TSA chief Adm. David Stone witnessed the depth of pilots' concern and confusion in October when he attended AOPA Expo 2004 in Long Beach, California. Barely two weeks later, Stone met with AOPA President Phil Boyer and senior members of the AOPA staff to address those concerns. Boyer suggested that everyone would benefit if AOPA and TSA work as partners rather than adversaries.
"It makes no sense for TSA, with all of its security knowledge, and AOPA, with all of its knowledge of GA, not to work together," Boyer said. "That's obviously the best, most effective way for us to achieve our common objectives of a safe country and a healthy and growing GA community."
Less than two weeks after that, AOPA and TSA staff members sat down together to begin trying to find solutions that addressed security concerns while easing burdens on student pilots and pilots seeking additional flight training.
"We recognize that it's not going to be a quick fix," said Boyer. "TSA needs to comply with the congressional mandate that made them do this. And because that mandate came from Capitol Hill, we're prepared to go back there to have the mandate clarified if necessary."
AOPA's Airport Directory on its way
AOPA's Airport Directory 2005/2006 is in production and will soon be ready for mailing. A key AOPA member benefit, the directory not only includes the same airport information found in FAA Airport/Facility Directories; it has the most comprehensive preflight information available on more than 5,400 aviation businesses in the United States. The directory also incorporates more than 2,600 airport diagrams for airports with published instrument approaches, as well as more than 28,000 listings for restaurants and lodging, 10,000 car rental and tax service companies, and local attractions and general notes for almost every airport.
AOPA members who have selected the directory with their membership renewal can look forward to the new edition arriving in their mailboxes in February.
Members also have access to AOPA's Airport Directory Online, which is updated every business day to include the latest changes. The online directory is searchable and incorporates even more data than the printed version, including member comments, current instrument approach charts, taxiway diagrams for most towered airports, and printable kneeboard-format airport information sheets.
AOPA donates $20,000 to ERAU Career Pathways Scholarship
AOPA President Phil Boyer presented Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a $20,000 check for the AOPA Career Pathways Scholarship fund. Boyer presented the donation during a Pilot Town Meeting in Daytona Beach, Florida, that was attended by some 125 ERAU students and local pilots. He also gave some "right-seat" time in AOPA's Cessna CitationJet to four students selected for academic excellence and campus involvement, allowing each to log a takeoff or landing.
Each year, AOPA contributes a percentage of the AOPA membership dues of all Embry-Riddle alumni to a scholarship for students in the aeronautical science program. Some 4,800 Embry-Riddle graduates are AOPA members. The scholarship program was established in 1997; to date, AOPA has contributed $10,000 to the program.
Newest live ASF weather seminar reveals practical weather flying secrets
The AOPA Air Safety Foundation's latest two-hour live seminar, on practical weather flying, is now on the road in Tennessee, Arkansas, Florida, and Oklahoma, and will premier in the Midwest in March.
"WeatherWise: Practical Tricks and Tactical Tips" reveals real-life weather flying tips solicited from pilots all over the country. It is free and open to all pilots. The full schedule is available online.
"Most pilots will admit they don't know as much about weather as they'd like," said ASF Executive Director Bruce Landsberg. "This ASF seminar is truly practical weather help for everybody."
Tips and tricks woven into the two-hour seminar include how to spot potentially erroneous forecasts before you take off, easy ways to perform validity checks on forecasts, and practical ways to tell when the fog won't burn off like the weather people promised.
A special feature is the companion WeatherWise Safety Advisor booklet, which summarizes major points and includes a special "Learn More" section, which points to more detail on specific weather topics on the ASF Web site.
