AOPA Action

Florida CFI Wins First New 182

"Holy cow!" was the reaction when Michael David Raisler learned by telephone that he had won the AOPA 1996 Sweepstakes Grand Prize, the First New 182 off Cessna's new Independence, Kansas, production line. Raisler, AOPA 1160239, is a 26-year-old flight instructor from Clermont, Florida. His name was drawn at random by computers at the accounting firm of Ernst and Young in AOPA's largest annual sweepstakes yet.

The First New 182 will be delivered to Raisler's home airport as soon as it is ready at Cessna. And Raisler's "home airport" is just that, since he lives right on the Seminole Lake Gliderport, a 3,000-foot grass strip in west-central Florida where he teaches airplane and glider students and flies the towplane.

Raisler, a newly minted CFI who is now working on his multiengine and instrument instructor ratings, is an avid participant in the AOPA Project Pilot Instructor Program. To date, he has enrolled 26 of his students in the program to encourage students to keep flying.

Raisler said that his new 182 will be perfect for teaching instruments and cross-country navigation from his turf runway. The 1,300-hour CFI has students flying a Cessna 140; taildragger Cessna 150; and the gliderport's Schweizer 2-33, Super Blanik L-23, and Grob 103 glider and 103 SL motorglider. He holds a degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Central Florida and began flying in 1988 while a college student.

Joining AOPA shortly after earning his private pilot certificate, Raisler has been an enthusiastic member, participating in the Legal Services Plan and automatic annual renewal program, as well as Project Pilot. He was one of the first purchasers of AOPA's new airport directory on CD-ROM.

Homebuilder Wins Bendix/King Avionics

Winner of the sweepstakes' first prize $15,000 Bendix/King avionics suite is Paul J. Elam, AOPA 813880, of Wilmington, Delaware, a retired purchasing agent and active member of the 40-year-old Brandywine Soaring Association at the fabled New Garden Flying Field in nearby Toughkenamon, Pennsylvania.

The 3,000-hour commercial pilot with multiengine and glider ratings now flies and maintains the club's 1975 Citabria 7GCAA towplane. The former Eighth Air Force B-17 copilot, a prisoner of war after being shot down in 1945, finished his military flying as a B-25/B-26 instructor and later as a P-51 pilot in the reserves in his native Oklahoma. His personal airplane is the Hatz open-cockpit biplane ("It's like a Waco 10," Elam says) that he's building from plans in his basement, so it isn't immediately apparent where Elam will install the complete dream avionics package that he's won.

More Winners From Coast To Coast

The 1996 AOPA Sweepstakes was the first in years to offer such a wide array of prizes. Winners of the four second-prize GPS receivers provided by Garmin International, Magellan Systems Corporation, II Morrow Incorporated, and Trimble Navigation are:

• Marven Rowlette, AOPA 811964, of San Diego, California;
• Blair Chandler, AOPA 1159791, of Birmingham, Alabama;
• Kenneth Morrow, AOPA 1122422, of Nampa, Idaho; and
• Charles McBath, AOPA 695791, of Naperville, Illinois.

Grand Prize in the 1997 Sweepstakes is AOPA's "Ultimate Arrow." This special Piper retractable will be awarded to a lucky winner who enters the Sweepstakes by December 31. Those who join AOPA or renew their membership during 1997 are automatically entered to win.

Crowd Celebrates Meigs Reopening

AOPA President Phil Boyer was among the first to land at Chicago's Meigs Field on reopening day, February 10. "Good morning, Meigs Tower, it's a pleasure to be talking to you again," Boyer radioed.

The embattled airport was closed on October 1 as part of Mayor Richard M. Daley's plan to convert the field into a park. Boyer told the reopening ceremony crowd that "closing Meigs was more than a city or state issue. For the 340,000 pilots I represent, it symbolizes what could happen to their community airports."

Full details on the Meigs victory will be carried in the April issue of Pilot, but they are available now on the AOPA Web site (www.aopa.org).

AOPA Endorses Former NTSB Chairman for FAA Adminstrator

AOPA is encouraging President Clinton to appoint former NTSB Chairman Carl W. Vogt to head the Federal Aviation Administration.

In a letter to Clinton, AOPA President Phil Boyer said, "The FAA is at a critical point, facing serious questions about aviation safety, system capacity and modernization, security, and funding. Vice President Gore has stated that the next FAA administrator should be 'an agent of change.' All the more reason, then, to appoint a strong leader who has the respect and support of all the stakeholders in aviation — the airlines, labor unions, the military, airports, and general aviation — so that he can affect that change."

Vogt, a nationally prominent lawyer, was chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board from 1992 to 1994. In 1990, he was appointed a member of the Aviation System Capacity Advisory Committee. FAA Administrator David Hinson asked Vogt to serve on the FAA 90-Day Safety Review Team in 1996. More recently, Clinton appointed Vogt to the White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security (Gore Commission).

