California Airports

2015 San Carlos Airport Open House,Regular contributor Hayman Tam sent in these photos from the third annual Open House at San Carlos Airport (KSQL) in California. He reports that thousands of residents flocked to the airport for the event. With gorgeous weather, this one-day event was a great opportunity for the community to interact with…

Actor Harrison Ford, other Santa Monica Airport tenants and national aviation groups filed a federal complaint Wednesday, challenging the long-held position of the city that the embattled airport can be shut down in July 2015.

Santa Monica leaders have insisted that the terms officials of federal airport improvement grants the city has received over the years allow them to close the general aviation hub next year because all conditions requiring operation will have expired.

But in a complaint filed with the Federal Aviation Administration, the tenants say that in August 2003, $240,600 was added to a $1.6-million grant, pushing back the closure date to at least August 2023. Grant terms usually expire after 20 years.

In this issue’s Aeromedical Advisory department (p. 5), Federal Air Surgeon Dr. James Fraser explains the importance of new sleep apnea guidance for AMEs, while Checklist (p 20) highlights a few common terminology misconceptions when it comes to airman certificates, ratings and endorsements. Also, Vertically Speaking (p 33) reviews some important summer safety tips for rotorcraft pilots.

Also be sure check out the Check Engine! advice from Editor Sabrina Woods in the Nuts, Bolts, and Electrons department (p. 30) on how to manage the maintenance on your power plant. And be sure to review Susan Parson’s Postflight column (p. 36) for a frank discussion on practical performance.

This year, the Columbia Airport will be celebrating its 49th Annual Father’s Day Fly-In from June 19-21st, 2015. The event, sponsored by the airport, will celebrate the holiday weekend with live music, airplane rides, and family-friendly activities.

 The weekend-long event is dedicated to Cal Fire pilot, Geoffrey “Craig” Hunt, who died last year flying for the Dog Rock Fire in Yosemite. A small dedication will precede the National Anthem at 11:30 a.m. at the opening ceremony on Saturday.

This year, the Columbia Airport will be celebrating its 49th Annual Father’s Day Fly-In from June 19-21st, 2015. The event, sponsored by the airport, will celebrate the holiday weekend with live music, airplane rides, and family-friendly activities.

 The weekend-long event is dedicated to Cal Fire pilot, Geoffrey “Craig” Hunt, who died last year flying for the Dog Rock Fire in Yosemite. A small dedication will precede the National Anthem at 11:30 a.m. at the opening ceremony on Saturday.

Attached is a snapshot of the new 97th edition Los Angeles Section Aeronautical Chart’s depiction of the Ivanpah Solar Plant hazard alert. FYI, the boundary symbology the Aeronautical Charting Forum has identified for utilization is the international charting symbol for a radiation hazard. As previously shared, pilots should make reports of associated hazards via the…

On May 19, the FAA issued a Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) that advises all operators and pilots of the need to ensure that transponders are in the altitude reporting mode whenever their aircraft is on an airport movement area at all airports. Runway safety systems, such as Airport Surface Detection Equipment-Model X (ASDE-X), use…

Notice Number: NOTC6025 FLIGHT ADVISORY GPS Testing CHLK GPS 15-07 02 – 10 June 2015 Ridgecrest, California More information available at the download link below: https://www.faasafety.gov/files/notices/2015/May/CHLK_15-07_GPS_Flight_Advisory.pdf

NEW CUYAMA, Calif. – The New Cuyama Airport (L88), a privately owned, public use airport established by Richfield Oil Co. in 1950, has officially reopened after passing Cal Trans inspection.

Fly_Cuyama_235_235Located in rural Santa Barbara County in the high desert and bounded by the Sierra Madre and Caliente mountain ranges, the Cuyama Runway is a historic flying destination.

Volunteer Vacancies and Opportunities

Just before closing up the CalPilots display at the California Aviation Day, an individual came to me with a concern. He discussed a situation in which a privately owned, public use airport was facing a threat of closure because someone had built a fly fishing attraction next door and believed the airplanes flying nearby were causing harm to their business. (Yes, the scenario sounds incredulous — airplane disturbing fish? — but the threat is real!)

He then asked simply if CalPilots could help with the airport’s defense. My answer was both honest and revealing. “Yes,” I said. “CalPilots can help, but how deeply we can get involved will depend on the time our volunteers have available.”