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United States Pilots Association |
At the safety seminar conducted in St. Joseph, MO, last weekend, in connection with the Missouri Pilots Association Annual Convention, I picked up two good tips that I'd like to pass along.
When going into an unfamiliar airport, among your research options is to check the airport out on Google Earth. It's really fantastic that you can not only see the airport from any elevation, noting nearby towns, roads, lakes, mountains, etc., but you can also tilt the picture to an angle similar to your approach from any direction, and virtually fly right down to the airport! It takes a lot of guess work out of finding and approaching a new environment.
And to get official approach plates, airport diagrams, NOTAMS, etc., there's www.naco.faa.gov. It's also a good place to go to quickly find the expiration dates for various charts.
Happy flying!
Jan Hoynacki, Executive Director
United States Pilots Association
At the safety seminar conducted in St. Joseph, MO, last weekend, in connection with the Missouri Pilots Association Annual Convention, I picked up two good tips that I'd like to pass along.
When going into an unfamiliar airport, among your research options is to check the airport out on Google Earth. It's really fantastic that you can not only see the airport from any elevation, noting nearby towns, roads, lakes, mountains, etc., but you can also tilt the picture to an angle similar to your approach from any direction, and virtually fly right down to the airport! It takes a lot of guess work out of finding and approaching a new environment.
And to get official approach plates, airport diagrams, NOTAMS, etc., there's www.naco.faa.gov. It's also a good place to go to quickly find the expiration dates for various charts.
Happy flying!
Jan Hoynacki, Executive Director
United States Pilots Association
At the safety seminar conducted in St. Joseph, MO, last weekend, in connection with the Missouri Pilots Association Annual Convention, I picked up two good tips that I'd like to pass along.
When going into an unfamiliar airport, among your research options is to check the airport out on Google Earth. It's really fantastic that you can not only see the airport from any elevation, noting nearby towns, roads, lakes, mountains, etc., but you can also tilt the picture to an angle similar to your approach from any direction, and virtually fly right down to the airport! It takes a lot of guess work out of finding and approaching a new environment.
And to get official approach plates, airport diagrams, NOTAMS, etc., there's www.naco.faa.gov. It's also a good place to go to quickly find the expiration dates for various charts.
Happy flying!
Jan Hoynacki, Executive Director
United States Pilots Association
At the safety seminar conducted in St. Joseph, MO, last weekend, in connection with the Missouri Pilots Association Annual Convention, I picked up two good tips that I'd like to pass along.
When going into an unfamiliar airport, among your research options is to check the airport out on Google Earth. It's really fantastic that you can not only see the airport from any elevation, noting nearby towns, roads, lakes, mountains, etc., but you can also tilt the picture to an angle similiar to your approach from any direction, and virtually fly right down to the airport! It takes a lot of guess work out of finding and approaching a new environment.
And to get official approach plates, airport diagrams, NOTAMS, etc., there's www.naco.faa.gov. It's also a good place to go to quickly find the expiration dates for various charts.
Happy flying!
Jan Hoynacki, Executive Director
United States Pilots Association
The USPA annual members' meeting and board meeting in Wichita, KS, June 14-17, was very well attended and enjoyed by all. Wichita's friendly "western" hospitality made all feel welcome, and the Thursday evening safety seminar attendance reached nearly 100. The Saturday evening banquet speaker was Corky Nason, Chairman of the Board of Nason Associates of Mission, KS, the largest wholesaler of aviation insurance in the country. Corky brought insurance information you won't hear anywhere else.
Among the business items discussed were user fees, insurance, USPA brochure distribution, business supporter contacts, next year's USPA tour of the Bahamas, and many others.
The next USPA flyout will be held in Santa Fe, NM, September 13-16. Watch for more information in America's Flyways and your email in-box. This meeting will include a mountain flying course conducted by the New Mexico Pilots Association, plus tours and fun things to do in and around Santa Fe. Plan to attend! It's a good reason to fly into beautiful country at a beautiful time of the year and enjoy the company of like-minded friends.
Jan Hoynacki, Executive Director
United States Pilots Association
While we are all waiting for the final decision on the FAA funding bill and the Immigration (Amnesty) bill, chew on these thoughts a while.
