FAA Releases Position Paper on ‘Safety Concerns of Exhaust Plumes’

CalPilots

CPA-logo-smallOver the past several years, the California Pilots Association has been a force in driving the FAA to recognize the dangers to aviation associated with power plant plumes, both the high speed vertical velocities and the unknown chemical makeup.

This effort by the California Pilots Association (CalPilot’s) is a result of the Power Plant Industry quietly trying to build too closely to existing airports within California without appropriate concern for aviation safety (search Power Plants on this web site for more information).

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Quail Brush Power Plant Update

CalPilots

The California Pilots Association (CalPilots) has been heavily involved with the FAA to address power plant plume issues involving flight safety concerns. We were very pleased when the FAA recently announced it completed a Plume Study of the effects of thermal plumes on fixed wing and rotor aircraft.

In December 2013 – after opposing the location of a proposed power plant project, the California Pilots Association (CalPilots) applied to become Interveners in the California Energy Commission’s (CEC) Quail Brush Generation Project (Quail Brush Genco, LLC, 11-AFC-03 siting proceedings). The CEC agreed and issued order granting CalPilots Petition to Intervene.

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Watch Your Downwind

CalPilots

Troutdale SectionalTROUTDALE, Ore. – You drive out to the hangar one afternoon, it’s a great day to be in the air and you can’t wait.  You make the turn onto the airport and what do you see?  Construction cranes?  In the pattern?  Hey, what gives?  Who the heck is building here? What are they thinking?

They’re thinking buildable land, folks.  I’m hangared at Troutdale, TTD, a mostly VFR airport (okay, we have a crummy NDB approach but the minimums are 1,050 msl).  Imagine my surprise when I discovered that somebody wanted to build a power generating plant about 1/2-mile north of the runway.  I’m a member of the TTD chapter of the Oregon Pilots Association and I’m president elect of that, so I figured I’d better show up at the informational meeting.

 

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Quail Brush Power Plant Opposed

CalPilots

Quail Brush-rendering-blue

The Quail Brush Power Plant project opposition recently asked the California Pilots Association (CalPilots) if we planned to oppose the project based on thermal plume safety issues and due to the projects’ proximity to the Gillespie Airport and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.

As a result, Bob Eppers, CalPilots Region 5 VP appeared before the San Diego City Council to voice CalPilots aviation based objections to the Quail Brush project.

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Modesto Irrigation District (Power) Plant – CALPILOTS Involvement

CalPilots

We returned from the Modesto Irrigation District Board of Directors’ meeting, whose purpose was to approve the Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Valley Bio-Energy Biomass Energy Project, carrying our CALPILOTS shields – not being carried on them. (Editor’s Note: a negative declaration would eliminate the Environmental Impact Report requirement.)

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Byron Airport Land Use Commission Meeting – Wednesday

CalPilots

Wednesday August 11th – The Byron Airport Land Use Commission, which is charged with protecting the airport from encroachment by incompatible uses near Public Use Airports and to promote the economic future development of California airports, is seeking Pilot Inputs on the subject addressed below.

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