”

Duckworth works to create positive change for general aviation not only in her words but in her actions. She cosponsored the Pilot’s Bill of Rights, which included landmark third-class medical reform. She was an original cosponsor of the Forward Looking Investment in General Aviation, Hangars, and Tarmacs (FLIGHT) Act of 2017, and the Securing and Revitalizing Aviation (SARA) Act of 2018. Several provisions from these bills became part of the FAA Reauthorization Act signed into law in 2018, including the establishment of a pilot education program. Earlier this year, Duckworth joined Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) in introducing the National Center for the Advancement of Aviation legislation to help address our nation’s aviation workforce issues.

Duckworth is an Iraq War veteran, Purple Heart recipient, and former assistant secretary of the department of Veterans Affairs. She was among the first women in the Army to fly combat missions as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot during Operation Iraqi Freedom. On November 12, 2004, her helicopter was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade and Duckworth lost her legs and partial use of her right arm. Following her recovery, she resumed flying as a civilian pilot and is currently an FAA-certificated private pilot in fixed-wing aircraft. Prior to the Senate, Duckworth served two terms in the U.S. House representing the Illinois eighth congressional district.

aopa.org/advocacy

Giving back

Supporting volunteer pilots

Air Care Alliance celebrates 30 years

By Rick Durden

Pilots have been volunteering to help others since balloons were the only vehicles in the sky. In the last century, volunteer pilots began forming volunteer pilot organizations (VPOs) to better organize and focus their efforts. By the 1980s VPOs were becoming widespread—primarily to provide medical transport—but their work was not coordinated and they were not communicating.

In 1990, following efforts of Bill Worden of Angel Flight of California (now Angel Flight West), Patricia Weil of AOPA, and Rol Murrow of the Emergency Volunteer Air Corps, the word went out to VPOs and volunteer pilots that AOPA would host Air Med 90 in December at its headquarters. The purpose of the event was to get VPOs and volunteer pilots in one place to pool their experience, share what they’d learned about safety and best practices, and coordinate to avoid duplication of efforts.

The organizers hoped that at least a half dozen VPOs and 30 volunteer pilots would attend. More than 100 pilots and volunteers from more than 25 VPOs came.

From this gathering the Air Care Alliance (ACA) was formed to act as an umbrella organization facilitating communication and cooperation among VPOs; a central clearinghouse supporting VPOs; develop consensus and approach regulatory agencies for needed changes; and to disseminate information on regulatory compliance, safety, and best practices to help VPOs avoid “reinventing the wheel.”

Since its creation, the ACA has worked with the FAA to allow pilots to take tax deductions for volunteer flights, and make FAA waivers allowing VPOs to reimburse pilots for fuel easier to obtain. It also worked with the FAA to develop and establish procedures for the use of the Compassion call sign.

After a series of commercial sightseeing flight accidents, in 2007 Congress explored legislation to compel new FARs that would have hamstrung volunteer flying. ACA board members Murrow and Jeff Kahn testified before Congress, providing suggested language that would preserve volunteer pilot operations. Following the hearings, the FAA issued a final rule that followed ACA recommendations.

At the same time, high-profile volunteer flight accidents led to NTSB recommendations that could have resulted in FARs restricting volunteer pilot operations. The ACA worked with VPOs to encourage a greater emphasis on safety training and, in conjunction with the Air Safety Institute, helped develop the current AOPA online training course, Public Benefit Flying: Balancing Safety and Compassion. The NTSB accepted the ACA’s work and did not push for regulatory change.

On its website and through its newsletter, the ACA provides a library of best-practice recommendations and FAR compliance guidelines for VPOs and volunteer pilots. It also guides pilots who want to volunteer with VPOs, as well as people needing the help VPOs provide. This year, as the COVID-19 crisis escalated, the ACA quickly published, and regularly updated, recommended operational guidelines for VPOs and pilots. Entering its fourth decade, the ACA continues increasing its support to VPOs, volunteer pilots, and those served by them.

aircarealliance.org

Rick Durden is an active volunteer GA pilot and contributor to AOPA publications.