Posts by Andy Wilson
Ridership going strong at Fresno Yosemite International Airport
Passenger traffic at the Fresno Yosemite International Airport increased by 4.3 percent in the first half of 2014 over the year before, beating out the national growth rate of just under 1 percent.
A total of 704,070 passengers flew in and out of Fresno in the first six months of the year compared to 675,044 during the same period in 2013.
The airport attributed the increase to additional flights from existing carriers like Frontier Airlines going from three flights a week to four.
Read MoreHouse GA Caucus seeks speedy medical reform
Thirty-two members of the U.S. House of Representatives General Aviation Caucus are asking the Department of Transportation to speed up the review of an FAA proposal to reform the third-class medical process. In an Aug. 22 letter, the caucus members urged Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to have his agency complete its review of the FAA…
Read MoreSanta Monica – Big Money Behind Closing Airport Lose Round One
Supporters of closing Santa Monica Airport lose round in court – In a setback for opponents of Santa Monica Airport, a Los Angeles judge has
dismissed a lawsuit that challenged a November ballot measure to protect the facility from closure..
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Luis A. Lavin threw out the case filed in May by an anti-airport group that claimed Measure D was misleading, poorly vetted by city officials and violated the state Constitution and elections code.
Read MoreGA groups lobby for expedited review of medical reform
Seven influential general aviation organizations are asking the Department of Transportation to expedite a review of the FAA’s proposed rulemaking on third-class medical reform. In an August 15 letter, the associations urged Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to complete its review of the FAA notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) within the next 30 days and open…
Read MorePalo Alto: Council approves deal to take over airport
A deal to transfer Palo Alto Airport from Santa Clara County to the city has all but been cleared for take off.
As midnight approached Monday, the Palo Alto City Council unanimously approved a complex set of documents that would place the city in control of the airport, known as PAO. The State Lands Commission and the Federal Aviation Administration still need to weigh in on the deal.
“This is an outcome that we’ve had strong interest in for some time,” said Councilwoman Gail Price.
The county has operated the airport on land leased from the city since 1967. In 2006, the county announced it wasn’t interested in continuing the arrangement past the lease’s expiration in 2017.
Read MoreMather Airport master plan charts a reasonable path
Editorial: Mather Airport master plan charts a reasonable path
The future of Mather Airport is a balancing act – between priming an important economic engine and preserving peace and quiet for residents, between doing what’s best for Mather and what’s best for Sacramento International Airport.
The Mather master plan endorsed by Sacramento County supervisors Tuesday isn’t perfect, but it gets close to striking the right balance. And as was made clear repeatedly, the specific projects to bring the airport up to current aviation standards – a runway extension, new hangars and others – would have to be approved separately.
Read MoreSkyWest to leave Chico airport
Chico City Manager Mark Orme confirmed Thursday that the only commercial airline serving the city’s airport would discontinue flights in December. SkyWest Airlines will no longer serve the Chico area citing poor financial performance as its reason for leaving. SkyWest flies under contract withUnited Airlines as United Express out of Chico. Orme said that the city is…
Read More2014 Annual Meeting
2014 Annual Membership Meeting of the California Pilots Association CalPilots’ is having its annual membership meeting at Castle Airport (KMER) in Atwater on Saturday, October 4. This is a great opportunity to hear about the state of general aviation in California, hear interesting speakers and socialize with your fellow aviators. And the venue…
Read MoreAre Unreasonable Policies Killing Airports?
On August 13, 2014 the dedication of the rebuilt taxiway at Watsonville Municipal Airport was heralded by a ribbon cutting ceremony. The ribbon cutting was done by Don French, previous Airport Manager.
The rebuilt and repaved taxiway is located west of the north south runway and goes to and from the approach end of runway 9. The finished project culminated 10 years of frustrating delays and red tape caused by the California Fish and Game Department and US Fish and Wildlife Service. (CalPilots Editor’s Note: We have been questioning the role of these government ‘environmental’ agencies for years. They have been over stepping theie role and causing major issues for the very user base they are supposed to serve).
Read MoreCessna 172 and 172S AD
New SAIB Addresses Alternate Method of Compliance to Cessna AD
The FAA issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) last week to inform the public about an alternative method of compliance (AMOC) to an airworthiness directive (AD) issued in 2001 that affects certain Cessna 172 and 172S airplanes. This AD (2001-06-17) requires a one-time inspection for proper engine idle speed and fuel control mixture setting and adjustment, as necessary. This AD also requires incorporating engine operating procedures into the pilot’s operating handbook/airplane flight manual.
