AOPA Action

As Technology Advances, AOPA Urges FAA to Weigh Benefits, Costs

As new technology pushes the boundaries of what avionics can do in a general aviation aircraft, AOPA is keeping a close watch on the FAA, in some cases prodding the agency to adopt technologies with significant advantages and in other cases urging it to step back before mandating a system that doesn't do enough.

"What AOPA constantly stresses to the FAA is that if you build enough benefits into a new technology system, aircraft owners will voluntarily change over," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "Just look at GPS. It's so clearly a superior way to navigate that owners by the thousands bought panel-mount or handheld units without the FAA ever having to say, 'You must.'

"What we don't ever want to see is GA owners grounding their aircraft because the latest FAA-mandated equipment costs so much they can't afford to upgrade."

Recently, AOPA had the opportunity to demonstrate for senior FAA officials the bundled benefits of another new technology: ADS-B. (See " FAA Honors AOPA for Safe Flight 21 Support," below.) "Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast may seem like little more than a fancy transponder to many pilots," said Randy Kenagy, AOPA director of advanced technology. "But using a datalink identified by AOPA several years ago, it digitally broadcasts an aircraft's position. As the Capstone demonstration project in Alaska has shown, selecting a robust, highly capable datalink with the extra band-width it provides makes the system much more than just a transponder."

The FAA's original plan for ADS-B in fact was little more than an updated Mode S transponder. But AOPA told the agency that using a different datalink technology, known as a Universal Access Transceiver (UAT), would mean being able to provide in-cockpit weather, traffic, and other information, such as temporary flight restrictions or special-use airspace. The FAA saw the advantages, agreed, and is expected to include datalinked services using an AOPA-supported UAT design in the specifications when it issues the implementation strategy for ADS-B.

Another area in which AOPA is working closely with the FAA is the move toward required navigational performance (RNP) certification standards. Based on the avionics installed in an aircraft, RNP would be used to determine minimums for point-to-point area navigation (RNAV).

Before she left office last summer, former FAA Administrator Jane Garvey committed the agency to developing and implementing airspace and procedures based on RNP by July 2003. "AOPA's concern is that RNP standards might be set so high, favoring high-end aircraft with flight management systems, that the majority of GA aircraft might be excluded from using their IFR-approved GPS for RNP," said AOPA Senior Vice President of Government and Technical Affairs Andy Cebula. "We want to be sure the FAA considers the way GA intends to use GPS as it sets RNP standards."

AOPA is already working with the FAA on one of the biggest looming technology issues: radio frequency congestion. Within the next 10 to 20 years, the problem is going to require re-equipping the entire aviation fleet, either with analog radios using narrower bandwidth channels or with a new digital system. But AOPA is urging the FAA not to mandate a system today that might be obsolete before it's adopted 10 years or more into the future (see " Crossing the Digital Divide," September Pilot).

"Protecting the interests of general aviation does not mean fighting the FAA at every turn," said AOPA's Boyer. "It does mean offering our expertise and making sure the agency understands the effect of its decisions on GA."

FAA Honors AOPA for Safe Flight 21 Support; AOPA Shows Off Real-Time Weather, Traffic Cockpit Displays

In December, the FAA honored AOPA for the association's support of the Safe Flight 21 program to improve aviation safety. The award was presented during a demonstration to top FAA managers of the Capstone equipment installed at AOPA headquarters in Frederick, Maryland, and in AOPA aircraft.

Capstone, a part of Safe Flight 21, combines a multipurpose datalink with an in-cockpit multifunction display, providing the pilot with weather graphics (including Nexrad radar) and text, collision avoidance information, and terrain warnings.

"We wanted to get pilots' perspective on the Safe Flight technologies," said Charlie Keegan, FAA associate administrator for research and acquisition. "And I gained a personal perspective on how valuable these technologies can be."

The FAA managers were picked up in the AOPA Beechcraft Bonanza at busy Washington Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C., where they saw firsthand how a detailed moving-map display of the taxiways can improve situational awareness and reduce the chance of a runway incursion. They then flew to AOPA headquarters where they were able to view the terrain and collision avoidance functions, along with the weather datalink.

"I was surprised at the easy integration of all the functions," said Keegan. "It's much easier than flipping through a bunch of charts."

NATIONAL ACTION

Key Pieces of AOPA's Airport Watch Program Now Available

AOPA has completed work and is now making available two crucial parts of its Airport Watch program. In early December, AOPA President Phil Boyer finished shooting a video that illustrates some of the suspicious situations pilots need to watch for. In it, Boyer walks the viewer through a number of reenactments that depict everything from the blatantly dangerous to the subtly suspicious. The video is available to pilot organizations and airport groups to be used as a training tool.