Dateline: Hobbs, NM, USA. KHOB is a tower controlled regional airport located in SE New Mexico. The airport is managed by Bill Gatchell, a personal friend of mine and one of the best airport managers I have ever known. A new terminal building is being built at KHOB necessitating the teardown of the existing structure on top of the present terminal building. Some sort of temporary structure was required to fulfill the function of radio antenna base and rotating beacon. It just happened that such a structure became available at Arlington, TX. It had operated on that airport for many years. Bill found out about its availability and bought it with county money for $8,000, had it loaded by crane onto a semi-trailer, trucked it to KHOB, and had it erected at the chosen site for the temporary tower. Enter the FAA. It seems that the individuals formerly stationed in Fort Worth were all transferred to Chicago. The new people said thumbs down on the Arlington tower. Instead they opted for a mobile home type building with antennas on the roof. Result, no ATIS and no communications beyond ten miles. Oh yes, they blocked an active taxiway with the temporary office for the tower personnel. Now let me see, Ms. Blakey. Isn't the FAA's designated job aviation safety.
Here is a firsthand comment on the job Lockheed Martin is doing with the Flight Service Stations. It Stinks!! Last weekend USPA held their annual meeting in Wichita, KS (ICT). After being shunted around the maypole from Dallas to Denver to Scottsdale to Columbia, MO, I was finally able to get a weather briefing and file a flight plan. Both flights the weather was worse, much worse than forecast. On the return flight on Sunday, I was told that tops were at 5,500 feet, and when I got up there, I was at 10,500 and still dodging higher towering Qs. I descended to 4,500 feet, under most of the cloud, and carefully picked my way around most of the precipitation they had so kindly forgotten to tell me about. Upon arrival at my destination, I deliberately did not close my flight plan, waiting to see if they would call me. I arrived at 18:00 local, and before retiring at 22:00 hrs called them to close. Guess what. They did not have my flight plan on file. I hung up and called back, this time indicating I was calling from Kansas. A Wichita FSS specialist got on and apologized for the fact my plan had not been activated. They "were having some problems." What if I had---------? You get the idea.
It is about time that Congress regain oversight of the FAA and its out of control Administrator. Somebody needs to do something before lives begin to be lost.
Steve Uslan, President
USPA
P.S. by Jan Hoynacki: The Missouri Pilots Association had its annual convention in St. Joseph, MO, (KSTJ) this weekend. Trying to get FSS to file to leave KSTJ this morning were four people, who were hanging on for over ten minutes, some on cell phones and some on land lines. Fortunately the weather was VFR, so some could take off and file in the air. How sad!
Most all USPA members are also members of AOPA. We realize that you can't belong to TOO MANY aviation organizations. There are so few of us GA pilots, we need to multiply our numbers--and thereby out strength--by multiplying our votes through multiple organizations.
So it seemed most appropriate (and pleasing) to read Phil Boyer's letter to "Fellow Pilots" in the June issue of America's Flyways. Phil is fully aware of the strength that comes from local voices speaking out, in spite of the power of national organizations. I found it right on the money when he said, "AOPA, in coordination with other aviation and coalition groups can respond on a national level to national stories, but nothing--nothing--is as effective as a local voice speaking up for a local asset such as your airport."
That's EXACTLY what USPA is about! Since we're a GRASS ROOTS organization, we work at the local, state, and national levels on issues that our members bring to the table. When our members have a local problem, we help them help themselves. And we agree that the most powerful voice is the local voice speaking up for itself.
Sometimes the local voice needs a little advice and support. And that's what USPA provides through its local chapters. We've helped many of our members deal with perplexing local problems. It's sort of like voting. If you don't vote, you don't have a right to complain if you're not happy with the outcome. And if you don't get involved in things that are of concern to you in aviation, you can't expect others to do your battling for you. Just paying your membership dues isn't enough. You have to get in the fracus yourself. And USPA can help you do that.
We thank Phil for recognizing the importance of grass roots efforts. And we invite you to invite your friends and fellow pilots to join USPA and let us help you help yourself. It takes only five individual members in an area to start a local USPA chapter. It's easy! We'll send you the paperwork to just fill in the blanks, and you're on your way.
Jan Hoynacki, Executive Director
United States Pilots Association
The FAA has issued a notam for a TFR over Wichita, KS, for President Bush's planned visit on Friday, June 15.
There will be a 30 NM TFR centered on the ICT VOR 97 degree radial at 15.4 NM, from 11:25 a.m. to 3:35 p.m. CDT, plus multiple 12 NM no-fly zones within the larger TFR.
Be sure to call FSS before operating in the area during this time.
