House and Senate Reach Breakthrough on Trust Fund, FAA Rreauthorization
On March 8, the U.S. Senate passed long-delayed reauthorization legislation covering the aviation trust fund and FAA funding. House approval of final details was expected within days. The reauthorization bill is intended to guarantee an "unlocked" trust fund, so that all annual revenues and interest proceeds are spent on aviation needs.
Funding for the Airport Improvement Program (to rise 64 percent for fiscal year 2001) and for the FAA's Facilities and Equipment budget will get first priority from the trust fund. The FAA's total budget would jump to $12.7 billion in 2001 but remains subject to the appropriations process; only a trust fund-provided $10.6 billion is "guaranteed." Overall, the legislation provides for $40 billion in FAA funding over three fiscal years, with $33 billion coming from the trust fund and $6.7 billion to be appropriated from general tax revenues. For more details, see AOPA Online and next month's "AOPA Action."
AOPA President Phil Boyer praised those who contacted their senators in response to AOPA's National Pilot Alert. "You can be proud. This is a big win, and grass-roots effort by AOPA members helped make AIR-21 concepts a reality."
NTSB Data report new GA Safety Record; fatal personal flying accidents down 11.1%
The AOPA Air Safety Foundation said preliminary statistics announced February 25 by the National Transportation Safety Board show that 1999 was the safest year yet for general aviation. The data continue an improvement trend dating back to 1947.
"The 342 fatal accidents reported by the NTSB for 1999 are the fewest since the end of World War II," said Bruce Landsberg, ASF executive director. "The total accident rate and the fatal accident rate were each the lowest recorded since government recordkeeping began in 1938. But we must do more."
According to NTSB preliminary data, the number of fatal accidents declined 6.3 percent (from a restated 365 in 1998 to 342 in 1999), resulting in a fatal accident rate of 1.26 per 100,000 hours flown. That represents a 7.4-percent improvement over 1998 and a nearly 50-percent improvement since 1970.
There were 1,908 accidents of all types (one less than in 1998), but the estimated number of flight hours increased 1.1 percent to 27.08 million hours. That resulted in a total accident rate of 7.05 per 100,000 hours flown, the lowest ever recorded. That same total accident rate was 77.83 in 1946 and 18.10 in 1970.
Most areas of GA flying showed improvement, including an 11.1-percent decline in fatal personal flying accidents and a 1.7-percent decline in total personal flying accidents. The number of fatal instructional flying accidents dropped 9.1 percent. The number of midair collisions increased from 15 to 18 in 1999, but only half of them resulted in fatalities.
Chartered in 1950 by AOPA, the Air Safety Foundation is the largest private, nonprofit organization in the United States dedicated to GA safety research, continuing pilot education, and training.
Proposed FAA budget would cut GA safety programs, AOPA tells Congress
AOPA President Phil Boyer has called the Clinton administration's 2001 FAA budget proposal an "out-of-balance offering that would cut GA safety programs and shortchange the aviation infrastructure needs of the nation."
The proposed $11.3 billion budget represents an apparent 11-percent increase over the current FAA budget, but proposes to pay for the increase with new ATC user fees. "It's a 'tax-in-the-sky' assumption that leaves a $1 billion budget hole with no realistic way to pay for it," said Boyer.
The Clinton proposal would once again create an air traffic services "performance-based organization" paid for by new user fees imposed on airline operations. (ATC user fees have not yet been proposed for GA.) It would also divert some $88 million from available Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funds to administrative expenses and airline subsidies, weakening an already-fragile aviation infrastructure.
Worse, it would cut FAA-requested funding for GA safety and modernization programs. Funding for the Operational and Supportable Information System (OASIS) flight service station modernization program that would improve the FAA's ability to provide weather information to pilots would be cut 36 percent below the FAA's request, while the budget for a loran backup for GPS navigation would be slashed 40 percent below the FAA's request.
