VFR Flyways are defined as a general flight path, not a specific course, for use by pilots planning flights in, through, or near complex terminal airspace to avoid Class B airspace. Pilots don't need an ATC clearance to fly these routes. VFR Flyways are depicted on the reverse side of some VFR Terminal Area Charts (TACs), and all TACs will include VFR Flyway Planning Charts.
VFR Corridors, such as the one at Los Angeles, are defined as airspace through Class B airspace, with defined vertical and lateral boundaries, in which VFR aircraft may operate without an ATC clearance or communication with ATC. A VFR Corridor is, in effect, a hole through Class B airspace.
Class B Airspace VFR Transition Routes accommodate VFR traffic through certain Class B airspace such as Los Angeles and Seattle. A VFR Transition Route is a specific flight course and is depicted on a TAC. These routes include specific ATC-assigned altitudes, and pilots must obtain an ATC clearance before entering the Class B airspace.
FAA Weather Service - Section 7-1-2: Reorganizes references into their relevant subparagraphs and adds specific information to a general reference about the availability of in-flight weather information.
Preflight Briefing - Section 7-1-3: Changes ASL (above sea level) to the more commonly understood MSL (mean sea level).
Inflight Weather Advisories - Section 7-1-5: Adds an explanation of how advisories are described and plotted; adds information to assist pilots in identifying WSTs (Convective SIGMETs); reorganizes subparagraphs for clarity, and removes information no longer current.
WSTs deal with thunderstorms and related weather only, such as tornadoes, heavy precipitation, hail, and high surface winds, and imply associated weather such as turbulence, icing, and convective low-level wind shear. Individual WSTs for each day are numbered sequentially (00-1-99), beginning at 00Z. The number indicates the affected geographic area, i.e. the first WST issued each day for the eastern United States is Convective SIGMET 1E, the second WST is 2E, and so on. WSTs are issued hourly at 55 minutes past the hour and are valid for two hours, or until the next WST is issued.
Inflight Weather Broadcasts - Section 7-1-9: Standardizes the phraseology used in the AIM and the ATC Handbook by rewording examples in subparagraphs b.1. and b.2. Also, FAA Order 7110.65. adds subparagraph b.3. to give pilots information about how to determine local HIWAS (Hazardous Inflight Weather Advisory Service) availability while in flight.
Weather Observing Programs - Section 7-1-10: Adds Table 7-1-1 to provide a quick comparison of the weather observing methods. Also adds subparagraph f. and Table 7-1-2 to provide information about the different levels of detail in ASOS (Automated Surface Observation System) observations.
PIREPs Relating to Airframe Icing - Section 7-1-19: Adds information on the potential for icing when the temperature is slightly above 0?C. "A pilot can expect icing when flying in visible precipitation, such as rain or cloud droplets, and the temperature is between 2?C and -10?C."
Laser Operations - Section 7-5 - 10: Adds a new paragraph about laser operations, such as outdoor laser light shows, and the potential problems they might cause pilots, i.e. temporary vision impairment.
Flight Training offers WAI scholarship
Flight Training magazine will award two scholarships to students enrolled full time in a collegiate aviation program, to attend the 1999 Women in Aviation International Conference March 18-20 in Orlando, Florida. The scholarship covers airfare, hotel, and meals during the conference. Women in Aviation International is donating the conference registration.
Recipients must be able to travel to Orlando for the full conference, arriving the morning of March 18 and departing the morning of March 21. During the show, recipients will help staff Flight Training's booth during exhibit hours.
To apply, applicants should send a one-page cover letter describing themselves and explaining why they want to attend the conference. Applicants should also write a one-page, double-spaced, typed essay on either "Marketing General Aviation to the General Public" or "How to Attract More Women to Aviation." Mail the application to WAI Scholarship, Flight Training Magazine, 201 Main St., Parkville, MO 64152. Application deadline is Friday, January 8, 1999.
