Archive for March 2010
Douthitt Airport Threatened by Development
An El Central Land developer and possibly Vallero Oil has their eyes on shutting down Douthitt Airport. Named for Bob Douthitt, it is a small historic special use airfield in Southern California. Located in El Central, Douthitt is rumored to be Mecca for Navion aircraft owners. Bob Douthitt Jr. will have a battle on his hands to prevent loosing a historic airport.
Read MoreBuilder's Repairman Certificate Changes
The FAA is converting pilot and nonpilot certificates from paper to plastic. Active pilots made the conversion last year when paper pilot certificates expired on March 31, 2010. Non-pilots— including mechanics, flight engineers, repairmen, aircraft dispatchers, and airmen issued certificates under part 63 and part 65—have until March 31, 2013, to obtain plastic certificates. The reason for the conversion from paper certificates to plastic is to provide enhanced security features as required in the Drug Enforcement Administration Act of 1988 and the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004.
Read MoreCALPILOTS Responds to FAA's Long Beach Class C Proposal
Read the California Pilots Association response to the proposed Class C Airspace change for Long Beach Airport.
Read MoreLivermore Airport Rezoning Meeting – Update
On Monday evening,March 22, 2010 the Livermore City Council held a public meeting to review, discuss, and act on several different airport resolutions. There was a nice showing of concerned pilots from the aviation community. Of the nine citizens who addressed the City Council regarding the airport issues, all but two spoke in favor of supporting the airport resolutions. The main concern of those two who had concerns pertained to noise.
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Border Crossing APIS Guide Updated
The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) has updated its guide explaining the required electronic Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) used by pilots flying into the U.S., with consideration given to suggestions from EAA. The new guide clarifies certain requirements first published in 2008 and adds instruction designed to help pilots deal with real-world complications they may encounter.
Read MoreOceano Airport – Update on Developer Targeting Airport
Dozens protest (developer proposed) Oceano airport changes
Developer is trying to get county to close Oceano property, but supervisors have ‘no interest’
Los Osos developer Jeff Edwards’ desire to see the Oceano County Airport closed and redeveloped has caused a groundswell of opposition from local pilots, about 50 of whom showed up to a meeting Wednesday in Grover Beach to protest any change to the airport.
Read MoreAirport Security Gets Tighter
Please read the following and plan accordingly. I have never carried my pilot’s license in my wallet, but I needed it yesterday. Returning to my plane at San Luis Obispo Airport, I couldn’t get back on the tarmac without a driver’s license ID and a pilot’s license. I said my license was in the plane.…
Read MoreOceano Airport Under Attack by Land Developer
Developer Jeff Edwards has scheduled a March 17 meeting to discuss his unsolicited plan to turn Oceano County Airport, near San Luis Obispo, Calif., into a non-airport property. Meanwhile, Bill Robeson, a city planner who works with the city’s Airport Land Use Commission, told SanLuisObispo.com that when it comes to closing the airport, “none of the hearing bodies for the county are considering it.” But Edwards, a private land planner, sees “enormous potential” for the nearly beachfront property that he says could translate into “significant cash flow to the county if they were to close the airport and lease it for development.” He has advertised his upcoming meeting through a press release, has invited representatives from San Luis Obispo County and candidates running for local positions, and said “the public is encouraged to attend.” Oceano operates a 2325-by-50 foot paved runway and is home to 13 aircraft (10 singles and three ultralights). The facility serves transient pilots and its land-use plan estimates 12,500 operations per year.
Read MorePilots Protest Developer’s Vision for Oceano Airport
A Los Osos developer who hopes to see the Oceano County Airport closed so that it can be redeveloped met with substantial opposition at a meeting on March 17. And, while the developer attempted to keep out most of the pilots who showed up, he didn’t succeed in barring AOPA
(Editor’s Note: This developer stated in advance that he was going to limit the number of pilots attending the meetings. The important point here is for pro-aviation people to attend every meeting he has scheduled and to inform all non-aviation people attending the meetings just how important the airport is).
Watsonville – Appeals Court Hands Victory to Pilots
WATSONVILLE — Watsonville shouldn’t have changed runway safety zones to allow up to 2,200 homes to be built near its airport, a state appeals court ruled Monday.
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