AOPA Action

The Senate Commerce Committee has taken to heart much of what AOPA members and pilots have told Congress about FAA funding. Aviation subcommittee Chairman John D. Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) and Ranking Member Trent Lott (R-Miss.) have introduced a bill that responds to many member concerns but misses the fundamental AOPA principle of "no user fees for any segment of aviation."

Their bill would keep the tax on aviation gasoline at 19.4 cents per gallon. There would be no user fees for piston GA, nor would there be any increase in the existing fees the FAA charges for some services such as aircraft registration or pilot certificates. But Part 91 turbine owners and pilots would get a tax increase and an IFR user fee.

The House Transportation Committee will be writing its own FAA funding/reauthorization bill. Differences between the Senate and House bills will ultimately be reconciled in a joint conference committee.

AOPA Expo brings the world of GA together

AOPA Expo 2007 is coming for the first time to Hartford, Connecticut, October 4 to 6, 2007, in the city's new state-of-the-art convention center. The latest aircraft models will be displayed outdoors, and you will enjoy comparison shopping for new aviation products in the exhibit hall. General sessions will include topics such as user fees, fuel taxes, and airports. More than 60 hours of educational sessions will cover topics on GPS approaches, navigation databases and charts; and flying to Canada. Visit AOPA Online for more information.

Flight service system is in 'crisis and failing pilots'

Problems with the flight service station (FSS) system are not getting better and, in many cases, seem to be getting worse. AOPA is calling on the FAA and contractor Lockheed Martin to immediately address everything from technical glitches to briefer misinformation, issues that are now affecting safety.

"Based on the hundreds of complaints that AOPA has received, it is clear that the technical and operational problems plaguing FS21 are now affecting safety," said AOPA President Phil Boyer in a letter to FAA Administrator Marion Blakey.

AOPA has met several times with Lockheed officials, but service has continued to deteriorate. The most significant problems are total system outages, computer glitches, excessive hold times, dropped calls, and poor-quality briefings. Often, when pilots do get through, the specialists have no "local knowledge" and cannot provide basic service such as weather products, the filing of flight plans, or critical notams.

AOPA expects the FAA to hold Lockheed to at least the minimum standards of its contract, even during the transition period. Pilots cannot wait until the consolidation is completed in August.

Flight planning tips

If you're having trouble reaching flight service, here are some options:

Use DTC DUAT or CSC DUATS for weather briefings. They are approved weather sources and are independent of the the flight service station (FSS) system. IFR flight plans will be entered directly into the air traffic control system; VFR flight plans can also be filed but will be forwarded to FSS. Both services can be used to close VFR flight plans.

Pireps, notams, and weather information are available through the Aviation Digital Data Service (ADDS) Web site.

Temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) can be found on the FAA's Web site. AOPA Online provides security-related notams, graphics, and other information.

If you do talk with a briefer, make sure you have all the correct airport identifiers, VORs, and intersection names.

Try to close VFR flight plans with air traffic control instead of flight service.

If you are experiencing long hold times using 800/WX-BRIEF, call the local number for another nearby station. AOPA lists the numbers online.

For operations in the Washington, D.C., ADIZ, call 866/225-7410. This is a dedicated number and goes to the Washington hub.

If calling flight service via radio while en route, use 122.2 MHz as your first option.

Announcing AOPA Online Travel

AOPA is pleased to introduce the new AOPA Online Travel program.

AOPA has partnered with Orbitz, a leading online travel company offering leisure and business travelers a wide selection of low air fares, as well as deals on lodging, cruises, and vacation packages, from more than 400 airlines and 65,000 lodging properties worldwide.

Designed with members' needs in mind, AOPA Online Travel allows AOPA members to get Orbitz's great rates, while providing vital revenue to AOPA.