Northwest Mountain Region

2013 Issues and News

March 27, 2013 — Bill to ban seaplanes on Oregon's Waldo Lake opposed

With temporary rules that restored floatplane access to Oregon's Waldo Lake less than a year old, AOPA and the aviation community are opposing a bill that would re-impose a ban on floatplanes' use of the lake. — Read More >>

March 27, 2013 — Cities, states fight to keep towers open

Across the country, the imminent closing of contract control towers was eliciting a variety of responses from region to region. Texas announced that its Transportation Commission would hold an emergency meeting to provide authority for state funding of 13 control towers at regional airports. In South Carolina, Beaufort County officials expressed relief that the closing of the control tower at Hilton Head Island Airport, set for May 5, would not happen until after the Heritage Tournament. And lawyers for Spokane, Wash.'s Felts Field have presented the FAA with an emergency request to delay the April 7 shutdown of the airport's contract control tower to provide time for a U.S. Court of Appeals review of the sequester-driven closure order. — Read More >>

March 12, 2013 — Wyoming seeks input for aviation economic study

Here's a good reason to keep touting the importance of general aviation: Doing so could increase support from policy makers for keeping Wyoming's aviation economy strong. — Read More >>

March 7, 2013 — Liability-limit bill passes in Wyoming; Oregon to vote

Efforts in the states are continuing to open access to private airstrips, with Wyoming the latest to pass an AOPA-backed liability-relief measure, and Oregon introducing a similar bill. — Read More >>

March 7, 2013 — Study will focus on Washington State's aviation funding

When the legislature of the State of Washington opens its 2014 lawmaking session, a comprehensive report on needed aviation investments will await their attention--along with proposals for how to pay for the projects. — Read More >>

February 28, 2013 — Decision 'closes door' on airspace controversy

AOPA is welcoming the FAA's decision not to pursue new flight procedures for arrivals and departures at Pearson Field in Vancouver, Wash. The announcement ends several months of pilot concerns about their future use of the general aviation airport just northwest of Portland (Ore.) International Airport. — Read More >>

February 21, 2013 — Colorado's 'progressive' aviation funding keeps delivering

State airport improvement grants totaling almost $20 .7 million were awarded to 44 Colorado airports, funded by aviation fuel tax collections under a program AOPA considers a model of progressive state support for aviation. — Read More >>

February 14, 2013 — AOPA’s Fuller to keynote Northwest Aviation Conference

AOPA President Craig Fuller will be the keynote speaker, and AOPA will participate in a wide variety of activities and programs at the Northwest Aviation Conference Feb. 23 and 24 in Puyallup, Wash. — Read More >>

February 14, 2013 — Idaho bills would restructure aviation fees to boost revenue

AOPA is analyzing the impact of a proposed aviation fee restructuring in Idaho that would raise rates for pilots to increase revenue for the state’s Aeronautics Division by an estimated $153,500. — Read More >>

February 12, 2013 — Alternative to relocating mountain weather station urged

AOPA has requested that the National Weather Service reconsider plans to move an ASOS from its present 4,000-foot-elevation position at Stampede Pass in Washington state’s Cascade Mountains about 11 miles north to Snoqualmie Pass. — Read More >>

February 7, 2013 — FAA revises plan to shorten Oregon airway

The FAA has reopened the public comment period on the proposed modification of Victor airway V595 in Oregon after revising its original proposal. — Read More >>

February 7, 2013 — Bill would boost Washington state aviation funding

The Washington state Senate has taken up an AOPA-supported bill that would boost aviation funding - without raising taxes - by ending the practice of channeling most aircraft excise-tax revenue to nonaviation spending. Senate Bill 5430 would distribute all aircraft-excise tax revenue collected to the state aeronautics account. — Read More >>

January 24, 2013 — AOPA supports proposed Oregon routes

The FAA has proposed creating two new T-routes (low-altitude RNAV routes) to replace Victor airway segments that will be eliminated with the planned decommissioning of the Portland, Ore., VOR/DME in 2013. — Read More >>

January 22, 2013 — Recreational-use bill makes progress in Wyoming

A bill to protect landowners from liability for noncommercial use of their private airstrips has passed the Wyoming House and moved on to the Senate. — Read More >>

January 17, 2013 — Wyoming town may further develop 'Intergalactic Spaceport'

Officials in Green River, Wyo., are studying Greater Green River Intergalactic Spaceport and its potential to boost the local economy. — Read More >>

2012 Issues and News

December 19, 2012 — Denver's new STARs showcase NextGen potential

New RNAV arrival procedures at Denver International Airport are benefiting from the efficiencies of performance-based navigation without curtailing general aviation's access to the airspace or satellite airports. — Read More >>

December 18, 2012 — Washington seeks comment on new airport mapping app

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is asking aviation stakeholders to test out its new, Web-based airport mapping application. — Read More >>

December 13, 2012 — Colorado measuring economic clout of aviation

In Colorado, the state's Division of Aeronautics is asking airport users to participate in its research for a 2013 Economic Impact Study for Colorado Airports. — Read More >>

