AOPA Members Help Reverse Declining Pilot Population
The philosophy behind the enhanced AOPA Project Pilot program is ringing true with members. More than 500 members already have signed up as Mentors in an effort to reverse the trend of a declining pilot population (see " AOPA Project Pilot," page 28).
Take Dick Reeves, of Huntsville, Alabama, who signed up his neighbor Leedy Aboudonia. Reeves, who has been a pilot for 28 years, said Aboudonia already had expressed an interest in learning to fly and plans to begin her flight training in August. Reeves previously participated in the program as a Mentor about five years ago and helped create not only a new pilot, but also a partner for his Piper Turbo Saratoga.
And Bill Chandler, of Woodbine, Maryland, was already a Mentor on his own when the updated AOPA Project Pilot program was unveiled in June. When he heard about it, he thought it was a great new source of encouragement and immediately signed up. He had been meeting monthly with Ron Bromley, who began flight training about eight months ago.
When Chandler was a student, he said, he didn't have the support network that Mentors can provide. Chandler has been flying for more than two and a half years and is the co-owner of a Piper Warrior. Chandler met Bromley through church.
AOPA Project Pilot provides powerful tools, centered on a new Web site ( www.AOPAProjectPilot.org) that will help Mentors keep in touch with their students and track their progress while providing support, tips, and encouragement. It's fun and takes little time, and the payoff lasts a lifetime. Don't have an immediate student prospect? Several people have signed up on the AOPA Project Pilot Web site seeking Mentors.
Erik Lindbergh Shares Personal Mentor Experiences with AOPA Members
Pilot Erik Lindbergh, the grandson of Charles Lindbergh, chatted with AOPA members at the AOPA Fly-In and Open House on June 3 about the joy that comes from being a Mentor. Lindbergh, the AOPA Project Pilot spokesman, kicked off the program by revealing how he ultimately became involved in aviation — and it wasn't because of the family name.
Mentors have played a major role in the 41-year-old's flying career. It wasn't a family member who encouraged him to take up flying. It was a friend who wanted to learn how to fly and repeatedly begged Lindbergh to take flying lessons with him.
"We went through [flight training] concurrently, and we mentored each other," said Lindbergh. "I never would have become a pilot if it hadn't been for my friend pushing me."
Lindbergh, who said he was constantly flying through the air as a child, whether on skis or bicycles or in gymnastics, never thought about flying as a career. He was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at age 21.
The flying bug didn't bite until he turned 24 and decided to pursue flight training with his friend. He earned his private pilot certificate within a year and decided to pursue his commercial certificate and instructor ratings, including his CFII.
By 30, he was unable to walk from the arthritis. Two knee replacements, along with some other work, gave Lindbergh a second chance at flying. But he had to get back up to speed in the cockpit — he had stopped flying for seven years.
Once again, it was a Mentor who helped him out. As it turns out, this Mentor was one of his former flight students.
Lindbergh said it was amazing "to help someone get started in flying and then to have it come full circle.
"It's been a huge reward for me to seek out Mentors and also to give back, to pay it forward [as a Mentor]. That Mentor relationship is extraordinary."
That student-turned-mentor was on hand in 2002 when Lindbergh landed after his solo flight from Long Island, New York, to Paris, France, marking the seventy-fifth anniversary of his grandfather's 1927 flight.
NATIONAL
Inspector General to Audit FAA-Lockheed Martin Flight Service Contract
To ensure that general aviation pilots are being served properly, the Transportation Department's inspector general is auditing the contract awarded by the FAA last year to have Lockheed Martin Corp. take over flight service station (FSS) functions. The contract is one of the largest nondefense-related outsourcing efforts in the federal government.
The inspector general's office pointed out in a May 8 memo that it will be assessing whether the FAA has implemented effective plans and controls to transition FSS to contract operations and whether operational needs of users continue to be met. The audit began in May. AOPA staff has talked to officials from the inspector general's office to make sure they understand pilots' concerns and experiences with FSS operations. In the course of those conversations, AOPA has offered to survey its members — Lockheed's FSS customers — and report back to the inspector general's office in order to help it determine how well Lockheed is performing.
"The FAA and Lockheed Martin must remain accountable to the users," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "This early look at the program and the associated plans for changes is important to ensure pilots' needs are met, which is why AOPA is working closely with the inspector general of the Department of Transportation."
Lockheed Martin's flight services system is called Flight Services 21 and will be a fully integrated nationwide network that gives all flight service specialists and pilots access to flight-plan information from a single, common database. AOPA had pushed hard for specific performance guarantees to improve safety and convenience for GA pilots.