"Those cuts are only 3 percent of the FAA's research and equipment budgets, but those programs — if fully funded — would improve safety and efficiency for 96 percent of the active aviation fleet," said Boyer.
Boyer said that the proposed AIR-21 legislation advocated by House Transportation Chairman Bud Shuster (R-Pa.) and Rep. James L. Oberstar (D-Minn.) would be a far better way to fund the FAA, committing all the money in the aviation trust fund to aviation spending while maintaining a modest general-fund contribution to the FAA's budget.
Up-to-date information on the status of FAA funding for 2001 is available on AOPA Online ( www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsitems/2000/00-1-043.html).
'Plain language' plan has a 'plain problem,' AOPA says
The FAA's recent attempt to make its rulemaking regulations (FAR Part 11) more understandable may actually limit the public's access to the process and degrade the quality of information available to the agency.
"We strongly support 'plain language' rules," said Lance Nuckolls, AOPA director of regulatory and certification policy. "But the FAA's proposed changes could actually make a rule that is overly complex and difficult to understand."
AOPA's biggest concern is that inclusion of the department of transportation's so-called "ex-parte policy" in Part 11 regulations would prohibit the public from contacting the FAA concerning a proposed rulemaking action, such as a proposed airworthiness directive or an airspace change.
"Such informal contacts provide a vital link between the flying public and appropriate FAA authorities," said Nuckolls. "AOPA, aircraft owners, type clubs, and mechanics regularly talk to the FAA to get the facts they need to make objective, meaningful comments on rulemaking actions."
As a case in point, Nuckolls cited the recent twin Cessna exhaust AD. The FAA praised AOPA and other organizations for the quality of comments submitted. But were it not for informal discussions with FAA regulators, the GA community would not have had the specific information necessary to provide the FAA with user input required for a fair and reasonable rule.
AOPA recognized that the FAA makes an honest attempt to include all needed information in a proposed rule and did note that many of the proposed changes to FAR Part 11 could lead to clearer and more concise rulemaking actions.
An AOPA regulatory brief with more information and a link to AOPA's formal comments on this NPRM is available on AOPA Online ( www.aopa.org/whatsnew/regulatory/regplain_language.html).
New Grand Canyon flight rules delayed
The FAA has again postponed implementing a new, expanded special flight rules area (SFRA) over Grand Canyon National Park.
The expanded SFRA was to have become effective in January, but implementation has been delayed until January 2001 to give the FAA more time to examine the issues and make possible modifications.
The new rule would raise the "no fly" area to 14,500 feet msl over most of the park and expand the flight rules area to within one mile of the Sunny Military Operations Area. AOPA has testified against the rule and filed formal comments.
Utah Congressman joins AOPA push for back-country airstrips
House national parks and public lands subcommittee Chairman James Hansen (R-Utah) has introduced H.R.3661 to help ensure GA access to airstrips on federal lands.
Known as the "General Aviation Access Act," the AOPA-encouraged bill would turn back efforts by federal agencies to restrict or prohibit GA use of back-country airstrips, particularly in the West.
In recent years, such restrictions have been proposed for the Hell's Canyon National Recreation Area (Oregon), Desolation Wilderness Area (California), Glacier National Park (Montana), Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona), Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado), and Sedona National Forest (California). In addition, four airstrips have been targeted for closure in the 3,750-square-mile Frank Church/River of No Return Wilderness Area in the rugged mountains of central Idaho.
Chairman Hansen's bill came after congressional testimony by AOPA President Phil Boyer, who pointed out that such airstrips are necessary for search-and-rescue operations, firefighting, and forest management and research, as well as emergency landing areas.
"Aircraft overflights do not leave litter, clog roads, or physically damage wilderness areas," Boyer told Congress in 1998. "Aviation provides access to those physically unable to enjoy this often rough terrain from the ground."
Chairman Hansen is a pilot and longtime AOPA member. Three powerful committees in the House — Resources, Agriculture, and Transportation and Infrastructure — will study the bill.
