In this issue:

IAOPA Renews SESAR Contract

The contract between IAOPA and SESAR has been renewed, allowing IAOPA to ensure that general aviation's interests are protected as Europe maps out its future air traffic management system. SESAR is the research project which will lead to the Single European Sky and its deliberations affect everything from airspace designations to satellites, ground infrastructure, cockpit equipment and pilot training. IAOPA has been involved in what became SESAR for more than seven years and has deployed significant resources to ensuring that GA has equitable access to the airspace of the future. Airlines, aircraft manufacturers, equipment makers and air navigation service providers are allocating huge resources to SESAR, and when the big beasts like Airbus and Thales are in the driving seat, GA could easily be left behind. In fact, SESAR began with the airlines questioning whether there is any need for uncontrolled airspace at all; IAOPA was instrumental in gaining acceptance of the fact that it was absolutely vital to the health of all aviation. Ben Stanley of AOPA-UK and Michael Erb of AOPA-Germany are looking after IAOPA's interests at SESAR and sit on several of its working groups. Thanks to them, IAOPA has become an integral and valued part of SESAR. In conjunction with AOPA-US, IAOPA-Europe also plays a major part in the difficult process of harmonizing America's future airspace system, NextGen, with SESAR. (Courtesy IAOPA Europe Monthly E-news, Oct. 2012).

IAOPA Regional Meeting in Cyprus

Representatives from 16 European affiliates met recently in Larnaca, Cyprus for the 127th IAOPA European regional meeting and received updates on a number of initiatives currently underway within the European Union and IAOPA’s regional involvement. The successes of IAOPA Europe in affecting changes that will benefit GA are evident in the positive developments that are being made on several fronts as representatives from IAOPA participate on committees ranging from maintenance, to licensing and operations. For a full list of topics covered and the impact that IAOPA is making in the European region, check out the latest Enews from the region at http://www.iaopa.eu/contentServlet/iaopa-europe-enews-november-2012.

Athens Flying Week

Despite the difficult economic situation of the country, more than 20,000 spectators appeared at Tatoi Military airfield to attend the first Athens Flying Week (AFW). It was organized by PC PODIMATAS AUDIOVISUAL SA a private company, owned by a private pilot and member of AOPA. It was an outright success. A spectacular air show, a small aviation expo and an excellent overall organization made it a real European event that happens to take place in Athens. A total of 85 light aircraft were gathered at Tatoi. They came from all countries of South East Europe and Eastern Mediterranean, including Bulgaria, Romania, Israel, Italy, and Turkey. AOPA -Greece supported the organization in every way. Two members of the AOPA Board participated full time in the organizing committee. But the real winner was General Aviation as a whole, because of the high publicity of the event. We look forward to see it becoming a yearly event.

Seaplanes in Greece

With more than 2,000 small islands, Greece is an ideal country for seaplane operations. Nevertheless, the present situation is exactly the opposite. Today there are no seaplanes at all in the country. This is because of the existing old and over- restricting legal system. Just recently, the Government decided to have a fresh look at the situation. A new law is now being prepared. This is good news, of course, but at the same time this is a situation of great concern since we know that no public servants have any experience on seaplanes, do they have the ability to draught a correct new law? AOPA-Greece is following closely the developments, trying to educate civil servants. To do so, AOPA-Greece has requested the assistance of AOPA’s of other countries with practical experience on seaplane operations. We feel proud to report here that we have received substantial support from other AOPA’s.

Craig Spence Named Secretary General

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) made Craig Spence the permanent secretary general of the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Association (IAOPA). He was named acting secretary general in May. Spence is currently AOPA’s vice president of operations and international affairs, where he leads advocacy efforts on safety and security regulatory and operational issues affecting pilots, aircraft, airspace, air traffic control and future modernization issues. He joined AOPA in June 2008 as the organization’s first vice president of the newly created Aviation Security Department, located within the Government Affairs Division.

Summit

Representatives from several IAOPA affiliates from around the world gathered at AOPA’s Summit in Palm Springs, California and had the opportunity to sit down for a lunch with IAOPA President Craig Fuller. IAOPA affiliates from Canada, UK, Germany, Cyprus, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland were represented at Summit and discussed the future of IAOPA as well as the challenges they are facing. The representatives received updates on a number of IAOPA initiatives and assisted in staffing the IAOPA booth in the main conference center. Planning efforts are already underway for 2013 when the AOPA- US Summit takes place in Dallas/Ft. Worth. The goal is to offer items of interest to international attendees so any suggestions that you may have on ways to improve or possible topics for discussion should be forwarded to Ruth Moser for possible inclusion in next year’s events.

