Action in the states

This month’s focus: Alaska Region

September 1, 2016

Pilot reports (pireps) are important to Alaska pilots, given that the state has the lowest density of aviation weather stations in the nation. Four Alaskan representatives from FAA Flight Service, air traffic control, and the National Weather Service, along with AOPA Alaska Regional Manager Tom George, recently took part in a forum on pireps held in Washington, D.C. The gathering was hosted by the National Transportation Safety Board to explore issues and concerns on this topic at a national level.

Meet your regional manager

Tom George, Alaska region

Tom George has served as AOPA’s regional manager for Alaska since 2001. He is responsible for state advocacy, policy, and other general aviation-related issues in the state. He works with other Alaska aviation groups to advocate for general aviation with the FAA, Alaska Department of Transportation, National Weather Service, and other governmental organizations. Recent projects have included integrating satellite tracking devices into flight plans, improving CTAF frequency allocations, and creating practice runways. Before joining AOPA, George worked for the University of Alaska and used his airplane to collect aerial data in support of science projects. He is a longtime resident of Alaska, lives in Fairbanks, and flies a Cessna 185.

AOPA has been encouraging members in Alaska to volunteer as beta testers for an improved mobile app designed to make it easier for pilots to access data from the FAA Aviation Weather Camera Program. The program uses more than 220 cameras around the state to help pilots, flight service personnel, and National Weather Service forecasters determine whether it is safe to fly.

AOPA participated in an FAA meeting in Fairbanks, Alaska, recently to discuss operations at cold-temperature-restricted airports. The meeting was prompted by the Interior Alaska Flight Instructors Association, which asked the FAA to clarify the procedures now required at selected airports across the country, including many in Alaska. Pilots at the meeting raised concerns about the complexity of the procedures and the impact of temperature inversions. AOPA is now working with the FAA with the goal of reducing pilot workload. For more information, search for “Air Traffic Services Brief on Cold Temperature Restricted Airports” on AOPA.org.

Advocating for your region

Through AOPA staff, a network of seven regional managers, and a corps of 2,500 Airport Support Network volunteers, AOPA advocates for its members at the state and local levels to:

• Promote, protect, and defend America’s community airports.

• Maintain sufficient state and local funding for GA airports and infrastructure.

• Prevent excess state taxation on flying.

• Protect general aviation from unnecessary state and local regulation.

• View proposed releases of airport property that could affect your local airport.

• Please click on your state on the map online to see news, blog posts, and tweets for your region.

Alaska Region: Tom George, Fairbanks, Alaska, [email protected]
Northwest Mountain Region: Warren Hendrickson, Seattle, Washington, [email protected]
Western Pacific Region: Melissa McCaffrey, Temecula, California, [email protected]
Central Southwest Region: Jared Esselman, Frederick, Maryland, [email protected]
Great Lakes Region: Jared Esselman, Frederick, Maryland, [email protected]
Southern Region: Steve Hedges, Columbus, North Carolina, [email protected]
Eastern Region: Sean Collins, Bangor, Maine, [email protected]