At the same time, AOPA has sent a copy of its Airport Watch brochure to every single one of its more than 389,000 members. The brochure covers much of the same ground as the video, but also lists specific items airport users should be on the lookout for.

When the toll-free nationwide Airport Watch hotline, 866/GA-SECUR[E] (866/427-3287), was activated at the beginning of December, it was heralded as a vital part of the Airport Watch program. But it's only one part. The video, the brochure, and most important, the 600,000 GA pilots in the United States, are the rest of what it takes to make AOPA's Airport Watch successful.

AOPA Asks the FAA to Rescind Changes to Field Approval Policy

Last September the FAA took steps to streamline the field approval process. But aircraft owners throughout the country told AOPA that the solution was worse than the problem. So in December, AOPA sent a letter to the head of flight standards, asking the FAA to rescind the changes.

General aviation operators nationwide rely on field approvals to safely enhance their operations and maintain their aging aircraft. But many FAA inspectors interpreted the new policy as more limiting than the previous one, meaning fewer field approvals, and more delays and bureaucratic red tape. That made the field approval process impractical.

Aircraft owners told AOPA that flight standards district offices (FSDOs) throughout the country balked at sign-offs for routine field approvals, such as wingtip strobes, conversions from generators to alternators, and conversions from drum to disk brakes already covered by an STC. AOPA even experienced the problem firsthand with its Waco Sweepstakes aircraft. AOPA's restoration shop was initially denied a field approval to install improved brakes on the 1940 Waco.

The change was especially problematic in Alaska, where operators rely on important field approvals to modify aircraft to meet the demands of an extreme operating environment.

Thankfully, the FAA got the message loud and clear in meetings held in Anchorage in late November and agreed to rescind the change in Alaska.

"In our letter to the head of flight standards, we asked the FAA to rescind the policy in the rest of the country as well," said Melissa Bailey, AOPA's vice president of air traffic, regulatory, and certification policy. "The bottom line is that the problems that surfaced in Alaska were felt nationwide and it became increasingly difficult for owners to get field approvals."

Rescinding the policy changes would get the field approval policy moving again.

AOPA Opens 2003 Karant Journalism Competition

AOPA is accepting entries for the 2003 Max Karant Awards for Excellence in Aviation Reporting.

"There is so much misunderstanding about general aviation among the general assignment reporters who do the day-in, day-out news coverage across the country that it's important to point out the ones who get it right," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "It's also important for our members to understand that nonaviation reporters can and do get it right if given the chance and the information. The Karant awards, presented in a roomful of pilots at each year's AOPA Expo, accomplish both things."

Journalists in the nonaviation-trade media are invited to submit examples of fair, accurate, and insightful reporting on general aviation. One-thousand-dollar awards will be presented in four categories: print, television/cable news or short feature, television/cable-program length, and radio.

Submissions must have been published or broadcast from January 1 through December 31, 2002. Participants may submit up to three entries or series of entries, which will be judged by the Karant Awards Committee comprised of media and aviation experts. Previous cash award winners are ineligible. There is no entry fee.

Detailed rules and entry forms are available on AOPA Online ( www.aopa.org/special/karant/). Entries must be postmarked by April 15, 2003. Awards will be presented during AOPA Expo 2003 in Philadelphia, from October 30 through November 1.

New Congress Means Renewed Fight to Preserve Chicago's Meigs Field

Buried among the legislation for the incoming Congress to deal with is a bill that would protect Chicago's Meigs Field. The bill would, among other things, write into federal law the agreement between Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and then-Illinois Gov. George Ryan guaranteeing to keep Meigs open.

In December, AOPA President Phil Boyer wrote to Mayor Daley and incoming Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich asking for their continued support of the federal legislation. The letters to Daley and Blagojevich are available on AOPA Online ( www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsitems/2002/021205letter1.html and www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsitems/2002/021205letter2.html).

Boyer wrote, "AOPA continues to support the measure and is especially interested in keeping Meigs Field as an airport. This airport is a critical part of the infrastructure serving Chicago's business community and is beloved by U.S. pilots everywhere — we ask that you support it remaining open."

Assuming the legislation is reintroduced, it faces a significant hurdle in the Senate, where Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (R-Ill.) has mounted a vocal campaign against one of the bill's other provisions: expansion of Chicago O'Hare International Airport. However, AOPA's Legislative Affairs department continues to work with the bill's original sponsors in the House and Senate to see that it garners the support it needs in each chamber. AOPA remains committed to Meigs Field and is eager to work with Gov. Blagojevich and Mayor Daley to make this agreement a federal law in the 108th Congress.

