Regional Affairs

AOPA appeals Phoenix Class B redesign

Pilots in the Phoenix area have been incensed since the Phoenix Class B airspace redesign went into effect in October 2007, and rightly so. The FAA ignored input from pilots, AOPA, and other groups that had weighed in to make the redesign workable for general aviation and the airlines. AOPA filed a brief March 7 on its earlier court appeal alleging that the FAA didn’t provide enough detail to allow for public input on VFR flyway changes and that the decision to lower part of the Class B floor from 3,000 feet to 2,700 feet was arbitrary and capricious. The FAA has until April 7 to file a response. “The FAA can’t cut GA out of the equation during airspace redesigns,” said Heidi Williams, AOPA director of air traffic services. “And AOPA is making sure GA won’t be overlooked.”

March 14, 2008