The FAA has limited experience with outsourcing, and the unusually large contract deals with important safety issues. Under federal law, agencies are subject to routine monitoring when they award contracts to the private sector. It is even more important that there be an independent examination of the 10-year contract because of a revised estimate of the cost savings. Originally, the FAA said that outsourcing FSS functions would save the taxpayers some $2.2 billion over the life of the 10-year contract. Because of some unanticipated transition costs, the FAA now pegs the savings at $1.7 billion.
In February 2005, the FAA awarded an initial five-year contract to Lockheed Martin with an option for a five-year extension. The company will be consolidating 58 flight service stations — excluding three in Alaska — into 20 facilities. The move toward outsourcing was triggered by escalating costs associated with the old FSS system, the FAA's inability to effectively modernize the FSS computer system, and widespread inefficiencies.
Congressman Agrees with AOPA, Speaks Out Against User Fees
There's a growing ground swell against general aviation user fees in Congress, thanks in part to AOPA's continued education and advocacy work. Now another congressman has voiced his opposition to the idea.
"If a general aviation user fee is what the FAA has in mind, they won't get my support," said Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) in a video presentation to an AOPA Pilot Town Meeting audience in San Diego in May. Issa is a pilot and an AOPA member.
AOPA Initiatives Help Lower Deferred Medical Backlog
Good news for pilots whose medical certificates have been deferred: The FAA's Aerospace Medical Certification Division has greatly reduced its deferred medical backlog to about 45 days.
The FAA made the announcement in May at the Aerospace Medical Association meeting in Orlando. AsMA, an international organization composed of civilian and military aerospace medicine specialists, covers issues such as medical standards, aging pilots, and the effects of flight on the body.
"As the FAA continues to fine-tune its medical certification process, we're finally starting to see AOPA's advocacy pay off," said Gary Crump, AOPA director of medical certification. "Expanded aviation medical examiner privileges through AOPA initiatives like the AME-Assisted Special Issuance [AASI] program have played a key role in reducing the backlog."
AOPA has been a longtime advocate of expanded AME privileges. AASI allows pilots who have certain medical histories to get their medical certificate renewed by an AME once the FAA has reviewed the case and authorized a special issuance.
Currently, AMEs can reissue special issuances for 35 medical conditions, including several cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers.
Now, thanks to AOPA's efforts, the FAA is encouraging AMEs to contact their regional flight surgeon or the Aerospace Medical Certification Division in Oklahoma City to inquire about certain medical conditions and, in some cases, receive approval to issue the certificate over the phone. Previously, AMEs had been told to just defer the medical application.
"The FAA has made a tremendous improvement in reducing the deferred medical backlog, compared to where it was last year," Crump said. "But there is still room to improve, and AOPA will continue working with the FAA to streamline the process for our members."
Airport Design Criteria Should be Tailored to Type of Aircraft, AOPA Says
What do a Cessna 172 and a Boeing 747 have in common? Not much, other than they both have wings and fly. That is why AOPA is urging the FAA not to apply commercial airport standards to small general aviation airports that want to offer WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) instrument approaches.
"While the FAA is updating its Airport Design Handbook, the agency needs to find a way to tailor its design criteria for GA airports to the type of aircraft, which have smaller wingspans and slower approach and landing speeds, that operate there," said Andy Cebula, AOPA executive vice president of government affairs. "Right now, a 2,900-foot runway would have to meet some of the same criteria as a commercial runway to offer a precision approach like WAAS, and that's just not feasible."
Satellite-based WAAS has the ability to offer virtually the same approach minimums as an ILS — 200 feet and one-half-mile visibility — without all of the ground-based navigation equipment and cost. The FAA is rolling out WAAS across the country, but it is difficult for small GA airports to upgrade.
Currently, in order to offer WAAS, an airport must have much of the ground infrastructure, like approach lights, precision runway markings, and a parallel taxiway, that an ILS requires.
As expensive as those changes would be, the most expensive investment would be purchasing tens of acres of land at the end of a runway to clear potential obstacles. A safe approach to the runway is needed, but AOPA says it should be sized appropriately.
"Many small GA airports that would benefit from WAAS can't afford to create the required huge runway clear zones designed for commercial airports," Cebula said. "And that is just one example of a design standard that can be tailored to the type of aircraft that fly at these kinds of airports.
"The success of WAAS and satellite navigation depends largely on the FAA's ability to better match up design criteria with the aircraft at a particular airport."