Action in the States
AOPA Airport Support Network volunteer activity is italicized. For information on how you can help AOPA's efforts to save your local airport, visit www.aopa.org/asn/ on AOPA Online.
Alaska. Anchorage: A proposed 2,000-foot runway at Merrill Field for ski-equipped aircraft would be diagonal to runways 15/33 and 6/24. AOPA believes that the new runway would help hundreds of Alaska pilots who seasonally equip their aircraft with skis. Wasilla: AOPA ASN volunteer Ray Block has convinced Wasilla Airport officials to keep the airport open during this year's Iditarod dogsled race. Last year, the runway was packed with snow and used as a start line for the race.
California. San Carlos: A county proposal to restrict both daytime and nighttime flying at San Carlos Airport has been shot down. After an early warning from AOPA ASN volunteer Carol Ford, AOPA wrote to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors and lobbied the FAA, while the San Carlos Airport Pilots Association worked local politics.
Colorado. Denver: A broadcaster proposing a 1,995-foot (agl) tower near the Byers VOR has withdrawn his zoning permit application, making tower construction unlikely. Local pilot Walt Bell, AOPA 573753, helped to sway the decision by flying the proponent near another tall tower and challenging him to see the guy wires at close range. Gunnison: AOPA ASN volunteer Fred Peck reports recent enforcement of an old ordinance at Gunnison County Airport that requires a $30 night landing fee. Pilots are also required to register in the presence of the airport manager before making any night landings; information required includes the pilot's FAA certificate number, ratings, dates of medical expiration, most recent biennial flight review, and most recent night landings. AOPA has filed an informal complaint with the FAA challenging the requirements.
Florida. Pompano Beach: An office building proposed near Pompano Beach Air Park could raise IFR approach minimums at Fort Lauderdale Executive. AOPA is studying the proposal. Also, airports still in need of AOPA Airport Support Network volunteers include Winter Haven Gilbert Airport (GIF); Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (LAL); Lake Wales Municipal Airport (X25); Leesburg Regional Airport (LEE); North County General Aviation Airport, Palm Beach (F45); St. Petersburg Clearwater International Airport (PIE); and Zephyrhills Municipal Airport (ZPH).
Massachusetts. Bedford: A report on aircraft noise at Hanscom Field has been issued, and AOPA is asking Massport to drop the nighttime noise fees. Boston: H.B.4837, which would provide tax relief for sales of aircraft and parts, is making its way through the Massachusetts legislature. AOPA asks members to contact their representatives to support this bill.
Missouri. Springfield: AOPA is opposing a proposed change to state law that would require commercial pilots to submit to a Breathalyzer test prior to operating an airplane.
New Jersey. Trenton: Lawmakers have introduced bills to cripple GA airport improvements in the state by requiring elaborate local reviews with exhaustively long timelines. In addition, the bills would siphon money from the state aviation fund for compensation to homeowners affected by airport safety zone or clear zone extensions. AOPA is opposing the bills.
New Mexico. Santa Fe: Neighbors of Santa Fe Municipal Airport have agreed to a voluntary noise-reduction plan, rather than the ordinance proposed by a city councilor. AOPA ASN volunteer Carter DuBois helped to engineer the plan.
Ohio. Columbus: AOPA is asking state officials to amend a section of the Ohio Revised State Code that requires at least a private pilot certificate to carry passengers within the state. The association believes that the anachronistic law could allow harassment of FAA recreational pilot certificate holders.
Oklahoma. Oklahoma City: H.B.2407 would allow aircraft excise tax refunds to be drawn from the state general fund rather than the aeronautics fund. H.B.2554 extends the sales tax exemption for aircraft parts to all GA aircraft. AOPA is studying both of these bills.
Utah. Salt Lake City: S.B.112 would direct 75 percent of jet fuel tax revenues into airport development programs. S.B.150 would appropriate $2 million annually from the general fund to the aviation fund. AOPA is supporting both bills.
