Editorials

By Dick Knapinski, EAA Communications – I had the opportunity to read your column regarding the AirVenture ATC fees being assessed by the FAA. You’re absolutely right – it’s complicated. There are some significant differences in your comparison between the FAA and the Oshkosh Police Department, and other points to consider as well, however: As some…

The conundrum of the GA industry is daunting. Solutions abound, but many of the players are not paying attention to their peers. In fact, many of the players are openly — and counter-productively — competing with their peers under the theory: If I can harm your business, my business will benefit. Not so. Not nearly…

It is very disappointing to read the questionable results of the lead monitoring at San Carlos Airport. Although the EPA and the Bay Area Air Quality Officials were advised in advance against placing the monitors in the aircraft preflight run-up area, they chose to ignore the warnings and to no one’s surprise came up with the faulty results they published.

Periodically my eye is drawn to a bumper sticker while I’m out driving. Many are aviation oriented — or at least many of the stickers I see are. The slogans are familiar to you as well, I’m sure: “I’d rather be flying.” “My other car is an airplane.” “I love jet noise.” They’re all positive…

As general aviation comes to grips with the various opportunities to grow our community, we become aware that we face a few issues as well. First and foremost among those vexing problems may be the fact, and yes it is a fact, that we and our potential customer base speak different languages. That matters, of…

General Aviation News – There is a lot of chatter about the pending tower closures. Yet I don’t hear anyone asking, “Do we need this control tower?” Immediately after the FAA released its tower closure list, the newly elected Congressman from my district, Denny Heck, issued a press release regarding Olympia Regional (OLM) and Tacoma…

While the current Administration and Congress play politics, there is a huge safety issue should the Airport Towers proposed for closure actually happen. Shouldn’t we expect our leaders to resolve issues intelligently, versus a “game of chicken”? Notice that none of the listed airports would inconvenience them…..

Any sequestration that goes into effect won’t be felt entirely until April 1 because furlough notices must be given one month in advance. Will sequestration last that long? Or longer? Few even hazard guesses at this time, but if it does, what will be the effect on general aviation? The Budget Control Act of 2011…

The Obama Administration’s continuing attempts to raise taxes on business aircraft, reiterated in a White House press briefing, are short-sighted and threaten to suppress job creation in a fragile economy, AOPA said.

The general aviation industry and its supporters in Congress spoke out strongly against new indications that the administration may seek a tax increase on business aircraft operators in the form of changed depreciation rules for aviation assets.

Participating in politics is, in essence, an exercise in dealing with people. The goal is to establish a method of governing or providing management services. But in the end it all comes down to developing and utilizing your ability to talk to, listen to, and work with a staggeringly diverse group of people. Like most…