Vogt is an ex-Marine Corps fighter pilot and an AOPA member. He holds an FAA commercial pilot certificate.

AOPA, Cessna Pilots Association Move To Modify Proposed Twin Cessna Exhaust AD

AOPA has joined with the Cessna Pilots Association in responding to a special airworthiness information bulletin that the FAA sent to owners of most Cessna twins. The bulletin will probably be followed by an exhaust system airworthiness directive that could cost an individual owner more than $20,000.

"The FAA is overreacting to an NTSB recommendation," said AOPA's director of aviation standards, Douglas Macnair. "AOPA is responding now to convince the FAA to adopt some common-sense solutions."

The bulletin recommends removal, disassembly, and inspection of stainless steel exhaust systems every 100 hours on all Cessna T310, 320, 335, 340, 401, 402, 404, 411, 414, and 421 turbocharged twins. For systems built with Inconel, a more heat-resistant metal, an on-aircraft inspection would be required every 100 hours. The FAA is considering making the bulletin mandatory by amending an existing AD.

In 1985, the NTSB investigated two Cessna turbocharged twin accidents and recommended detailed inspections that would have required disassembly of the exhaust system. The FAA rejected that recommendation, arguing that repeated disassembly for inspection could lead to premature metal fatigue, causing more failures than the inspections would prevent. The FAA has now reversed its 1985 position and accepted the NTSB's recently renewed recommendation calling for detailed inspections.

In a letter to the FAA's Wichita Aircraft Certification Office, Macnair wrote that "the truths about problems associated with disassembly haven't changed from a decade ago. AOPA would be opposed to repetitive tear-down inspections that could risk damage to the exhaust system through unnecessary stress and improper handling."

AOPA told the FAA that a positive alternative could be found in Cessna Pilots Association proposals to guard against exhaust system leaks. Among other proposals, CPA suggested requiring a repetitive 100-hour pressure check of both exhaust system types.

"A pressure test coupled with a thorough external visual inspection is the most accurate and cost-effective way to ensure the safe operation of these engines," said Macnair. AOPA said that it would also support CPA's proposal to install crossfeed line shutoff valves to prevent in-flight fires.

Hose Inspection Required On Cessnas

Cessna owners are required by a new airworthiness directive to make sure that faulty hoses have not been installed in their aircraft. The AD affects all piston-powered models from the Cessna 150 to the Cessna 421, as well as the turbine-powered Caravan and Cessna 425 Conquest I.

The FAA will permit pilots to check the maintenance records and do the necessary inspection themselves, saving the owner of a single-engine Cessna about $65. (AOPA has long advocated allowing aircraft owners to perform such simple AD compliance inspections themselves.)

The AD requires checking aircraft maintenance records within 60 days or 60 hours time-in-service (whichever comes first) to determine whether any Cessna P/N S51-10 hose was installed after March 1995. The hose can be used for fuel, oil, or hydraulic lines and therefore could be found almost anywhere in the aircraft.

If a hose with that part number was installed, a visual inspection must be performed to determine if the hose has a spiral or diagonal external reinforcement wrap. An airworthy hose will have a criss-cross or cross-hatch braid.

An aircraft owner or operator with a pilot certificate may perform the record check and inspection, and may sign the aircraft log to show compliance with the AD. If the pilot finds a spiral-wrapped hose installed, a certificated mechanic must replace it and return the aircraft to service.

The AD, which went into effect on February 3, was prompted by reports of hose deterioration and fuel flow blockage in some Cessna Caravans.

A copy of AD 97-01-13 (Airworthiness Directives-Cessna 100, 200, 300, and 400 Series Airplanes) can be found on AOPA Online on the Internet (www.aopa.org).

FAA 800 Lines Cut 50 Percent

Pilots may now encounter more busy signals when calling an automated flight service station on the nationwide toll-free telephone number because the FAA has cut the number of 800/WX-BRIEF lines by more than 50 percent at some AFSS locations.

The number of incoming toll-free lines was reduced on January 1 under newly enforced provisions of the federal government's General Services Administration telephone contract with AT&T. That contract specifies an overall call completion rate of 96.5 percent. An AT&T study last year concluded that 99.5 percent of call attempts reached an AFSS.

"An 'average completion rate' doesn't take into account that on bad weather days, more pilots are going to hit a busy signal than an 'average' 3.5 percent," said Marty Shuey, AOPA vice president for air traffic control. "And their study doesn't square with what our members are reporting."

In a recent AOPA survey, 9 percent of AOPA members interviewed said that they had encountered a busy signal on their most recent call to 800/WX-BRIEF and got a busy signal 14 percent of the time overall.