Members Can Experience More with the AOPA WorldPoints Credit Card
Members are always rewarded with the AOPA WorldPoints Credit Card. The credit card not only earns cardholders merchandise or cash back, but also ultimate experiences. With WorldPoints Ultimate Access Rewards, the credit card introduces a completely new class of redemption opportunities. They're uncommon, unconventional, and unexpected — but for WorldPoints customers, they're not impossible. For example, attend a golf championship and receive VIP credentials with clubhouse access, branded merchandise, and more. Receive tickets to a sold-out show or concert, or access limited-edition memorabilia. With the AOPA WorldPoints Credit Card, the opportunities are limitless. Call 800/932-2775 and mention priority code MOMP or visit AOPA Online for more information.
AOPA Demonstrates ADS-B for African ATC Managers
At the request of the FAA, AOPA played host to delegations from Ethiopia and South Africa in May, demonstrating the benefits of automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast. ADS-B is the FAA's choice for the next generation of air traffic management.
AOPA President Phil Boyer described AOPA's long involvement in ADS-B development and the many benefits, such as in-cockpit weather and traffic data, that the system provides.
AOPA Senior Director of Advanced Technology Randy Kenagy took the African delegates for a demonstration flight in AOPA's ADS-B-equipped Beechcraft Bonanza, demonstrating the capabilities of the universal access transceiver datalink. One member of the Ethiopian delegation, a pilot for the state-run airline, was enthusiastic about the combination of airliners' on-board weather radar and ADS-B's Nexrad weather for strategic routing around storms.
"ADS-B's ability to provide traffic information to controllers in areas where radar coverage is not available has tremendous implications for the wide-open areas of the African continent," Kenagy said.
MEMBERSHIP
AOPA Fly-In and Open House a Resounding Success
Despite threatening skies in the morning, some 4,500 pilots and aviation enthusiasts attended the sixteenth annual AOPA Fly-In and Open House on Saturday, June 3, at Frederick Municipal Airport in Frederick, Maryland.
More than 100 aircraft flew in for the event, under the watch of a temporary control tower that was set up at Frederick for the day. In addition, thousands of people from the local community and beyond drove to the event.
"Each fly-in is an opportunity for us to open our doors to our members and the general public," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "We enjoy meeting face-to-face with the members we serve throughout the year, and also share our enthusiasm about general aviation with the public."
On the ramp, 44 general aviation aircraft were on display, headlined by AOPA's Win a Six in '06 Sweepstakes airplane, a 1967 Piper Cherokee Six. It attracted crowds of curious pilots throughout the day, especially eager to see its new avionics panel, and each hoping to be the winner of the airplane early next year.
AOPA Expo to Bring in Experts on GA Flying
The best in the business will be on hand for AOPA Expo 2006 in Palm Springs, California, to answer questions on every possible general aviation subject. Nearly 70 hours of seminars will be dedicated to topics including flying in the mountains, Alaska, or Mexico; painting, maintaining, or installing a new interior in your aircraft; flying with glass cockpits and understanding the future of avionics; learning about aircraft ranging from light sport to very light jets; and maintaining medical certification.
Here's a sneak peek at some of the experts who will be speaking: AOPA President Phil Boyer, John and Martha King, aviation humorist Rod Machado, AOPA Air Safety Foundation Executive Director Bruce Landsberg, and AOPA Senior Director of Advanced Technology Randy Kenagy.
One of the top seminar tracks this year will focus on safety. Learn about aeronautical decision making, risk management, emergency procedures, ditching and water survival, and flying single pilot in IFR conditions.
But there's more to Expo than educational seminars. The event will kick off with a parade of some 80 airplanes taxiing from Palm Springs International Airport to the aircraft display at Palm Springs Convention Center at about 10 a.m. on Wednesday, November 8. Plus, more than 500 exhibits will be on display inside the convention center.
AOPA Expo runs from Thursday, November 9, through Saturday, November 11. Visit AOPA Online to register. See " AOPA Expo Returns to Palm Springs," page 153.
AOPA AIR SAFETY FOUNDATION
Air Safety Foundation offers pneumatic systems online course Particularly at night or in the clouds, loss of vacuum power for the attitude indicator and directional gyro can be terrifying, possibly even catastrophic. Yet flight instructors often give only a narrow explanation of single-pump hazards, and pilot's operating handbooks usually have only a basic description that does not convey critical facts.
That is why the AOPA Air Safety Foundation created its latest online course, Pneumatic Systems. This course describes pressure and vacuum systems, known as "pneumatic systems," and teaches the early warning signs of pneumatic system failure by describing some early warning signs. It also goes over system redundancy options and gives an overview of the common causes of failure and how they can be avoided.
