Aviation Interest

Blaming general aviation for a pilot flying a private plane into an IRS building in Texas misses the point, according to columnist Jeff Schweitzer. Stack could have used another weapon to attack the IRS, and security measures cannot prevent all attacks. “While the misuse of an airplane will always remain a possibility, the extraordinary benefits…

Watsonville defends airport safety decision in court

By Donna Jones – Santa Cruz Sentinel

SAN JOSE – A day after a small plane crashed into an East Palo Alto neighborhood, Watsonville officials were in an appeals court defending a decision to eliminate safety zones around Watsonville Municipal Airport.
Editor’s Note: Just as we have been previously reporting the City of Watsonville is attempting to overturn the decision against it because they were trying to ignore potential noise and safety issues at the airport that their Plan 2030 would cause.

It’s been six weeks since a small plane crashed into an East Palo Alto neighborhood on a foggy Wednesday morning, killing three people on board. But plenty of reminders of the devastating crash still linger.

Onerous security regulations, insufficient funding, and encroachment: The challenges to general aviation loom large, and three California legislators are asking their colleagues to call on those on Capitol Hill to protect this vital part of the economy and transportation infrastructure.

The Transportation Security Administration’s proposal to implement security procedures at FAA-certificated repair stations in the United States and abroad is not feasible, oversteps its bounds, and is redundant, according to AOPA. The association filed comments Feb. 11 regarding the repair station security proposal, recommending that the rule be limited to foreign repair stations. Currently, the…

Delta Air Lines is indefinitely suspending its service to the Arcata/Eureka Airport in northern California’s Humboldt County as weak economy lingers. Delta first halted its service to Salt Lake City in September, saying it planned to resume the service on a seasonal basis this summer. “We appreciate the Eureka community’s faith in Delta and we hope in the future there will be an opportunity for us to resume service,” Delta spokesman Kent Landers tells the Times-Standard of Eureka.

When auto gas was first approved via STC for certain aircraft, there was a lot of support and many airports started to sell auto gas. This was a good deal for many Rotax-powered aircraft, as well as STC’d certified aircraft. But now it is almost impossible to find auto gas on most airports. What happened?…

Each time I read of a new security proposal that will impact general aviation, I feel like keying the mic button and saying, “Washington, we have a problem.” You know, just to see if anybody’s listening. That’s because our freedom to fly is at risk. … read the rest of story (777 words)

After years of debate, the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority has passed a lengthy set of new rules for five regional airports, including McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad and Oceanside Municipal Airport on
Highway 76.

On February 1, 2010, FAA published a final rule that amends regulations for sport pilots and flight instructors with a sport-pilot rating. The amendments, which become effective April 2, 2010, address issues with training, qualification, certification, and operating requirements that have arisen since light-sport regulations were first implemented in 2004.  The changes are designed to enhance safety and reflect the operational experience gained since the original regulations became effective.