The FAA has promised AOPA that it will restore some of the AFSS phone lines if pilots continue to run into busy signals.

"We'll hold them to that promise," said Shuey.

Pilots should report busy signals to FAA program manager Mike Sullivan at 202/267-3061 and to AOPA Government and Technical Affairs at 301/695-2209. Reports should include the date, time, and name of the AFSS called.

AOPA Petitions for More Changes to Grand Canyon Rule

AOPA has filed a petition for reconsideration of new special flight rules over Grand Canyon National Park, calling them discriminatory and unfair to general aviation.

The special flight rules penalize general aviation's noncommercial operations by restricting aircraft access, imposing operational and performance penalties, and increasing costs associated with overflights.

AOPA's active intervention has already won changes in the Grand Canyon rules, decreasing their effect on general aviation. Final rules permit general aviation transit over two large portions of the national park.

AOPA Director of Airspace Standards Melissa Bailey, who prepared AOPA's objections and testified at public hearings, said that the proposed Marble Canyon "no fly" zone (at the northeast end of the park) has been eliminated. That zone would have blocked flights between Farmington, New Mexico, and Las Vegas.

Although the zone was dropped, a higher "minimum sector altitude" was set to keep aircraft above 8,000 feet msl in the Marble Canyon sector. Only aircraft using Cliff Dwellers or Marble Canyon airstrips will be excepted.

Another significant change lowered the ceiling of the new Sanup Flight Free Zone (southwest end of the park) to 8,000 feet msl. The original proposal would have prohibited flight below 14,500 feet msl, raising the minimum en route altitude (MEA) along Victor Airway 235 and making V235 unusable for many general aviation aircraft.

But AOPA wants further modifications, including reopening of the Fossil Canyon and Tuckup corridors to general aviation. AOPA also wants the Marble Canyon minimum sector altitude lowered to 6,000 feet msl over its south portion and 5,000 feet over its north portion.

Rockies Park Rule Could be Beginning of the End of Rational Airspace Management

On another front, AOPA protested new rules restricting flights over Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, condemning them as a disturbing shift of responsibility for airspace management.

"This could be the beginning of the end of rational, economic, and safe management of our national airspace resource," AOPA said. "The Interior Department has taken the lead in regulating airspace over national parks. Now other federal land managers want pieces of airspace as well. Even the Agriculture Department wants to control airspace."

The Department of Agriculture, which includes the U.S. Forest Service, has asked that the Rocky Mountain National Park Special Flight Rules Area be extended to include Forest Service land adjoining the park.

There are some 127 national parks and monuments in the United States, occupying more than 80 million acres. National forests cover another 116 million acres. In addition, there are national recreation areas, parkways, wild and scenic rivers, scenic trails, primitive and wilderness areas, wildlife refuges, grasslands, lakeshores, seashores, and huge tracts of land controlled by the Bureau of Land Management. Altogether, the federal government owns more than 650 million acres, some 29 percent of total U.S. land area.

"If all of those land managers start controlling the airspace above them, we'll create a crazy quilt of restricted airspace," said Boyer. "Such disruption of general aviation could have dire economic and safety consequences. FAA has the authority and expertise to control airspace. For both safety and economic reasons, that authority must not be preempted."

Myrtle Beach International To Go Class C March 27

Controlled airspace around Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR), South Carolina, will become Class C airspace effective March 27.

Take note: The March 27 effective date is the publication date for the next IFR low altitude en route charts, which will show MYR as Class C. However, an updated Charlotte sectional will not be published until August 14.

After the effective date, the dates and times of Class C operation will be published in the Airport/Facility Directory.

AOPA Continues to Back Austin's Mueller Field for GA

The long struggle over the future of Robert Mueller Municipal Airport (AUS) in Austin, Texas, is going into its fifth year. Since planning began for conversion of nearby Bergstrom AFB to civil operations and closure of Mueller, AOPA has supported local pilots backing Mueller as a general aviation-only facility.

The city wants to sell the Mueller site to pay the cost of converting Bergstrom and to realize new tax revenues from future development on the 711-acre tract close to downtown Austin. Only pressure from the FAA, AOPA, and local pilot groups made the city belatedly accept general aviation operations at the new Bergstrom facility in the first place, and its design is dominated by airline requirements and other economic factors. AOPA believes that general aviation needs the Mueller Airport; and AOPA, local GA pilots, and other supporters will continue to fight for it.

Among Mueller's supporters is the State of Texas, whose Aviation Pooling Board bases its 22 aircraft at Mueller and doesn't want to move to the more inconvenient Bergstrom location. The state also wants to save taxpayer dollars by buying and using peripheral Mueller land for state offices, museums, and meeting facilities near the Texas capital. The state is preparing proposals for legislation on the issue.