December 5, 2012 — FAA to convene Pearson Field safety panel

AOPA will participate with representatives of local pilots and other stakeholders in discussions with the FAA this month about safety of flight issues at Pearson Field in Vancouver, Wash. — Read More >>

December 4, 2012 — Radar-like technology comes to Colo. airport

Airspace in the vicinity of a regional airport in the mountains of western Colorado is now under the gaze of technology that helps air traffic control track aircraft in the absence of radar coverage. — Read More >>

November 28, 2012 — Colo. county may abolish airport authority: Meeting Nov. 30

The future management and operation of the Silver West Airport in Westcliffe, Colo., will be in focus at a public hearing scheduled for Nov. 30 by the Custer County Board of Commissioners. — Read More >>

November 6, 2012 — More time allowed for comments on Navy training plan

The Navy has extended to Dec. 6 the public comment period on the draft environmental impact statement that would change how it uses the Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility near Boardman, Ore., and related airspace. — Read More >>

November 2, 2012 — Online tool estimates airports' economic clout

You can look up facts and figures to estimate an airport's economic impact, but what does the future hold? One state has a tool to help find answers. — Read More >>

November 1, 2012 — Navy urged to return unused airspace in Oregon

AOPA has requested that the Navy relinquish special-use airspace that will no longer be used for training at the Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility near Boardman, Ore., under changes proposed in a draft environmental impact statement available for public comment until Nov. 6. — Read More >>

October 23, 2012 — VOR's decommissioning may shorten Oregon airway

The FAA has proposed to remove the northernmost portion of Victor airway V595 in Oregon in connection with the scheduled decommissioning of the Portland VOR, which serves as the end point for the route. — Read More >>

October 9, 2012 — Construction begins on new Wyoming airport

Wyoming officials have launched construction of a new airport in Hot Springs County, citing increased safety for pilots and a possible economic shot in the arm for the region. — Read More >>

October 4, 2012 — Salt Lake City Class B airspace change takes effect Oct. 18

With a new configuration for Salt Lake City (Utah) Class B airspace scheduled to take effect on Oct. 18, AOPA is urging pilots to become familiar with the airspace design and prepare for any changes it will require in their flight operations. — Read More >>

September 27, 2012 — FAA delays Pearson Field airspace procedure

Bowing to pressure from the Washington and Oregon congressional delegations, aviation groups, and local pilots, the FAA will delay its planned Oct. 1 implementation of an airspace procedure affecting flights using Pearson Field in Vancouver, Wash. — Read More >>

August 29, 2012 — Oregon awards $7.25 million for airport improvements

Public-use airports in Oregon will benefit from more than $7.25 million in funding for projects approved by the state's Transportation Commission under the ConnectOregon IV program. — Read More >>

August 23, 2012 — FAA releases Salt Lake City Class B airspace final rule

A new configuration for Salt Lake City, Utah's Class B airspace that takes effect Oct. 18 makes some concessions to general aviation but will still present operational challenges--including a higher ceiling and the overall expansion of the airspace--AOPA said. — Read More >>

August 9, 2012 — Pilots can pitch projects in Washington state

Washington state pilots with ideas for improving their aviation system have an opportunity to pitch their proposals through a statewide outreach program seeking input on transportation policy. — Read More >>

August 2, 2012 — Airshow flight procedures subject of delayed notam

The FAA has requested that AOPA urge pilots who are planning to attend the 2012 Rocky Mountain Airshow to review arrival and departure procedures before a delayed notice to airmen becomes available just one day ahead of the event, scheduled Aug. 24 to 26 at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomfield, Colo. — Read More >>

May 30, 2012 — Colorado-Kansas MOA plan modification urged

More steps must be taken to mitigate the impact on general aviation of proposed changes to the Cheyenne Military Operations Area in western Kansas and eastern Colorado, AOPA said in formal comments on the proposal. — Read More >>

May 22, 2012 — Access solution emerging in Grand Junction

General aviation tenants facing constrained access under security rules at Colorado's Grand Junction Regional Airport expressed hope that progress is emerging from months of negotiations with officials. — Read More >>

May 10, 2012 — GA impact seen from Colorado-Kansas MOA changes

The proposed modification of a military operations area (MOA) straddling portions of western Kansas and eastern Colorado should be further refined to reduce the impact on general aviation, AOPA said, urging members to submit comments on the plan by May 30. — Read More >>

May 7, 2012 — Idaho backcountry access in spotlight

Aviation advocates in Idaho want pilots to scale back the use of four backcountry airstrips designated as emergency airfields under a federal wildlife area management plan. — Read More >>

May 3, 2012 — Aviation 'critical' to Washington state economy

Pilots in Washington state have a new resource for demonstrating the "critical" contribution aviation makes to their communities, and beyond. — Read More >>

May 2, 2012 — Kalispell Council sets hearing on airport master plan

Since 1929, the Kalispell (Mont.) City Airport has been a resource for pilots, a fixture in the community, and a regional economic asset. On May 7, pilots can show their support for the facility by participating in a city council public hearing on updating the airport master plan. — Read More >>

