Although the U.S. Senate has yet to pass final FAA funding legislation, the agency's bills still have to be paid.
First and foremost, no user fees. "AOPA supports language prohibiting the FAA from finalizing or implementing any regulation that would promulgate new aviation user fees not specifically authorized by law," wrote AOPA President Phil Boyer to the leaders of the appropriations transportation subcommittees in both the House and Senate.
Boyer told lawmakers that AOPA members also want Congress to make sure that the FAA stays on top of the automated flight service station system with an aggressive quality assurance program. He noted that the contractor-run system had been plagued with system outages, excessive hold times, lost flight plans, dropped calls, and poor service.
Airports should get all of the funding allowed by law, AOPA said. The Bush administration proposed cutting Airport Improvement Program funding by more than $1 billion in 2009.
While AOPA supported funding for continued development of the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system, the association took strong issue with the FAA's proposed rule to mandate ADS-B equipage, particularly since the FAA proposal would require aircraft owners to have both ADS-B and a transponder to continue to fly in Class B airspace.
And AOPA asked Congress to make sure a sufficient amount of money is devoted to adding WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) instrument approaches into GA airports that don't currently have ILS approaches.
FAA extends deadline for 'English proficient' certificates
An influx of requests for new plastic pilot certificates has prompted the FAA to delay by one year the deadline for complying with the International Civil Aviation Organization's language proficiency standards for operating internationally. Pilots, flight engineers, and navigators who fly internationally now have until March 5, 2009, to get a plastic pilot certificate with an "English Proficient" endorsement on it. The FAA has announced that it will require all pilots to carry a plastic certificate by 2010. If you're a student pilot now, there's no need to worry--your certificate will bear the endorsement.
To help you sort through what certificate you need and by which deadline, AOPA has compiled an online subject report.
Easier than buying a car?
If buying an airplane seems like a difficult proposition, you may not have the right support team helping you through the process. When Gary Robertson of Tempe, Arizona, wanted a new airplane, he turned to the experts at the AOPA Aircraft Financing Program, a partner program with Bank of America. He applied for the loan online, had an answer within 12 hours, and even got help dealing with the seller.
"It was easier than buying a car," Robertson said. "There was no smoke and mirrors. It was up front. They told me what I needed to do and what the seller needed to do. They even called him and explained it to him."
Robertson was so happy with the service that he has used it for three aircraft purchases.
For more information about AOPA's Aircraft Financing Program, call 1-800-62-PLANE or visit online.
Foreign students under scrutiny
In the wake of a recent ABC News investigative report on background checks for foreign students pursuing flight training in the United States, Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said an independent investigation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) needed to be conducted. With the TSA's background check process for foreign flight students under scrutiny, AOPA reminds flight schools and instructors that they must do their part by following the TSA's guidelines for alien flight training. The place to start is AOPA's Guide to the TSA's Alien Flight Training/Citizenship Validation Rule. Read it online.
Free course explains the 'why' behind the weather
Learning weather is a little like learning algebra: Once you've mastered the fundamentals, it's really not that hard to grasp. Miss some of the building blocks, however, and it's a lot tougher to make sense of what's going on.
If you're looking to build your weather knowledge from the foundation up, the AOPA Air Safety Foundation can help. Our newest interactive course, Weather Wise: Air Masses and Fronts, takes a step back from localized weather phenomena to look at the forces that drive the weather on a grand scale. Using animated graphics and plain-language explanations, the free course aims to give you a better grasp of the "big picture" weather--and the knowledge you need to make better decisions about flying in it. Find it online.
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