West Virginia. Martinsburg: Plans for a new school about one-half mile west of Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport's Runway 8/26 have been discovered by AOPA ASN Ron Burr Porterfield.
Wyoming. Cheyenne: H.B.109 would repeal the sales-and-use-tax exemption for aircraft leases and aircraft parts. AOPA is studying this bill.
AOPA wins industry award for media work after JFK JR. crash
Four AOPA and ASF officials have been awarded a coveted Aviation Week and Space Technology "Laurel" for their work following the John F. Kennedy Jr. tragedy in July 1999.
The four — AOPA President Phil Boyer, ASF Executive Director Bruce Landsberg, AOPA Senior Vice President of Communications Drew Steketee, and AOPA Vice President of Communications Warren Morningstar — were recognized for candid discussions of GA safety, including "explanations of the basics of flying and...frank discussions of the vagaries of VFR flight at night (that) helped squelch inaccurate, sensational reporting about the crash and the safety of general aviation."
AOPA staff handled some 150 news interviews following the crash, including a major in-cockpit interview between AOPA President Phil Boyer and news anchor Brian Williams on MSNBC's popular evening news program.
Steketee was on camera on the CBS network just hours after the story broke. He responded to Dan Rather for 6.5 hours of breaking news coverage and later appeared on CBS' 60 Minutes, ABC's 20/20, NBC's Dateline, CNN Sunday news programming, and other coverage over the ensuing two weeks.
Morningstar handled dozens of news interviews, as did Landsberg — who also appeared on Dateline, supplying the perspective of GA's foundation for safety research and continuing pilot education.
Millenium Mooney to debut at Sun 'N Fun
AOPA and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University are working together to debut AOPA's Millennium Mooney sweepstakes airplane (see "Millennium Mooney: Baseline Settings," page 111) at the Sun 'n Fun EAA Fly-In in Lakeland, Florida, April 9 through 15. The airplane is scheduled for display at Embry-Riddle's outdoor tent next to the FAA Aviation Safety Center. When refurbishment is complete, the 1987 Mooney 201 will sport a custom Mattituck Red/Gold overhaul with a Teledyne Continental Motors FADEC electronic engine control system, an avionics package that includes an IFR-approved GPS and color multifunction display from UPS Aviation Technologies, and a Century Flight Systems autopilot and HSI. AOPA's booth will be in Exhibit Building B, spaces 94 and 95.
Water Flying Annual Creates a Splash with Flying Boats
A special 72-page edition of the Seaplane Pilots Association's Water Flying Annual, published in March, emphasizes flying boats.
"It's a departure from our traditional coverage of land-based aircraft on floats," said SPA Executive Director Mike Volk. "From budget amphibians to heavy metal, we've attempted to cover the spectrum objectively and honestly."
The twenty-second annual edition of SPA's comprehensive guide to water flying includes a feature story on the revolutionary kit-built Seawind. Also highlighted are a beautifully restored 1947 Grumman Widgeon, a look at forest fire control using a Canadair CL-215 water bomber, a historical retrospective on Italy's 1933 General Balbo flying boat tour, and an article detailing 65 years of Russian flying boat development.
As in previous years, the SPA Water Flying Annual carries complete directories of seaplane training, rental locations, and a directory of seaplane flight instructors.
"It's largely encyclopedic, meant as more of a reference tool than a read-today-and-forget-tomorrow magazine," said Volk. "It complements the bimonthly issues of Water Flying magazine that every SPA member receives."
The Water Flying Annual has been mailed to SPA members. Nonmembers may purchase a copy for $10 plus $3 shipping and handling from the Seaplane Pilots Association, 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701, or through the SPA Web site ( www.seaplanes.org).
AOPA Air Safety Foundation
ASF Offers Help in Avoiding Runway Incursions
If you've been following the news lately, you probably know that runway incursions — unauthorized runway entries at towered airports — are a hot issue with the FAA these days.
