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United States Pilots Association |
It’s been just a little more than 48 hours since I was one of 18 civilian guests flying above St. Joseph, MO, at 2,000’ MSL with the back of the C-130H wide open to the cloudless, hot summer air over northwest Missouri. The fact that I was actually in an Air National Guard plane on an actual military exercise still seems hard to believe. But the greatest impression of all from the day’s adventure is marked indelibly in my mind—the total professionalism and superb quality of our National Guardsmen (and women!).
Thanks to fellow USPA member and Past President of the Missouri Pilots Association Billy Ray, owner of Buck Stoves and Spas in St. Joseph, MO, I was the only non-St. Joe guest among the 18 local business owners, the St. Joe Mayor, a local TV reporter, cameraman, and a local newspaper reporter.
The purpose of the civilian hands-on aerial and ground tour was simple and made quite clear: The St. Joseph Air National Guard is a major player in the local economy, and they want and need the help of local businesses, primarily on a political level. When recent military budget cuts were made, the facility narrowly missed being erased from the landscape. It’s at times like this that local taxpaying voters can and do make a difference.
I have my group photo, my Honorary Crew Member certificate, and some other great pictures and video I took on the flight and at the base. But most of all, I have a tremendously increased understanding of and respect for our Missouri Air National Guard, the services they provide our state and our nation, and the extremely high quality individuals that comprise it.
Good luck and safe flying, Guardsmen! Keep ‘em in the air. I sleep better at night knowing you’re on the job.
Jan Hoynacki, Executive Director
United States Pilots Association
Today's (June 19) AOPA Newsletter (Email) states that HSA has admitted their mistakes in pulling people who have totally complied with the laws, from their aircraft at gunpoint. Supposedly they will no longer be doing that. Instead, they will be pulling inspections on some aircraft departing from border states to Mexico or Canada without using guns. This, after HSA admitted yesterday (their Inspector General) that they had no credible reasons for instituting these inspections. In other words, there is no threat, but lets continue harassing law abiding citizens. Sounds like Communism to me. What say you?
Steve Uslan, President
United States Pilots Association
Today's (June 18th) edition of AOPA's AviationEbrief confirms the fact that the geniuses in Homeland Security have finally admitted that the concerns over GA airport security and small planes were "Mostly hypothetical.” Imagine that. So what we have here is a policy of badging pilots and others and filing of flight plans in advance for across the border flights being implemented based upon a hypothesis that we could be security risks. It seems to me that when pilots attempt to comply with these new regulations, they are hauled out of their aircraft at gunpoint. I'll just bet that President Obama will take credit for the creation of all the new jobs involved with businesses and airports hiring now required security directors. I am not making this up. It comes from the Inspector General of The Homeland Security Department. Read the article yourselves and you decide. I firmly believe that HSA/TSA is like a runaway locomotive. Nobody is at the controls.
Steve Uslan, President
United States Pilots Association
The FAA will require GPS RAIM predictions starting July 1 as part of your preflight planning by pilots filing RNAV 1 routes (Q and T), RNAV 1 STARs, and RNAV 1 DPs. Instead of just doing a RAIM prediction for your approach, you’ll also need to predict that you’ll continue to have RAIM for every leg of the flight, including your alternate if it’s GPS.
FAA document AC 90-100 states: “The pilot should confirm the availability of RAIM with the latest GPS NOTAMs. If no GPS satellites are scheduled to be out-of-service, then the aircraft can depart without further action. If, however, any GPS satellites are scheduled to be out-of-service, then the availability of GPS integrity (RAIM) must be confirmed for the intended flight (route and time). In the event of a predicted, continuous loss of RAIM of more than five minutes for any part of the intended flight, the flight should be delayed, canceled, or re-routed where RAIM requirements can be met."
Jan Hoynacki, Executive Director
USPA
USPA Member Jim Carney tells us, “Several scenes of my plane, Beech Baron, on the ground and in flight.”
Jim flies dogs to welcoming homes around the country. See a video clip at:
http://blip.tv/file/2222007
Jan Hoynacki, Executive Director
USPA
Hi Everyone,
Concordia is giving away free aviation fuel at Blosser Municipal Airport during their Fly-in on June 12th (Friday). See the KPA website's EVENT CALENDAR at www.kansaspilots.org for details.
