Aviation Interest

A federal agency (ONMS) has opened a study of expanding the boundaries of California’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, with possible ramifications for overflights of the area.

The FAA has asked for comments on its plan to take the last Direction Finders in U.S. airspace offline. Twenty-nine DFs remain operational in Alaska, along with their associated approaches, but the FAA says nobody has used them since 2008. GPS and ADS-B have reduced the need for DF steers, the FAA says, and Flight Service Stations have other tools available to assist lost or disoriented pilots, such as VOR, ADF, and GPS. “DF equipment is beyond its useful lifecycle,” the FAA says.

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), a member of the Senate General Aviation Caucus and certified flight instructor with more than 11,000 hours, has released the outline for the Pilot’s Bill of Rights 2 (PBOR2) and is asking the aviation community to submit comments for the final Senate legislation.

“The goal of Pilot’s Bill of Rights 2 is to continue addressing unfair practices and regulations toward the aviation industry. Today I unveiled my draft legislation for how to accomplish this goal, and I am also requesting feedback from the aviation community on how this legislation can best meet their needs and ensure a safe and innovative industry that is free of heavy-handed bureaucracy.

“The following is a section-by-section summary of PBOR2 draft:

Angel Flight West, Flying More Missions, Faces Pilot Shortage – Can you help??

The new July/August 2012 issue of FAA Safety Briefing, which explores the fun side of personal flying. Articles focus on many of the interesting activities and opportunities pilots have to keep the spirit of fun and adventure in aviation alive and well.   

Aircraft lights make it easier for birds to see and avoid aircraft, possibly helping to reduce the risk of bird strikes, according to a report recently published in the Journal of Applied Ecology.