MEMBERSHIP ACTION

AOPA Offers Discount on Aircraft Insurance Through AIG Aviation

When AOPA was formed in 1939, a large part of its mandate was to keep general aviation affordable. Now, under a new arrangement with AIG Aviation, one of the world's most secure aviation insurers (A++ rated by A.M. Best), qualified AOPA members can receive a 5-percent discount off the cost of their aircraft insurance.

"On a policy premium of $1,600, the 5-percent discount would amount to $80," said Greg Sterling, executive vice president and general manager of the AOPA Insurance Agency. "That alone is worth twice what your AOPA annual membership dues cost." While not all aircraft may qualify, the great majority do, added Sterling. "No single insurance company can insure every type of aircraft or pilot, but AIG's new membership discount allows the majority of AOPA members to save on insurance costs every year."

Members can find out if they qualify and obtain a no-obligation insurance quote in minutes by contacting the AOPA Insurance Agency Inc. at 800/622-AOPA (2672) or online. The discount is available for policies issued after January 1, 2003.

AOPA Web Site Upgrade Makes it Easier Than Ever for Pilots to Get Life Insurance Answers

As any pilot who's tried to buy or add to a life insurance policy knows, it can get very expensive for those who fly. AOPA and AOPA certified partner Minnesota Life have spent more than 50 years developing ways to keep those costs down. Now, thanks to a completely redesigned Web page ( www.aopa.org/info/certified/termlife/), it's even easier for pilots to get information about AOPA Term Life Insurance.

Using the newly streamlined page, pilots are rarely more than a mouse-click away from the answers they're looking for, including a personalized quote.

Through Minnesota Life, AOPA Term Life offers pilot-friendly policies of both individual and group life insurance in amounts ranging from $10,000 to $10 million. The group life policy can be especially helpful for low-time pilots because it is issued without regard to piloting experience.

AOPA AIR SAFETY FOUNDATION

Air Safety Foundation Updates Safety Advisor on Aircraft Icing

Winter weather means that more pilots are forced to deal with one of aviation's deadliest enemies: in-flight ice buildup. The AOPA Air Safety Foundation has just updated and reprinted its popular Safety Advisor on icing to help pilots cope with the problem.

"Winter's cold means pilots will encounter subfreezing temperatures at lower altitudes across wide sections of the country. Add moist air, and there's a real potential for trouble," said ASF Executive Director Bruce Landsberg. "Knowing what to do if you encounter icing conditions, and just as important, how to recognize the potential for icing before ever leaving the ground, are among the most important skills a pilot can have."

The Aircraft Icing Safety Advisor dispels many common misunderstandings: that the weight of the ice is what causes danger; that carburetor icing is a thing of the past; and that pilots have few options to avoid ice.

Using color charts and photographs, the Safety Advisor explains the conditions that may lead to icing, the different kinds of ice a pilot may encounter, hazards caused by icing, and steps a pilot can take to escape an icing encounter. It also includes a harrowing cautionary tale by a pilot who waited longer than he should have to get out of icing conditions almost too long.

Aircraft Icing is available free online ( www.aopa.org/asf/publications/sa11.pdf). A printed copy may be ordered online ( www.aopa.org/asf/publications/advisors.html) or by calling 800/638-3101.

ASF Safety Seminars Reach Record Number of Pilots in 2002

Well over 33,000 pilots attended ASF safety seminars in 2002, making the year the best ever for participation. The two topics for the year, "Spatial Disorientation" and "Single-Pilot IFR," proved immensely popular, often drawing double the average attendance.

The first safety seminar topic for 2003, "Ups and Downs of Takeoffs and Landings," appears to be equally popular. In more than a half-dozen outings at the end of 2002, attendance ran well above average.

In addition, ASF distributed approximately 550 Seminars-in-a-Box, which provide all the materials necessary for a pilots' group to host its own safety seminar. At an estimated 20 pilots per Seminar-in-a-Box presentation, that's another 11,000 pilots who benefited from ASF's 50-plus years of studying air safety.

ASF Icing Outreach Dispels Myth

In a timely safety outreach, ASF mailed its new Aircraft Icing Safety Advisor to hundreds of university aviation programs and large flight schools in mid-December.

Nearly 200 schools in the northern tier of the United States received the new publication, which revealed that airframe icing — commonly believed to be the major icing problem — does not cause most icing accidents. More accidents are caused by induction system icing, such as carburetor ice.