Women start ATC scholarship
Two female air traffic controllers, Ruth Marlin and Abigail Smith, have established a new scholarship at Miami-Dade Community College's Eig-Watson School of Aviation to help young women pursue careers in ATC. The scholarship will cover half the cost of tuition, fees, and textbooks for two females working toward their degrees in aviation administration. The scholarship comes on the heels of FAA plans to hire 800 controllers per year for 10 years. M-DCC's ATC training program is one of only a few college- and university-level programs that have been officially recognized by the FAA to train controllers. Marlin and Smith have established an account with the M-DCC Foundation Inc. to receive donations to the scholarship fund, with the goal of expanding it to more students in the future. For more information, call the college at 305/237-5060.
GA Team 2000 ad ends with increased response
With the 20-week long series of cable TV commercials for GA Team 2000 recently concluded, the number of responses to the ad has increased 53 percent over last year, Team 2000 reports. Through August 1998, 25,000 individuals have responded to the ads, with 70 percent calling 888/BE-A-PILOT and the remainder accessing the Team's Web site, www.beapilot.com. Team 2000 attributes the increase to a more targeted ad campaign and airing the ads on cable networks that reach the desired demographic audience.
U.S. team wins world aerobatic medals
The United States Aerobatic Team returned home in late August from the 19th World Aerobatic Championships (WAC) loaded with team and individual medals. Held every two years, the WAC is an international event often compared to the Olympics, and in 1998 Trencin, Slovakia, hosted the contest.
The U.S. men's team won the silver medal, being edged out of the gold by a fraction of cumulative points by the French team. Patrick Paris of France earned the highest cumulative score and won the Aresti Trophy and the title of "World Aerobatic Champion."
Individually, Matt Chapman of Pennsylvania placed third; Arizonian Kirby Chambliss placed fourth; Mike Goulian of Michigan placed eighth; Texan Dave Martin placed 11th; and Phil Knight of Florida placed 15th.
The U.S. women's team won the overall bronze medal, and Diane Hakala of Michigan won the silver medal. Hakala is ranked second in the world. The other members of the women's team are Ellen Dean of Florida and Debby Rihn-Harvey of Texas.
This is the U.S. team's best showing since 1972, and the U.S. Aerobatic Foundation, which sponsors the team, gives credit to the pilots - and its new Individual Pilot Training (IPT) program. The new program allows team pilots to practice individually rather than at a training camp, as previous teams did. This enabled them to schedule training time with coaches that met their personal schedules.
USAF also credited the support of the team's major sponsors, including AeroShell, Lycoming, Green Tree Financial, Aviat Aircraft, Aircraft Spruce and Specialty, the Experimental Aircraft Association, Trade-A-Plane, and Flight Training Magazine. "Without this kind of financial support and encouragement," USAF said, "we just wouldn't be able to participate competitively with those state supported teams in Europe."
Johns Hopkins to study GPS
The Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University has been selected to conduct an independent risk-assessment study about GPS-based navigation as a sole means of navigation operations. The six-month study will study the viability of GPS enhanced by the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) and the Local Area Augmentation System (LAAS), two 21st Century National Airspace navigation plans. The study will investigate whether any valid threats exist concerning reliance on GPS as a sole means of navigation for civil aviation. It will also examine the risk of intentional and unintentional interference with the signal.
GPS/WAAS will eventually replace VORs for en route navigation as well as non-precision and Category I precision instrument approaches. The study was called for by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, and the Air Transport Association, which represents airlines. Both organizations agree space-based navigation is potentially safer than ground-based systems, but they maintain the FAA should continue supporting ground-based navigational aids until a higher level of safety and utility is available from GPS navigation. The final Johns Hopkins' report is due January 1, 1999.
AOPA challenges training ban
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is challenging attempts by Coral Gables, Florida, to regulate federal airspace. Coral Gables is just south of Miami and under Class B airspace. Its ordinance established a 1,000-foot minimum over-flight altitude and prohibits "stunt" flying and flight training over the city. In a letter to Mayor Raul J. Valdes-Fauli, AOPA said the ordinance was an "impermissible attempt to regulate an area preempted by the federal government," and asked Coral Gables to comply with federal law and remove the ordinance.