Jan Hoynacki, Executive Director
United States Pilots Association
For those flying to the USPA gathering in Wichita, KS, be aware of a proposed Presidential TFR for Friday, June 15. Be sure to check with FSS when planning your flight.
Jan Hoynacki, Executive Director
United States Pilots Association
For those flying to the USPA gathering in Wichita, KS, be aware of a proposed Presidential TFR for Friday, June 15. Be sure to check with FSS when planning your flight.
Jan Hoynacki, Executive Director
United States Pilots Association
Greetings! First, Here is an update from Washington, D.C. Some 150 Iowa pilots and aviation professionals made it quite clear, they don’t like aviation user fees, they don’t think a significant general aviation tax increase is necessary, and they definitely don’t want the airlines to get an unwarranted tax break. Those were some of the opinions expressed at a congressional town hall meeting on June 4, 2007, at the Ankeny Regional Airport just north of Des Moines, Iowa. And it was a message that Rep. Leonard L. Boswell (D-Iowa), sponsor of the meeting, and his invited congressional colleagues Rep. Jerry Costello (D-Ill.), chairman of the House Aviation subcommittee, and aviation subcommittee member Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa), concurred with.
Boswell spoke of the importance of general aviation in attracting economic development to Iowa, pointing specifically to the new Iowa Speedway that the city of Newton had been able to attract because of Newton Municipal Airport (TNU). Boswell, an AOPA member, flew Rep. Costello to the meeting in his Piper Comanche. Costello, speaking about the FAA funding bills currently in Congress, said that he, as aviation subcommittee chairman, was “adamantly opposed” to the FAA’s proposed bill, which would impose user fees and increase avgas taxes by some 50 cents per gallon. And he said he didn’t much like the Senate bill either, which would give the airlines a huge tax break and charge a user fee to turbine-powered aircraft.
Costello said that as far as he was concerned, user fees were dead, General Aviation airports should continue to be funded at existing levels, and that the general fund should pay for about 25 percent of the FAA’s budget. He anticipated that the House version of an FAA funding bill would be out in about two weeks. He predicted that it would move quickly through the various committees because all of the important issues will have been agreed upon.
Secondly, Rep. James Oberstar, Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, told Bloomberg News on Thursday June 7, 2007, there will be no mention of user fees in the House’s version of the FAA reauthorization bill. The Minnesota Democrat (Cirrus’ headquarters in Duluth is in his district) said “none of what the (Bush) Administration is proposing” is in the House bill. “We’re plotting a path to achieving it without the Administration’s fees,” he said. Just what that path is wasn’t clear, but Bloomberg seemed to gather from its interview with Oberstar that he believes the existing system of fuel taxes on general aviation and ticket and cargo taxes on commercial aviation will sustain the FAA as it embarks on a massive modernization program.
Last month the Senate approved a $25 per flight “modernization surcharge” on business aircraft (everywhere except Alaska) in its FAA reauthorization bill, but it’s getting major opposition from General Aviation groups that fear the establishment of a user-fee billing and collecting system will just open to more of the same. The Air Transport Association, which lobbied tirelessly to have user fees implemented, is still holding out hope that the House bill will address what it sees as inequities in the funding of the airspace system. “We’re tired of subsidizing corporate aviation,” ATA spokesman David Castelveter told Bloomberg.
Thirdly, Here’s an update concerning Missouri Aviation. The only Airport and Aviation Bills are as follows:
Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session (2007)
Bills Indexed by Subject
AIRCRAFT AND AIRPORTS
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HB 118 --- Sponsor: Aull, Joe --- CoSponsor: Schaaf, Robert
Specifies the situations in which the Civil Air Patrol may be activated, which missions are federal or state, and who pays for the missions
HB 302 --- Sponsor: Bruns, Mark J. --- CoSponsor: Schaaf, Robert
Changes the laws regarding state aviation trust funds and air traffic control towers
HB 305 --- Sponsor: Bruns, Mark J. --- CoSponsor: Page, Sam
Increases the limit on the amount deposited into the Aviation Trust Fund to $8.5 million
HB 529 --- Sponsor: Bruns, Mark J.
