California Action

VFR Waypoints Coming to Southern California

The Los Angeles and San Diego areas are expected to be a test bed for a new system of waypoints designed especially to aid in VFR navigation. The new waypoints, which will be identified by five-letter designators beginning with the letters VV, are scheduled to appear on terminal area charts for the two cities beginning July 17.

For several years AOPA has been working with the FAA to develop a system of VFR waypoints. The waypoints, which will be accessible through GPS databases, are intended to help VFR pilots navigate around, under, and between airspace that may be restricted or require entry clearance. They also will help to improve pilots' situational awareness and can be used in identifying the planned course on a VFR flight plan.

These waypoints are not intended to be the sole or primary means of visual navigation and should not be used in filing instrument flight plans or in talking to air traffic control.

A supplement explaining the new system of VFR waypoints will be included with new terminal area charts beginning in either July or December. The system is expected to undergo a one-year test in San Diego and Los Angeles before being implemented in other areas.

AOPA Asks Mayor to Reconsider Reid-Hillview

AOPA is asking San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales to reconsider the city's decision not to acquire Reid-Hillview Airport from Santa Clara County. The city had initially agreed to try to acquire the airport to ensure that it remained open to serve general aviation aircraft that could be displaced from San Jose International Airport by pending construction projects included in that airport's master plan.

In a letter to Gonzales, AOPA Vice President for Regional Affairs Bill Dunn said that the decision not to purchase the airport jeopardizes six years of work on the part of AOPA, local pilots, and city administrators. He added that the decision undermines efforts to ensure that Reid-Hillview will remain open and continue to serve as a reliever airport for busy San Jose International Airport.

ASN Volunteers Win Victory for Delano

After AOPA and local pilots — led by Airport Support Network volunteer Daniel Uhlik — protested, the city of Delano has decided not to sell 155 acres of airport property to a developer. The city had planned to sell the land to the Delano Redevelopment Agency, which would, in turn, sell the land to Pioneer Nursery Company.

Uhlik and others argued that the sale of the property would benefit the redevelopment agency but not the airport and its users. They also researched the city's record of dealing with airport property and discovered that in the past the city had lost money on the sale of 49 acres of airport land. The developer who purchased that land for less than the cost of airport-funded improvements then immediately sold the property at an enormous profit.

After receiving letters from AOPA and hearing testimony from Uhlik, the city council declined to sell the land to Pioneer Nursery and rejected as unreasonable the company's request for a 20-year unconditional lease. The airport will retain ownership of the property, which will continue to be leased by the current tenant.

AOPA Asks for Economic Impact Study

In a letter to Jose Medina, recently appointed state director of transportation, AOPA and the California Aviation Alliance have asked for a study of the economic impact of aviation on the California economy. The letter welcomes Medina to the post and identifies many of the issues facing aviation in California. It also specifically asks Medina to commission a study of the value of aviation to the state's economy.

SCAG Task Force to Study Airport Demand

The Aviation Technical Advisory Committee of the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) has created a special Aviation Task Force to study airport demand expected over the next 20 to 50 years. Recent opposition to expansion at Los Angeles International Airport, Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport, and other airports has prompted a task force to look for alternative means of meeting California's demand for airports in the future. SCAG is responsible for transportation planning in all Southern California counties, with the exception of San Diego County.

Golf Course Proposed for Nut Tree Airport

City, county, and airport officials are reviewing a proposal to build a golf course at Nut Tree Airport in Vacaville. The nine-hole course and driving range would be built off the departure end of Runway 20.

Jack Kemmerly, AOPA's regional representative for California, is working with officials to identify potential areas of concern, including the height of lights, shading of lights, and location of the clubhouse and driving range facilities outside of the runway protection zone.

The proposed golf course, which would be located on airport property and would provide additional revenue for the airport, would serve as a buffer between the airport and growing commercial development near the southern end of the field.

Proposal Would Waive Fine for FBOs

The state Assembly's Committee on Transportation has passed a bill that would waive a fine for fixed-base operators who inappropriately used aviation fuels in ground equipment in violation of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) ruling seven years ago. The bill, A.B.1058, is sponsored by the California Aviation Business Coalition and has received bipartisan support. It still must pass the full state legislature.

Bill Would Help to Protect Airports

AOPA and other members of the California Aviation Alliance are cosponsoring a bill that would make technical changes to the criteria that Caltrans uses to determine whether an airport is "necessary in the state airport system." The determination about the necessity of an airport also must be made if an airport sponsor asks to close an airport that has received annual grants from the state aeronautics fund. The Senate Committee on Transportation was scheduled to hold a hearing on the bill, S.B.1286.

Baseball Stadium Proposed for Visalia

A developer has proposed building a 15,000-seat baseball stadium complex near the runway at Visalia Municipal Airport. The proposed stadium would be built one-quarter mile from the end of the airport's runway. Meanwhile, the city of Tulare has proposed selling some airport property at Mefford Field Airport. The property is currently occupied by an aviation-related business. The sale is intended to enhance economic development for the city. AOPA members plan to work with the FAA to ensure that the sale results in the greatest benefit for the airport. Airport Support Network volunteers Darryl Grant and Michael Schoenau brought both of these issues to the attention of AOPA, and they will be working with AOPA and local pilots to achieve solutions.

Airport Support Network Needs Your Help

AOPA's Airport Support Network, which helps to protect and support airports across the nation, is continuing to grow and now has more than 600 volunteers. But a number of important airports in California are still without volunteers willing to lead the way, and the Airport Support Network needs your help to fill those slots. Some of the California airports in need of your help are listed below. For more information about how you can become an Airport Support Network volunteer, visit AOPA's Web site ( www.aopa.org/asn/). All Airport Support Network volunteers must have access to e-mail and the Internet.