PBN Presentation

IAOPA Secretary General Craig Spence attended the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Performance Based Navigation (PBN) Conference held in Montreal, October 16-18th and provided IAOPA’s concerns with airspace modernization in a presentation to the delegation. Participating in the panel entitled “Stakeholder Concerns, Putting the Pieces of the Puzzle Together”, Spence stressed the need for a comprehensive approach that takes into account the needs of all airspace users and that a strong benefits driven approach should be used. Additionally, that minimizing the cost for general aviation users to access and operate in a global Air Traffic Management (ATM) system should be an integral part of a PBN implementation plan. Finally, that a global ATM system must be capable of providing equal or better levels of service without expensive avionics upgrades or training and that any future system should result in improved safety, access, and efficiency without costly equipment and training mandates.

IAOPA Nominating Committee Meets at Summit

The Nominations Committee for the process of electing new IAOPA officers for the term January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2016 has been appointed. This committee consists of the following persons: John Yodice, IAOPA Legal Counsel and Committee Chairman; Craig Spence, IAOPA Secretary General; Stuart Clumpas, AOPA-New Zealand; Kevin Psutka, COPA; Lennart Persson, AOPA-Sweden; and Michael Erb, AOPA-Germany.

For your reference, Article XXIII states—The Nominations Committee shall select not more than (2) two candidates for each position to be filled. A candidate for regional vice president must be a pilot member of one of the organizations affiliated with IAOPA and must be put forth to the Nominations Committee by his or her national organization in the region.

If you are interested in nominating someone to serve within your region now is your opportunity to provide input. Please send your nominations for qualified individuals to serve directly to the IAOPA Nominations Committee, c/o Ruth Moser, 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701, U.S.A or by e-mail to Este endereço de email está protegido contra piratas. Necessita ativar o JavaScript para o visualizar. with subject line: Nominations Committee.

All suggestions should reach IAOPA Headquarters no later than November 15, 2012, to allow the Nominations Committee adequate time for deliberation. If there are any questions regarding this process, do not hesitate to contact IAOPA Headquarters.

Mexico Eyes Advance Passenger Information System - By Dan Namowitz

Mexico's government has proposed establishing an advance passenger information system (APIS) for flights entering and exiting the country, but the plan has quickly raised concerns about “unworkable” procedures and pricy penalties for pilots who fail to comply.

AOPA- US and industry partners are reviewing the proposed APIS system to be operated by Mexico's Instituto Nacional de Migracion in response to migration-law reforms passed in 2011. The aviation organizations are also discussing the implications of the proposed rulemaking with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which already administers an electronic APIS (eAPIS).

As proposed, the Mexican APIS presents pilots with tricky provisions including a requirement, for flights to Mexico of less than an hour, to transmit extensive flight information, in Spanish, after the aircraft doors are closed but prior to takeoff. For longer flights, the information would have to be transmitted within 30 minutes before takeoff and after the aircraft doors are closed. In both cases the information to be transmitted includes confirmation of the identities of the passengers on board, according to a summary of the proposal. Where the information would be sent has not been specified. The regulations would apply to private and charter aircraft, and to seagoing vessels.

David McMillan, EUROCONTROL Director General, Assumes Chair of Flight Safety Foundation

The Flight Safety Foundation announced today that EUROCONTROL Director General David McMillan has become the new Chairman of the FSF Board of Governors. McMillan welcomed the attendees to the 65th annual International Air Safety Seminar today in Santiago, Chile as one of his first actions as Chairman. He is the first FSF Chairman from outside the US.

"With his world-wide reputation, David brings a wealth of experience in representing the sterling FSF brand," said William R. Voss, FSF President and CEO.

"We're particularly pleased to have David take the helm," said Dave Barger, JetBlue President and CEO, and FSF Treasurer, "The Flight Safety Foundation will benefit greatly from the perspective David will bring, as its first truly international global leader."

McMillan is currently the Director General of EUROCONTROL, a role he will continue until the end of 2012. Prior to his time there, Mr. McMillan was the Director General Civil Aviation at the UK Department of Transport and served in the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office as a diplomat in various postings. In accepting the Chair position, McMillan said: "We cannot rest or become complacent in aviation safety. The Foundation's key global advocacy role is more important than ever in today's economic climate. I call on everyone with an interest in aviation safety to consider contributing to the important work of the Foundation."

Air Safety Institute new Safety Video Release “No Greater Burden: Surviving an Aircraft Accident”

For most of us it’s the stuff of nightmares, but for Russ Jeter, the reality of life after an aircraft accident is something to be grappled with every day. The January 2011, the mishap that took his son’s life also set Russ on a quest to understand the mistake he made as a pilot—and help others avoid similar errors. No Greater Burden: Surviving an Aircraft Accident is one result www.airsafetyinstitute.org/nogreaterburden). Produced by the Air Safety Institute with a donation from Russ to the AOPA Foundation, the special half-hour presentation is a sobering look at one pilot’s tragedy, the devastation it wrought, and the lessons all of us can take from it.

