'Tis the season of thanksgiving and goodwill

CalPilots

Blog – During the holidays, Opinion Leaders blogger and psychotherapist Jolie Lucas’s counseling practice gets as busy as Oshkosh in July. She recommends clients find “something to be grateful for.” Lucas shares what she’s thankful for in aviation. Read more…

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FAA Dedicates New Control Tower at Oakland International Airport

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OAK-Tower-RenderingOAKLAND, Calif. – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today dedicated a new, 236-foot-tall, environmentally friendly airport traffic control tower at Oakland International Airport.

“This Recovery Act project enhances safety for travelers at the Oakland Airport, while also helping the environment,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “The Obama administration is committed to investing in our nation’s aviation infrastructure to create good-paying jobs and keep the U.S. competitive in today’s global economy.”

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Livermore approves new construction at airport

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LVKLIVERMORE — The city has begun the process of renovating the Livermore Municipal Airport and establishing a maintenance facility to provide airplane repairs, refueling and other services for air travelers.

The City Council unanimously approved measures Monday to authorize the city to enter agreements with private companies in the area for the construction of a new administration building at the airport, along with a new gourmet restaurant with a well-known chef.

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FAA Orders Apnea Testing

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faaFAA Orders Apnea Testing For Overweight Pilots, Controllers – U.S. pilots and air traffic controllers who are deemed overweight will be screened for obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, a condition that could cause them fatigue on the job, endangering the lives of air passengers, a new FAA order says.
In a recent memo, the Federal Aviation Administration’s chief medical officer, Dr. Fred Tilton, has ordered physicians to calculate the body mass index of pilots and controllers. Anyone with a BMI of 40 or above will need to be evaluated by a sleep specialist.

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Drift In Magnetic North Spurs Runway Updates At John Wayne Airport

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john wayne airportSANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) – John Wayne Airport is set to become the first airport in Southern California to re-number its runways in response to Earth’s changing magnetic field.

Orange County Register reporter Mary-Ann Milbourn told KNX 1070′s Chris Sedens and Diane Thompson workers at John Wayne will re-number the airport’ s two runways and update about two dozen directional signs to adjust for a periodic shift in magnetic north, the point at the top of the Earth that determines compass headings.

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Bay Area TFR – Nov 25th

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Issue Date : November 22, 2013 at 1330 UTC Location : San Francisco, California Beginning Date and Time : November 25, 2013 at 1815 UTC Ending Date and Time : November 25, 2013 at 2359 UTC Reason for NOTAM : Temporary flight restrictions for VIP Movement Type : VIP Replaced NOTAM(s) : N/A Jump To:…

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A 'baaad' rule

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — This could be the beginning of something big: The FAA has followed recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board and announced a program to check the weight of pilots in order to produce safer flight. The announced reason is that overweight people have a tendency to be more liable to suffer sleep…

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AOPA insists FAA withdraw new sleep disorder policy

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The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) on Wednesday sent a letter to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta insisting that the FAA withdraw its new policy on obstructive sleep apnea or go through the rulemaking process. “We believe this policy inappropriately bypasses the rulemaking process; overlooks potentially more effective and efficient solutions; provides no clear safety…

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(Santa Monica) Airport poses no significant threat

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SMO1Letter: Airport poses no significant threat – The Santa Monica (CA) Daily Press

Editor: It’s high time to clear the air with regard to the so-called “Santa Monica-connected” aviation accidents people have been bandying about recently (“The saga of Santa Monica Airport,” Our Town, Nov. 12). These are a compendium of accidents and incidents occurring between 1982 and 2011, a period of 29 years, which are alleged to demonstrate that Santa Monica Airport is unsafe. Indeed, they show just the opposite.

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