East Bay pilot a lifesaver for Bay Area pit bulls and Chihuahuas

[caption id="attachment_6410" align="alignnone" width="300"]Rescued pets wait to be loaded onto an airplane at the Livermore Municipal Airport in Livermore, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015. Wings of Rescue is a nonprofit that flies California rescues to other parts of the country where they stand a better chance of getting adopted. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) ( ANDA CHU )[/caption]For scores of dogs running out of time in Bay Area shelters, Cindy Smith is something of an angel.

Not only does the Livermore woman work with rescue groups to save the dogs no one seems to want, she and a cadre of volunteer pilots fly the canines hundreds of miles northward, where loving homes await.

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California International Airshow September 26, 27

CalPilots

The California International Airshow scheduled for September 26, 27 is coming up quickly. Would you please pass the following message on to your local pilot association/clubs/flight schools? All aircraft flying in for the show and leaving same day will have their ramp fees waived. Pilots flying into the airport for the airshow will receive pre-admission airshow ticket prices for entry ($15.00) and the FBO, Jet West will be offering a .50 cent per gallon discount on fuel during airshow weekend.

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California Governor Brown Vetoes UAV Bill

CalPilots

Says The Law Would Have Potentially Led To Excessive Litigation

California Governor Jerry Brown (D) has taken what may have been an unexpected, but welcome step … at least welcomed by the UAV industry. On Wednesday, he vetoed SB 142, the bill that would have forced all UAVs to fly at an altitude of not lower than 350 feet over most of the state.

In his veto message, Brown (pictured) said “This bill would enact trespass liability for anyone flying a drone less than 350 feet about real property without the express permission of the property owner, whether or not anyone’s privacy was violated by the flight.

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FAA Extends Comment Period For Southern CA Metroplex

CalPilots

Comments Now Accepted Through October 8

The FAA is extending the public comment period for the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) of the Southern California Metroplex project by an additional 30 days. The comment period will now run until midnight on Oct. 8.

The latest extension allows for a full 120 days of comment on the proposed project. The FAA previously extended the comment period by 60 days in July.

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FAA Extends SoCal Metroplex Comment Period

CalPilots

Deadline Now September 8, Allows For A Full 90 Days Of Comment

The FAA is extending the public comment period for its Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) of the Southern California Metroplex project to September 8, 2015, to allow for a full 90 days of comment.

The project is a comprehensive proposal to improve the flow of air traffic into and out of Southern California by making the airspace safer and more efficient. It proposes to replace dozens of existing conventional air traffic procedures with new satellite-based procedures, which are a key component of the FAA’s Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). The Metroplex proposal encompasses most of Southern California and includes six major airports.

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GPS Notification – Ridgecrest, CA

CalPilots

GPS Notification – Ridgecrest, CA Notice Number: NOTC6175 Sep 08-11, 2015 Ridgecrest, CA 43 – 138 NMR / 50 AGL – FL250 https://www.faasafety.gov/files/notices/2015/Sep/CHLK_15-10_GPS_Flight_Advisory.pdf  

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Watsonville air show grounded after 50 years

CalPilots

WATSONVILLE — A 50-year-old air show will be grounded this year, with no aerobatics and no performances, after the nonprofit Watsonville Fly-In and Air Show decided to hand over the reins to the city.

Hank Wempe, the fly-in and air show’s board president, said declining attendance and corporate sponsorships forced board members to donate funds out of their own pockets to keep the event going the past few years.

The board was tired of just scraping by, Wempe said.

“What we need is movers and shakers and we didn’t have them on our board,” Wempe said.

Now the Watsonville Municipal Airport, which is owned by the city of Watsonville, will run the show.

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FAA 45-day comment period on Airspace

CalPilots

Did you know? 11 rules affecting airspace proposed in August? It is amazing how efficient the FAA can be at times. In August 2015, the FAA posted 11 proposed rules to the Federal Register regarding airspace. Did you know that? Until Sept. 1, I didn’t either. On each proposed rule is a 45-day comment period.…

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