Earlier this year, AOPA's electronic newsletter, e-Pilot, asked for suggestions to reduce the number of runway incursions. More than 100 pilots contributed ideas, including a recommendation for runway diagrams easily available for pilot use during preflight planning. Wrote one pilot, "I often wondered during my training why the detailed airport diagrams are only easily available to IFR pilots.... This data should be readily available to all pilots so that they will be familiar with any airport."
That's exactly what the AOPA Air Safety Foundation had in mind. ASF has been working with the FAA Runway Safety Program Office and now offers any pilot free diagrams for more than 300 towered airports on the Web site ( www.aopa.org/asf/publications/taxi/). The diagrams debuted February 24; diagrams for the remainder of the country's towered airports will be available within 12 months.
"VFR pilots now have a place to go to get this important information free," said Bruce Landsberg, ASF executive director. Additional information on runway incursions can be found in ASF's Operations at Towered Airports Safety Advisor publication ( www.aopa.org/asf/publications/sa07.pdf) or from the FAA Runway Safety Program Office ( http://www.faa.gov/runwaysafety/). Additionally, the AOPA Aviation Services department has developed a "Subject Report" on the issue, bringing together information from AOPA Pilot magazine, FAA sources, and AOPA General Counsel John Yodice. It is available on the Web ( www.aopa.org/members/files/topics/runway/) or as a free booklet, available by request.
New ASF Safety Highlights Series Starts with Cessna 172
ASF and the United States Aircraft Insurance Group (USAIG) are producing four new Safety Highlights booklets in 2000, each providing an analysis of accident causes plus operating and safety tips for a specific GA model.
The Cessna 172 Skyhawk Safety Highlights was mailed in February — free of charge — to more than 27,000 Cessna 172 owners and operators in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Three other Safety Highlights will follow this year, with type-specific information on the Piper PA-28 series, the Cessna 182, and another aircraft yet to be determined.
Cessna 172 Safety Highlights points out that the Skyhawk has a lower serious accident rate than a comparable group of single-engine aircraft, but the proportion of serious accidents during low-level maneuvering flight is higher. It also debunks old hangar flying tales. "Traditional wisdom held that low-wing aircraft handle wind better," said ASF Executive Director Bruce Landsberg. "But this report shows the Cessna 172 and comparison low-wing aircraft have comparable crosswind landing accident rates."
With each edition of Safety Highlights comes sample test questions (with answers) on that aircraft type, plus a training course outline that emphasizes areas most likely to cause accidents in that model.
Each edition of Safety Highlights will be available free on the ASF Web site ( www.aopa.org/asf/publications/) and on the USAIG Web site ( www.usau.com). Single printed copies may be requested from ASF, 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701, or ordered online at the ASF Web site ( www.aopa.org/asf/publications/).
Celebrating its fiftieth anniversary, the Air Safety Foundation is the nation's largest nonprofit organization providing safety education and training to the general aviation community. Last year, free ASF safety seminars reached some 32,000 pilots. USAIG, founded in 1928, provides insurance for physical damage to private, corporate, and commercial aircraft, as well as liability insurance for owners, operators, and maintainers of aircraft worldwide.
Remembering ASF Board Member Tom Landry
Football's Tom Landry, AOPA 876447, died February 12. Although best known for coaching the Dallas Cowboys, he had also "coached" the Air Safety Foundation as a member of its Board of Visitors advisory group.
"We were privileged to have Tom on our board," said ASF Executive Director Bruce Landsberg. "His calm demeanor, experience as a pilot, and his polished coaching skills helped us in aviation safety and we'll miss him."
Landry began flying in World War II as a B-17 pilot. He continued military flying in the postwar Air Force Reserve. He held a commercial pilot certificate with instrument rating, and more recently owned and flew a Cessna 210.
He had served with distinction on ASF's Board of Visitors since 1998.
Related Articles