Changes the laws regarding the Aviation Trust Fund and air traffic control towers
HB 571 --- Sponsor: St. Onge, Neal C. --- CoSponsor: Schneider, Vicki
Changes the definition of "commercial aircraft" by lowering the maximum certified gross take-off weight from 7,000 to 1,000 pounds
HB 619 --- Sponsor: Aull, Joe --- CoSponsor: Schaaf, Robert
Specifies the situations in which the Civil Air Patrol may be activated, which missions are federal or state, and who pays for the missions
HB 624 --- Sponsor: Wilson, Larry --- CoSponsor: Quinn, Paul
Changes the laws regarding taxation and regional economic development districts
SB 120 --- Sponsor: Nodler, Gary
Increases the cap on the Aviation Trust Fund and allows the Aviation Trust Fund to be used for certain federal air traffic control cost-sharing programs
SB 602 --- Sponsor: Kennedy, Harry
Creates a sales and use tax exemption for purchases of aviation fuel for transoceanic flights.
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Last Updated June 4, 2007 at 10:53 am
NOTE: Here’s your Web site address for Texas Legislation: www.texas.gov
Look for Transportation-Aviation, to search all aviation bills.
Web site address for Illinois Legislation: www.illinois.gov
Look for Transportation-Aviation, to search all aviation bills.
All other State Pilot Associations can follow the same format to search your specific state’s aviation and airport bills.
Remember, that as members of USPA, MPA, TPA, TXAA, NMPA, NPA, EAA, AOPA, or other pilot associations of which you may be a member, we have a powerful voice, in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Texas, or whatever state that you may represent. Every group of taxpayers and pilots carries a strong voice to Washington, D.C., as well as at the state and local level. We need to learn how to use our voices, and speak up for General Aviation. So let’s not forget to exercise our rights and privileges, so we can continue to make a “Difference for General Aviation.”
UNTIL NEXT TIME!
SAFE FLYING!
Larry G. Harmon
Legislation Chairman
Missouri Pilots Association
MPALHARMON228@aol.com
A new magazine for the Branson-Hollister, MO, area--Both Sides of the Bridge--interviewed USPA Executive Director Jan Hoynacki recently, and printed the story of her life thus far in their third edition. Jan and her husband John learned to fly during their dating days, and flying was a big part of their lives.
If you would care to download and/or read the article, you may do so at www.uspilots.org/docs/Both Sides of the Bridge.pdf.
Jan Hoynacki, Executive Director
United States Pilots Association
There is now a single location for information on special use airspace where military aircraft operate. The see and avoid site, designed by the ANG with input from aviation groups (?) permits pilots intending to fly direct through military practice areas to get all of the information they need. The stated mission of Seeandavoid.org is to eliminate midair collisions and reduce close calls with good flight planning. Typing in an identifier for a nearby airport brings up all the relevant information about military activity in that area. Interestingly, the site also shows previous midairs and near misses. A word of caution. This system is only as good as (1) the information put into it, and (2) the people who will use it. We will test it's reliability by flight planning through MOAs and then dialing up the web site to see if the information is accurate. Watch this column for further info. For those of you who fly in the East central part of New Mexico, I urge you to try the web site and let us know if the information is reliable. Please forward your comments to Airone@troychesnut.com. Thanks again to Avweb for bringing this information to us.
The latest on user fees is general aviation lost in the Senate committee by one vote. However piston aircraft were exempted (for now) from the $25 user fee now being considered to be applied to turboprop and turbine aircraft. I have said before that if the bill passes in it's present form, it will not be too long before the FAA comes looking at small planes to increase their funding needs. I am also hearing that the bill faces very tough going in the House where many individual Congress people have heard from their constituents. We must keep the pressure on. Those of you who have thought about contacting your representative, now is the time to do it.
This bill and the current Kennedy-Kyl bill being considered are two giant boondoggles created to "solve" problems that in many cases do not exist, or in the case of Kennedy-Kyl to solve the illegal immigration problem by granting amnesty to the 12,000,000 already here. The FAA funding bill is designed to provide a different system of funding the next generation of air traffic control. In reality the airlines are terrified at the number of VLJs already ordered and have begun to try to lobby their representatives to force those aircraft to assume a lion's share of the new funding for the FAA. This is restraint of trade and unfair to the manfacturers and users of small planes. It is also a classic campaign by the airlines to bring everybody trying to find an alternative to airline travel back into the current system. It is common sense to realize that a Cessna Mustang carrying five people should not pay what a Boeing 767 pays for use of the system. I have heard the FAA expression, "A blip is a blip." However, consider this. The airline traveler currently pays a security charge assessed on every ticket. If the airlines assessed a $1 per passenger charge for ATC funding, who in general aviation would contest a $5 charge for those five passengers in the Mustang?
Steve Uslan, President
USPA