Advertisers
              
Got news? Contact ePilot . Having difficulty using this service? Visit the ePilot Frequently Asked Questions now at AOPA Online or write to [email protected].
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
421 Aviation Way
Frederick, MD 21701
Tel: 800/USA-AOPA or
301/695-2000
Copyright � 2002 AOPA. | | AOPA�Expo News | FAA ADOPTS AOPA'S PHOTO ID PROPOSAL
At AOPA Expo 2002 in Palm Springs, California, in her first public appearance before a general aviation audience, FAA Administrator Marion Blakey told opening  day attendees yesterday that the FAA has adopted AOPA's pilot ID petition. Beginning October 28, the rule requires pilots to carry a government-issued photo ID–in addition to their pilot and medical certificates–when flying. AOPA suggested that a valid driver's license would be an immediate, cost-effective solution in lieu of creating a new ID program. Other suitable forms of ID include a valid federal or state ID card, a U.S. armed forces ID, credentials that authorize access to airport secure areas, or a passport. The new regulations also require pilots to present that ID when requested by the FAA, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), NTSB, or any law enforcement officer. "This is great news," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "Since 9/11 the need for pilots to carry a picture ID continued to surface in most security discussions. With the approval of AOPA's petition, the administrator makes this positive measure to enhance security throughout the general aviation community a reality."
...AND BLAKEY DESCRIBES FAA'S ROLE IN NEW ERA
Blakey also described in some detail the demarcation of roles between the FAA and TSA. She said that the FAA remains the manager of the national airspace system while security is TSA's responsibility. "We at the FAA know it is our role to be an advocate for commerce and the economic benefits of aviation. And we will fulfill that role. We will never overlook an opportunity to remind our colleagues in the security agencies of the importance of general aviation," she said. On the subject of temporary flight restrictions (TFRs), Blakey reiterated that although the country is in wartime and national security cannot be compromised, "We are not going to expand TFRs on a widespread, ongoing basis where the threat is nonspecific." Early next year graphical TFR depictions will be available to pilots directly. Questions from the standing-room-only crowd centered on encroachment–on airports as well as on the FAA's own authority. Blakey said she looks forward to building a relationship with AOPA. The full text of her speech is available on the FAA's Web site.
PARADE OF PLANES KICKS OFF EXPO
 Hundreds of pilots, their guests, and local residents lined the streets, waving and cheering Wednesday afternoon as 77 aircraft rolled past during the AOPA Parade of Planes. The aircraft are on display outside the Palm Springs Convention Center, along with two Robinson helicopters that had landed earlier. The aircraft will taxi back to Palm Springs International Airport for departure at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
AOPA TAKES IT TO THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS
Following a highly successful print advertising campaign to introduce the GA Serving America Web site, AOPA announced that it is taking the educational campaign to the next step: outreach. A pamphlet that explains the GA Serving America site is being sent to governors, mayors, legislators, security officials, and others–at the national, state, and local levels–who help shape public policy and opinion. "There is still a great deal of misinformation and misunderstanding about general aviation," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "If we're ever going to rise above that, we've got to help those who make the laws, and the public at large, understand how vital a role GA plays in America." The pamphlet gives a general overview of the information found on the site as well as a full, self-contained version of the Web site on CD-ROM--including all the interactive features and virtual reality simulations. It also contains suggestions for how the Web site's information can be put to good use. See the Web site.
For more news and complete AOPA Expo 2002 information, see Virtual Expo.
| GA�News
| ADAM AIRCRAFT JOINS JET RACE
Adam Aircraft is now the latest company to enter the personal jet market with the introduction Monday of the A700. The composite aircraft, powered by two Williams International FJ33 engines, is designed to cruise at 340 knots and fly as high as 41,000 feet. With an introductory price of nearly $2 million, it's priced between the Eclipse 500 jet and the Cessna Citation Mustang. As with the other small jet projects, the A700 is general aviation's answer to problems plaguing the airline industry, company officials said. The glass-cockpit A700 will offer space for six seats and a lavatory. The new airplane is an extension of the yet-to-be certified A500 piston airplane that was designed by Burt Rutan. Adam plans to fly the A700 in the second half of 2003 and receive FAA type certification in late 2004. For more information, see the Web site.
'TIGER' MAKES RECORD LEAP TO 41,000 FEET
Bruce Bohannan has done it. The time-to-climb record that had eluded him earlier this year is his, unofficially. A piston-engine airplane, the Exxon Flyin' Tiger, has set a world record–actually three world records–by reaching 41,300 ft in 32 minutes and 2 seconds. He also set records in the C-1b aircraft class for sustained horizontal flight at that altitude and for absolute altitude. The record flight took place Tuesday at Desert Resorts Regional Airport near Palm Springs, California, site of the AOPA Expo convention.
