Aviation Interest

Update – FAA extends comment period on IA proposal

The FAA’s recently proposed change in the definition of “actively engaged” for issuing and renewing an A&P Inspector Authorization (IA) has stirred up a lot of worry in the GA community. The comment period for the notice of proposed policy published on Nov. 5 has been extended to Jan. 17, 2011. According to the FAA, “an individual must be actively engaged, for at least the prior two-year period, in maintaining aircraft to be eligible to either obtain or renew an IA.” This proposal is a significant change to long-established practice for IA qualifications, according to officials at the National Business Aviation Association. Comment on the proposal here, docket number FAA-2010-1060.

The FAA needs to do a better job of issuing certifications and approvals, the Government Accountability Office concluded in a recent report. A lack of efficiency and consistency in how the FAA interprets its own rules adversely affects the aviation industry, causing delays and higher costs, the analysts found.

Getting Back in the Game Is your logbook dusty, your flying skills rusty, but you want to get back into flying? The latest issue of FAA Safety Briefing includes an article with pointers on “Getting Back in the Game.” It addresses changes in medical certification, the importance of brushing up on your airspace knowledge, making…

Think about the two scenarios:
1.  It is a clear sunny day at your airport. You are taxiing out for a VFR flight to your favorite back country airstrip.
2.  It is a cloudy, heavy overcast day with visibility near minimums. You are taxiing out for an IFR flight to your corporate headquarters 250 miles away.
Now thinking about these two scenarios, what is the common operational element in each?

Plane Talk Radio premieres

Stewart Lapayowker, an attorney whose practice focuses on private and corporate aviation, has launched a new Internet radio show, “Plane Talk Radio.”

DENVER — The Federal Aviation Administration has granted the Army permission to fly unmanned aircraft in national airspace at night using ground-based radar and GPS systems to avoid civilian and commercial traffic. “This is a landmark event,” said Col. Gregory Gonzalez, project manager for Army unmanned aircraft systems.

Pilots who think there’s “nothing good to watch on TV” might want to check their PBS listings. PBS has started to air “The Aviators” in certain markets around the country and will expand to more as the year progresses. “The Aviators” was developed by pilots and features topics ranging from “new aircraft designs to the latest GPS technologies, accident and safety awareness, airline profiles, and remote fly-in getaways,” according to the show’s website.

The 47th annual National Championship Air Races and Air Show takes flight Wednesday in Reno, Nev. The airshow features aerobatic and military aircraft, and the air races will include six classes of racing aircraft. The event will also showcase aircraft in static displays, and continues through Sunday. KRNV-TV (Reno, Nev.)

While a lot has been said about the Next General Air Traffic Control system, also known as NextGen, there may be some pilots who aren’t sure what it is. A “laymen’s explanation” was just released from U.S. Rep. John Mica’s office, which notes that NextGen is an umbrella term for the ongoing, wide-ranging transformation of…

Holm Center Commander To Address 500-plus CAP Members

More than 500 Civil Air Patrol members are heading for California’s South Coast for the all-volunteer organization’s 2010 Annual Conference and National Board. The 2010 conference is set for September 1-4 at the San Diego Marriott Marina.