Pilots should be able to complete the course in 20 minutes, and those who complete the course and pass a 10-question quiz will receive a certificate. The course is free and available to all pilots.
Safety Hot Spot: Summer Weather
Summer is here and, like it or not, so are the associated weather challenges. High density altitude, haze, and thunderstorms can put a damper on any flight. Learn how to deal with those three summer weather hazards and more in the AOPA Air Safety Foundation's Summer Weather Safety Hot Spot.
Each Safety Hot Spot focuses on a timely issue or trend within the general aviation community and offers a host of resources including free interactive online courses, AOPA and Air Safety Foundation publications, a Safety Checkup written by ASF staff pilots, Sporty's Safety Quizzes, pertinent accident reports, and links to related Web sites.
Prevent Misfueling Mishaps
Even though fuel prices are up (way up), most pilots are flying more often, thanks to the long days that summer affords. Fuel or lack thereof causes an enormous number of aircraft incidents and accidents — nearly three per week, to be exact. That's a major issue, but pilots should be just as concerned about misfueling.
Despite all the precautions, including color-coded fuel labels and special nozzles, pilots still misfuel aircraft. The AOPA Air Safety Foundation's Misfueling Safety Brief outlines simple steps pilots should take each time they refuel. It also explains why it may not be easy to detect a misfueling by sumping the fuel tanks before flight and discusses another potential misfueling risk now that diesel engines might be entering the general aviation market. The Safety Brief is located in the Air Safety Foundation's online library.
AOPA AIRPORT SUPPORT NETWORK
Action in the States
Arizona. Phoenix: A fixed-base operation at Deer Valley Airport in Phoenix tried to implement a policy that would allow it to refuse to work on all aircraft older than 15 years. Deer Valley's Airport Support Network volunteer Arthur Rosen requested to review the FBO's contract with the city. By implementing such a policy, the FBO was in breech of its contract. Rosen met with Phoenix Aviation Director David Krietor about the situation, and the FBO was given the choice to vacate within 30 days or to continue servicing aircraft more than 15 years old. Consequently, the FBO has rescinded its policy and is servicing aircraft of all ages.
Restoring the Romance of Flying
Every day, tales of general aviation are being written at community airports across the country. AOPA members and AOPA Airport Support Network volunteers can play an important role in reviving the romance of aviation at their airports.
In May, every ASN volunteer received a complimentary copy of the DVD One Six Right: The Romance of Flying from AOPA. The filmmaker, Brian Terwilliger, was honored at AOPA Expo 2005 in Tampa for his documentary capturing the glory, history, and value that GA represents in our country's greatest successes.
The film tells the story of Southern California's Van Nuys Airport, dispels myths about general aviation, and features aircraft including the classic Piper J-3 Cub, Douglas DC-3, Pitts S-2B, Gulfstream business jet, Cessna 172, North American P-51 Mustang, and more.
Volunteers were asked to share the DVD with their communities, and many have leaped at the opportunity. For example, Darrell Jones, the ASN volunteer at Huntington Municipal Airport in Huntington, Indiana, obtained licensing from the production company to hold a public screening of the DVD at the airport's open house.
If you have not seen One Six Right yet, contact your ASN volunteer and offer to help arrange a showing. If you don't personally know the volunteer at your airport, you can contact him or her through AOPA Online.
Volunteer of the Month: Mike Woodley
For the third year in a row, Michigan AOPA Airport Support Network volunteers are at the helm of the Michigan Air Tour, from September 7 through 10, to promote the importance of general aviation airports in the states. And St. Clair County International Airport ASN volunteer Mike Woodley is an active participant. In 2004, Woodley co-directed the tour, which started in 1929 and is sponsored by the Michigan Aviation Association.
Tour organizers confer with the Michigan Aeronautics Department to help select seven to 10 airports that need positive press. Local politicians and the media are invited to the airports to learn about the economic impact these airports have in their districts. Typically, the media coverage and community support for the airports during the event are overwhelming. Last year, the three-day tour passed through the Detroit metropolitan area with 35 aircraft in trail flying the length of the Detroit River.
Although Woodley is working on the Michigan Air Tour with fellow ASN volunteers Marcelaine Lewis and Dick Acker to promote all general aviation airports across Michigan, he also has been active at his local field, St. Clair County International. Woodley and members of the local airport support group recently proposed an airport authority to the county administration. The county commissioners have embraced the group's enthusiasm and efforts to make St. Clair County International a success story. Although the dust has yet to settle, the commission's newfound interest in the field certainly is a remarkable achievement for Woodley and the airport support group.
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