April 12, 2012 — Floatplanes regain access to Oregon's Waldo Lake

Seaplane pilots once again have access to Waldo Lake in the Cascades after pilot groups banded together to encourage the Oregon State Marine Board to exclude floatplanes from its ban on internal combustion engines operating on the lake. — Read More >>

April 2, 2012 — Tower-marking bill signed in Idaho

Low-altitude VFR flight operations in Idaho will be safer now that Gov. C. L. Otter has signed an AOPA-backed bill requiring the marking and lighting of rural towers and other obstructions that are less than 200 feet high. — Read More >>

March 28, 2012 — Return of floatplane access to Waldo Lake urged

Pilots can make their voices heard with an Oregon state agency as it reconsiders a two-year-old ban on floatplanes on one of the state's largest lakes. — Read More >>

March 14, 2012 — Colorado: Investing in aviation's future

Airport improvements and aerospace education are moving forward in Colorado under programs to reinvest state fuel-tax revenues in aviation infrastructure and teaching programs. — Read More >>

March 8, 2012 — Washington airfield owners gain liability protection

Washington joined a group of 13 states with laws that clearly include aviation in recreational use statutes protecting property owners from liability when access to private property is provided without charge. — Read More >>

March 1, 2012 — Tax exemption bill clears Idaho legislature

An AOPA-backed bill exempting aircraft parts, supplies, and other components from sales and use taxes is headed to Idaho Gov. C.L. Otter for signing following unanimous passage by the state Senate. — Read More >>

March 1, 2012 — Airfield access bill headed to Washington's governor

Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire's signature was awaited on an AOPA-backed liability protection bill that could broaden access to private airfields in the state. — Read More >>

February 16, 2012 — Navy revises expanded training plan in Oregon

The Navy should return unused airspace to the National Airspace System and provide 60-day comment periods on any special-use airspace expansion planned near Oregon's Boardman Airport, AOPA said. — Read More >>

February 15, 2012 — Bill could increase access to Washington state airports

AOPA is working with Washington state pilots and the Recreational Aviation Foundation to support legislation that would clarify liability protection for private airfield owners. — Read More >>

February 9, 2012 — Recreational aviation gets stake in Forest Service planning

Recreational aviation and backcountry strips in US Forest Service lands recently received a much-needed lift. Forest Service planners must now consider aviation in their plans, whether it be preserving or maintaining backcountry strips. — Read More >>

February 2, 2012 — Idaho House passes aviation tax exemption

The Idaho House of Representatives has unanimously passed a bill exempting aircraft parts, supplies, and other components from the state's sales and use tax. The bill, strongly supported by AOPA and the general aviation community, is now headed for Senate committee. — Read More >>

February 2, 2012 — Power project raises aviation safety concerns

A careful study of aviation safety concerns is "imperative" when the Oregon Department of Energy reviews a proposed gas-fired power plant to be built near the Portland-Troutdale Airport, AOPA said in a Jan. 31 letter to the state agency. — Read More >>

January 26, 2012 — Comment deadline extended on airspace plan

The Navy, responding to AOPA's request to give pilots more time to review its plans to seek new special-use airspace for training operations at the Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility in Boardman, Ore., has agreed to a 32-day extension of the deadline for public comments. Public comments on the proposal will now be accepted until Feb. 27. — Read More >>

January 19, 2012 — Aviation role advocated on BLM land

Aviation voices are now being heard as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) drafts its plans for managing federal land holdings in the Colorado River Valley. — Read More >>

January 19, 2012 — Navy reverses course on Oregon airspace

AOPA, expressing disappointment with the Navy's plan to seek new special-use airspace (SUA) for training operations at the Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility in Boardman, Ore.--despite its past assurances to the contrary--is urging pilots to state their views on the issue for the record. — Read More >>

January 19, 2012 — Final Ross Lake management plan supported

The decision to include seaplane access as a component of the final planning document for the Ross Lake National Recreational Area in Washington state resulted from an effective collaboration between government planners and aviation organizations during the plan's review process, AOPA said. — Read More >>

January 5, 2012 — Pilot groups defend backcountry aviation

Pilots who value backcountry aviation have an opportunity to support continued access to two airstrips on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) property in Colorado, and advocate for backcountry aviation nationwide, by commenting on a draft resource management plan. — Read More >>

2011 Issues and News

• December 12, 2011 - Seaplane access to continue at Ross Lake
• October 26, 2011 - Seattle airspace redesign a model of collaboration
• October 20, 2011 - Seaplanes in, mussels out at Lake Whatcom
• September 30, 2011 - Solutions at home could save Idaho taxpayers money
• August 8, 2011 - Wash. awards airport grants
• July 13, 2011 - Wash. pilots be alert for military's aerial rodeo
• June 20, 2011 - FAA thinks outside box with Seattle Class B design
• June 10, 2011 - Oregon airport resists inquiries on new fees
• March 3, 2011 - Members briefed on safety, advocacy at Northwest conference
• February 7, 2011 - Members rally to oppose proposed Washington state aircraft tax
• February 1, 2011 - Montana bill to cut aeronautics board tabled after outreach