"We wanted to dispel that persistent myth, and the beginning of the icing season was a good time to do it," said ASF Executive Director Bruce Landsberg. "ASF's mission is to help pilots and instructors improve safety, and this type of outreach does that."

The new full-color Safety Advisor reached an estimated 30,000 flight students and their instructors.

AOPA AIRPORT SUPPORT NETWORK

Volunteer of the Month: Robert Lenox

At the heart of an Airport Support Network volunteer's job is maintaining a good relationship with the community the airport serves. Robert Lenox, the ASN volunteer at Palo Alto Airport of Santa Clara County, California, has ample experience.

Lenox was a founding member of Palo Alto Airport Association some 18 years ago, and has served as a board member or president ever since. One of the first projects Lenox and the airport association took on was the production of an airport brochure for both pilots and the general public. The brochure, currently in its third printing, spells out noise-abatement procedures and details the airport's history and importance to the community.

"Another important outreach tool we have in Palo Alto is our Joint Community Relations Committee," Lenox said. "The committee has a broad membership, including the airport administration, tower personnel, a city liaison, pilots, and the general public. Among other things, the JCRC tackles community complaints and works hard to keep them from becoming bigger and more polarizing issues. We've had quite a bit of success being proactive with both the pilots and the public.

"Being the ASN volunteer gives me another avenue of outreach to pilots, helping to ensure we continue to be 'good neighbors' and the airport is thought of as a vital part of our community."

Public-use airports in the United States are closing at the rate of about one every two weeks. The AOPA Airport Support Network designates one volunteer per airport to watch for threats and encourage favorable public perception of general aviation. For more information on how you can help support your airport, visit AOPA Online ( www.aopa.org/asn/).

Action in the States

Colorado. Erie: AOPA ASN volunteer Jack Horn and the newly revived pilots' association, Erie Aviation Association, are optimistic about their chances to keep Erie Municipal Airport's crosswind runway open. The airport manager would prefer to build hangars in its place, but the pilots' association, 32 members strong and growing, is committed to keeping the runway open.

New Jersey. Hillsborough: New Jersey's Department of Transportation has offered to buy the development rights for Central Jersey Regional Airport. Until the state stepped in, AOPA ASN volunteer Martin Christie and other interested parties had been trying to prevent the airport's closure by searching for a buyer. State acquisition of the airport's development rights still requires confirmation of earmarked funding by the state legislature.

New York. Montgomery: Orange County Airport is facing compatible land use issues now that a potential light-industrial neighbor has backed out of a project. AOPA ASN volunteer Howard Kave, who served on the airport's Master Plan Committee, is concerned that the landowner might turn to a residential developer now that the original deal is off the table. Orange County is experiencing "phenomenal" residential growth, according to Kave, who plans to keep close watch on the developing situation.

South Dakota. Sioux Falls: Joe Foss Field has just completed a three-year $8 million expansion, jointly funded by the Sioux Falls Airport Authority, the FAA, and the South Dakota Air National Guard, which has F-16s based there. According to AOPA ASN volunteer Scott Christensen, the parties worked well together, and always factored in the needs of all types of aircraft operations.

Texas. Houston: AOPA ASN volunteer Lowell Stevenson has been representing Ellington Field GA pilots at meetings on a new 20-year master plan for the airport. Stevenson has been working with GA pilots and aircraft owners to define issues in the plan that could impact GA operations at the field.

DON'T BECOME A VICTIM

By Mark Lowdermilk, AOPA ASN program manager

Hear that? It's the sound of an airport planning meeting.

If you didn't hear anything, it means you weren't there.

Having just attended the December airport planning meeting as the ASN volunteer for Maryland's Frederick Municipal Airport, I can tell you that a lot is going on.

Our meeting was two hours long and covered the rehabilitation and expansion of our main runway, self-fueling facilities, the acquisition of land for runway protection zones, and most important, how to use that land for hangars and tiedowns. In January, we'll discuss how construction is going to impact day-to-day operations and the two big summer flying events: the AOPA Fly-In and Open House and the Commemorative Air Force's Wings Over Frederick airshow.

Do you have any idea what your airport board is planning for you? Don't become an unsuspecting victim of circumstances in the spring when the flying picks up again. Contact your ASN volunteer and offer to go to the next airport board meeting. Learn what's being planned for the airport and how you, the general aviation pilot, fit into that plan.

You say you don't have an ASN volunteer for your airport? Nominate someone or become one yourself. Your efforts help protect you and the other GA pilots at your airport. Just go to www.aopa.org/asn/ to learn more.

Do it today!