ECLIPSE GROUNDED BY ENGINE PROBLEMS
Testing of the Eclipse 500 jet has been delayed by problems with its Williams EJ22 engines. Specifically, the starters failed after initial flights and the fuel metering requires calibration. Since the engines are newly developed, there are no spares to continue the test program. Eclipse spokeswoman Cory Canada said she does not know how long the troubleshooting will take.
For daily news updates, see AOPA�Online.
| Inside AOPA
| FAA CONDUCTS FSS COST STUDY
AOPA has published an analysis of an FAA study that is looking at competitive sourcing of alternatives to the current flight service station program. AOPA is not opposing the study, which will compare the costs of providing FSS services by the FAA versus contracting out to commercial companies. The study recognizes that some functions are inherently governmental, and that government employees may be the best providers of the service. "Aviation weather services are critical to public safety and should be provided by the government without fees," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "However, AOPA recognizes that the current FSS system is in serious jeopardy and that there may be better ways of doing business." The driving factors behind the FSS study were General Accounting Office and Inspector General reports, published in 2001, that were critical of the current FSS program. See AOPA�Online.
IAOPA DELEGATES URGE RETURN TO NORMAL AFTER 9/11
Delegates to the recently concluded twenty-first World Assembly of the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations (IAOPA) approved a number of resolutions calling on aviation authorities around the world to mitigate the aftershocks of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on general aviation and aerial work (GA/AW). Meeting in Sao Paulo, Brazil, earlier this month, delegates from 18 member associations urged the United States to return to its simple and rapid process for approving foreign flight training candidates to study at U.S. flight schools. See AOPA�Online.
Changing your mailing or e-mail addresses? Click here to update.
| AOPA�Air Safety Foundation News
| ASF UPDATES AIRSPACE, GPS SAFETY ADVISORS
In the wake of all the changes to the national airspace system, the AOPA Air Safety Foundation has rewritten and updated two critical Safety Advisors, Airspace for Everyone –to draw special attention to temporary flight restrictions (TFRs)–and GPS Technology , a full-color publication, reflecting the growing use of color moving maps on GPS displays. Both publications can be downloaded from AOPA Online. Free individual printed copies are available by calling 800/USA-AOPA.
| Quiz Me!
| Here's a question asked by an AOPA member last week of our AOPA technical specialists. Test your knowledge.
Question: Where can I find an international flight plan and the identifiers for airports in foreign countries?
Answer: The International Flight Information Manual provides the identifiers for airports of foreign countries. See the Web site. Select the country you require and then go to the "Aeronautical Information" section. There you will find the four-letter International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) identifiers for the airports of entry. You can download the international flight plan form and instructions on AOPA Online.
Got a technical question for AOPA specialists? Call 800/872-2672 or e-mail to [email protected]. Send comments on our Quiz Me! questions to [email protected].
| Picture Perfect
| Jump to the AOPA Online Gallery to see the featured airplane of the day. Click on the link for details on how to capture wallpaper for your work area. See AOPA�Online.
| What's New At AOPA�Online
| AOPA’s Airport eDirectory database has been updated. Click here to download the update.
| Weekend Weather
| See the current weather on AOPA�Online, provided by Meteorlogix.
| ePilot Calendar
| WEEKEND FLYING DESTINATIONS
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The 2002 Caribbean Airshow takes place November 3 at San Isidro Air Base. Armed forces aircraft from the United States, Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, France, and many Caribbean nations will be on display. Visit the Web site.
For more airport details, see AOPA's Airport Directory Online . For more events, see Aviation Calendar of Events.
ASF FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REFRESHER CLINICS
(All clinics start at 7:30 a.m.)
The next AOPA Air Safety Foundation Flight Instructor Refresher Clinic is scheduled in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, on November 2 and 3. Clinics are also scheduled in San Diego, and Atlanta, on November 9 and 10. For the Flight Instructor Refresher Clinic schedule, see AOPA Online.
ASF PINCH-HITTER GROUND-SCHOOL COURSES
(Pinch-Hitter courses start at 9:30 a.m.)
The next Pinch-Hitter� Ground School will take place in Atlanta, November 10. For more Pinch-Hitter courses, see AOPA Online.
ASF SAFETY SEMINARS
AOPA Air Safety Foundation Safety Seminars are scheduled in East Elmhurst, New York, October 28; Brookhaven, New York, October 29; White Plains, New York, October 30; and Poughkeepsie, New York, October 31. The topic is Ups and Downs, check AOPA�Online for more information.
To make submissions to the calendar, visit AOPA Online. For comments on calendar items, e-mail [email protected].
| |