Also, AOPA continues its efforts to get Las Cruces, New Mexico, to remove its ordinance that regulates a pilot's conduct in flight at the city's nontowered airport. In June, the city passed the ordinance making the Aeronautical Information Manual's recommended procedures mandatory. The ordinance removes a pilot's authority to deviate from procedures as safety requires, says AOPA, "and because the airport manager can issue misdemeanor citations to pilots who fail to comply, the ordinance criminalizes matters that are clearly not criminal."
AOPA asked Las Cruces to change the ordinance to make it comply with federal law. City Attorney Fermin Rubio rejected the request in a short letter that said, "The city of Las Cruces doe not intend to take any corrective action as we believe the ordinance is lawful and reasonable."
In a three-page letter of response, AOPA said that Title 49, Section 40103 of the United States Code gives the federal government "exclusive sovereignty of airspace in the United States." AOPA also cited three U.S. Supreme Court cases that affirm the federal government's exclusive authority.
AOPA again urged the city to take immediate action to repeal the unlawful elements of the ordinance. And it said, "If Las Cruces cites an AOPA member under the unlawful provisions of this ordinance, we're prepared to support our member in a legal challenge."
PAMA names AMT of the Year
Gary Schandl was selected by the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association, the FAA, and other industry groups as the 1998 National Aviation Maintenance Technician of the Year. Schandl is Midcoast Aviation's manager of quality assurance at Midcoast's St. Louis Downtown-Parks Airport facility.
SimuFlite completes Part 142 certification
All 20 of SimuFlite International's training programs are now certificated by the FAA under SimuFlite's FAR Part 142 Training Center Certificate. Part 142 is similar to Part 141 but governs training centers that use flight simulators and flight training devices for pilot training, testing, and checking. For more information on jet and turboprop training, call SimuFlite at 800/527-2463.
Mercer CC first to get CAA nod
Mercer Community College in Trenton, New Jersey, recently became the first community college in the nation to have its flight technology program accredited by the Council on Aviation Accreditation (CAA). To date, CAA has accredited just 15 four-year aviation programs. Accreditation involves meeting a number of criteria relating to curriculum, staff, equipment, and facilities. For more information about Mercer's program, call 609/586-4800, x3487.
Sun Aero adds Robinson
Sun Aero Helicopters at Lansing Municipal Airport south of Chicago, Illinois, recently added a Robinson R22 instrument trainer to its fleet. The aircraft enables the school to offer a full range of helicopter ratings from private to airline transport pilot, plus flight instructor and instrument instructor. For more information, call 708/895-8958.
Comair buys PCATDs
Comair Aviation Academy has purchased Elite Personal Computer Aviation Training Devices for use at its Sanford and Jacksonville, Florida, locations. The Model PI-141s can be configured to replicate single-engine, complex, and multiengine airplanes with advanced avionics systems, including the KFC 150 Flight Director and Trimble 2000 Approach Plus GPS, and it includes a separate graphical instructor station. For more information, call Comair at 407/330-7020 or Aviation Teachware Technologies at 800/557-7590.
STUDENT PILOT STARTS
The number of new student pilots continues to grow, with the preliminary number of student certificates issued in 1998 well above the final number of certificates issued for the same months in 1997. As a natural follow-on to an increased number of new students, the number of private and commercial certificates and instrument ratings issued in 1998 are posting increases over last year, and initial flight instructor certificates seem to be climbing back toward last year's figures.
AIRLINE HIRING
Airline hiring remains strong as 1998 heads into its waning months. National airlines hired the most pilots followed by jet operators who, for the first time this year, hired more pilots than the major airlines, which had led hiring for most of the year. More than half the reporting airlines indicate they will interview and hire new pilots through the end of the year.
According to 1997-98 interview statistics, civilian pilots comprise 61 percent of the new pilots airlines hire. New hires range in age from 22 to 55 years old, with 34 being the average for civilian pilots and 37.5 for military pilots. All the military pilots have four-year college degrees. Among civilian pilots hired, 83 percent have four-year degrees, 16 percent have less than two years of college, and 1 percent have two to three years of college.