Thanks,
Al Madero President - Kansas Pilots Association
Last week’s issue of AOPA's daily news blurb trumpets the fact that TSA has relaxed the requirements for transient pilots to be badged at commercially served airports (some 400) around the country. This is great. What a relief. I can finally get to MY airplane after hours without being arrested. What a great country we live in. TSA has given me back what I already have (had).
What they do not say is who is to pay for the cost of this "enhanced" security. This is pure and simply a tax passed on to the airport owner/operator and every business located on the airport, as well as the individuals who must be badged. Common sense tells you that if the cost of all of this is X dollars per year, the hangar rent, FBO charges, fuel prices, etc. will all be increased to pay for this. Here is another question. If you go through the onerous procedure of being badged at airport A, why cannot the badge be recognized at airport B or C? It has been done that way in Hawaii for twenty years.
The fact that the other alphabet organizations are still "negotiating" before Congress is ludicrous. This administration never met a tax they did not fall in love with. What is needed here is one or two airports to tell the government to take their contrived security program and fund it solely by the government. Otherwise the airports should refuse to go along with the program. If the government then tries to increase fees or taxes, let them justify why the program is needed at all. Tell us what the threat is. We are on the airports all day long.
There are forty-five congressional representatives already signed on as supporters of General Aviation. Do you all really believe that negotiating with the alphabet groups is responsible for the elimination of the user fee proposals? We can win the Security battle as well, if we can find one or two courageous airport owners to fight back.
My gut tells me this is just another tool for the airlines to drive us out of joint use airports. What do you think?
Steve Uslan, President
United States Pilots Association
On May 26, Aspen Avionics in Albuquerque, NM, hosted a session on general aviation issues for Kevin Cummins, head staffer for aviation affairs for Senator Tom Udall of NM. Senator Udall is a member of the Commerce Committee and appears to want to strongly support the growing aerospace industry in NM.
Among the approximately 15 in attendance, including the Presidents of Sandia Aerospace and Aspen Avionics, was Ron Keller representing both the New Mexico Pilots Association and the United States Pilots Association. Ron expressed concerns over the new TSA security directives for badging, etc. at airports with commercial air service—including the half-baked security requirements imposed on general aviation, a segment of aviation not responsible for a large scale attack on this country. Mr. Cummins took many notes. Others promptly backed up Ron’s statements. Ron also commented about the whole NexGen movement and the reauthorization, and the fact that GA pilots are expected to purchase new equipment for ADS-B, while still maintaining the RADAR transponders as a back-up system. Ron suggested that Congress approach the funding issue carefully, and ask why a back-up system is required if ADS-B is so good.
NMPA and USPA were the only pilots organizations represented at the meeting. Ron’s presentations were both technical and comprehensive, and he was requested to provide further communications with the President of Sandia Aerospace who stated that Ron was right on the money.
Jan Hoynacki, Executive Director
USPA
Catching everybody by surprise, Congress voted overwhelmingly to reject President Obama's request for $9 Billion dollars in user fees put forth in his 2010 budget request. Instead Congress ignored the user fee issue and gave the FAA four years of funding from fuel taxes and ticket taxes. General Aviation will be assessed an additional $05c per gallon of tax to assist in this funding. Randy Babbitt was confirmed as the FAA chairman at the same time. We can thank the 45 or so legislators who signed on in support of no user fees. This shows what we can do by contacting our representatives and keeping the pressure on. You cannot lose hope.
The next problem we must face is the enhanced security directives coming out of Homeland Security/TSA. June is coming up very quickly and still no word from both agencies. The pressure is on them to justify these onerous measures, and a number in Congress have questioned the need for this regulation. Keep writing and call your representatives. A much more literate soul than I once said: "It ain't over until I say it is over.”
I have just signed up to be able to cross the borders into Mexico or Canada and return. I now have my security code as assigned. I am wondering where I will find a computer to call ahead when returning to the U.S. Before I am done I will have to buy a sticker for my plane (user fee), it says so on the application, and probably be cleared by TSA background check.
I can see that gradually the government will have all of us driving hybrids or worse. They would like nothing better than to see GA fold its tent and go away. It is my chosen job to see that neither happens. Can I count on your support?
Steve Uslan, President
United States Pilots Association