AOPA Iinsurance Agency Launches Nonowned Aircraft and Professional Liability Coverage Especially for CFIs

The AOPA Insurance Agency has launched its new AOPA Nonowned Aircraft and Professional Liability Insurance Program, specifically designed for the nation's 80,000 flight instructors.

Customary insurance purchased by the student or aircraft owner usually doesn't cover the CFI while giving instruction. And in virtually all cases, it provides no professional liability coverage for CFIs, who can be held liable for a student's later accident, long after they've signed off a logbook.

The AOPA Insurance Agency's new program, underwritten by the American Eagle Group, offers two types of coverage to help protect CFIs: basic coverage while giving instruction aboard an aircraft owned or rented either by the student or by the CFI, plus optional professional coverage against liability arising from recent flight instruction.

Insurance for the special needs of flight instructors joins AOPA Insurance Agency's offerings for aircraft owners and new coverage for rented or borrowed aircraft. Now CFIs can turn to AOPA insurance programs to "insure their living as aviation professionals." For more information, call 800/622-AOPA (2672).

Key Congressional Staffer Named AOPALA Director

William R. Deere, former aide to Rep. Jim Lightfoot (R-IA), has been named vice president and executive director of AOPA Legislative Action.

Deere succeeds Thomas B. Chapman, who recently became AOPA's senior vice president for Government and Technical Affairs.

"At a critical time for general aviation in Congress, Bill brings us extraordinary political experience," said Chapman. "His extensive knowledge of both the process and the players is additional ammunition as AOPA Legislative Action opposes user fees and advocates a rational, fair, and long-term FAA funding solution."

Deere served for 5 years as Lightfoot's Appropriations Committee staffer, dealing primarily with the transportation, treasury, postal, and foreign operations subcommittees.

There, he helped to translate AOPA's innovative Linked Financing concept into actual legislation, which Lightfoot introduced in Congress last year. He also helped to develop the legislative language incorporated in the Duncan-Lightfoot Bill to create an independent FAA.

Prior to his recent congressional service, Deere was on the AOPA staff from 1987 to 1991, rising to congressional affairs director and manager of the AOPA Political Action Committee.

Record-Breaking Year for ASF Seminars

A record 43,000 pilots attended AOPA Air Safety Foundation safety seminars in 1996, an 18-percent jump in attendance nationwide.

The year's 488 free presentations took ASF's safety message to 208 cities in 41 states. ASF Executive Director Bruce Landsberg noted that since most general aviation accidents are caused by judgment and skill errors, these ASF safety seminars are designed to help pilots recognize and avoid them.

Using its 35,000-accident database, the foundation can quickly identify new problems, develop fresh strategies to face them, and communicate these new solutions nationwide.

Based on newly identified trends, ASF introduced two new safety seminars in 1996:

"Never Again" — Using scenarios drawn from AOPA Pilot's popular "Never Again" column, ASF uses innovative multimedia techniques to teach both VFR- and IFR-rated pilots how to make better decisions about flying in reduced visibility.

"Most Dangerous Game" — A humorous approach to a deadly serious subject, this seminar looks at low-level maneuvering flight, bungled landing approaches, and inattentive pilots. Attendees take part in a "play-by-play" video review of pilots engaging in various kinds of maneuvering flight, the most dangerous "game" pilots play.

Also popular in 1996 was "GPS — Magic Box or Pandora's Box?" First introduced in 1995, this seminar demonstrates that the ease of "direct-to" navigation can lead the unwary into difficult situations. For many pilots, this free ASF seminar is their introduction to using GPS in IFR operations.

ASF also continued its respected tactical weather workshops, along with safety seminars on stall/spin accidents and mountain flying, plus refresher courses on aircraft systems, airspace usage, and pilot judgment.

ASF's innovative "Seminar-in-a-Box" program reached some 7,000 pilots who might not otherwise have access to an ASF safety seminar. The "Seminar-in-a-Box" provides a local sponsor with all materials needed for a hometown aviation safety seminar, including speaker's guide, video presentation, and safety brochures.

Information and schedules for all ASF seminars can be obtained from AOPA Online on the Internet (www.aopa.org) .

New Head of Aviation Weather Center Visits ASF

Dr. David R. Rodenhuis (right), National Weather Service's new director of the Aviation Weather Center in Kansas City, visited Air Safety Foundation headquarters in January. Because weather causes 25 percent of all GA accidents and 33 percent of fatal accidents, ASF works with NWS to help get better weather information to pilots. Rodenhuis told ASF Executive Director Bruce Landsberg (left) that budget constraints threaten cuts in Weather Service funding. Rodenhuis expressed particular interest in ASF's landmark safety review "General Aviation Weather Accidents: Analysis and Preventive Strategies."