AOPA-US Foundation names “Hat in the Ring” Award Winners

The AOPA Foundation has recognized four members of the general aviation community for their efforts to promote and grow general aviation. The award winners were chosen by AOPA Foundation “Hat in the Ring” members—those who commit to donating $1,000 a year to support AOPA Foundation initiatives to improve safety, preserve airports, grow the pilot population, and support charitable work being done through general aviation. The awards were presented at the foundation’s annual Night for Flight fundraising gala before a sold-out crowd in Palm Springs, California, during AOPA’s Summit.

John Black, executive director of the Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport Authority, was chosen for the Achievement in Airport Stewardship award for his efforts to connect the local community to the airport through regular airport presentations to civic groups and other airport groups.

Welles Murphey, Jr., a generous supporter of AOPA Foundation and a member of the AOPA President’s Council and the Ambassadors Society, is the recipient of the Achievement in Public Service Award. He has flown hundreds of missions for Angel Flights and other humanitarian organizations. He holds a commercial pilot certificate with an instrument rating for single- and multiengine land.

Dana Siewert, director of Aviation Safety at the University of North Dakota, has been honored with the Achievement in Aviation Safety Award. He is a designated FAA pilot examiner for private through airline transport pilot and flight instructor certificates and was on the FAA’s designated pilot examiner “Honor Roll” three times. With more than 11,000 accident-free flight hours, he is the holder of an airline transport pilot certificate in both single- and multiengine aircraft and commercial privileges in single-engine sea and helicopters.

Jerry Gregoire, founder and Chairman of Redbird Flight Simulations Inc., has won the Achievement in Aviation Education Award. He has turned Redbird into the world’s largest manufacturer of full-motion flight simulators for universities and flight schools. He is a pilot holding an airline transport pilot certificate for airplanes and helicopters and a single-pilot type rating for Cessna Citation 525 jets. The AOPA Foundation relies on donations to preserve the freedom to fly. For more information go to www.aopafoundation.org.

Pass on This Newsletter to Your Members - Nothing can keep existing members, and attract new members by reminding them of the great work that IAOPA affiliates are doing on national, regional, and international levels to keep them flying. Great work is being done in all parts of the globe to advance the interests of general aviation and the best way to share the message is to make sure that this newsletter gets to as many members and non-members alike. So I encourage you to publish this on your website, send on via email to your members, do what you can to help spread the word.

In this issue:

The Island Aircraft Owners Association (AOPA-Trinidad and Tobago) Granted Provisional Membership

IAOPA Headquarters has received an application for membership from the Island Aircraft Owners Association (AOPA-Trinidad and Tobago). IAOPA Headquarters’ staff has examined the information provided with their application and has certified that the Association meets the requirements for admission as specified in the IAOPA Constitution and Bylaws. Therefore, based on the quality of their application, IAOPA has granted provisional membership to AOPA-Trinidad and Tobago effective September 24, 2012.

If approved by the IAOPA Board, AOPA-Trinidad and Tobago will become the 71st affiliate of the International Council. Please take the time to reach out and welcome our new affiliate at Este endereço de email está protegido contra piratas. Necessita ativar o JavaScript para o visualizar..

European Plans for the Revitalisation of General Aviation

In 2008 the Council of the European Union issued a communication in response to the European Transport Commissions paper on A Sustainable Future for General and Business Aviation, which provided a clear overview of the sector as well as a coherent and structured position with regards to future development.

It is worth recalling what Mr. Kallas once said, “Transport is and must be for people. As Commissioner responsible for transport, my guiding principles over the next five years will be to promote transport services that truly benefit Europeans. Free movement is one of the greatest freedoms for the citizens of Europe and good transport is essential.”

The Council also recognised the specific social and economic benefits provided by European general and business aviation. In particular the Council highlighted the benefits associated with increasing the mobility of people, the productivity of business and how its developments benefit the cohesion of peripheral regions of the Community. Importantly, the Council drew attention to the framework regulation 216/2008 and the need for flexibility and proportionality in Regulations with regards to different kinds of operation. It was further stressed that general aviation needs access to airspace and airports. The Council of Europe’s communication supported the Commission’s own paper toward A Sustainable Future for General and Business Aviation and the general aviation community felt that there was a ‘wind of change’ blowing across the region. Furthermore, members of the European Parliament (MEPs) passed a number of resolutions in support of a sustainable future for the general aviation sector. However, nothing actually changed in Europe regarding the development of new rules. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is an agency of the Commission and it is required to achieve a high uniform level of safety. To achieve this it has adopted an approach which is based on a more stringent tightening of regulations, which are directly applicable across all of the 27 member States of the European Union for aircraft that have a certificate of airworthiness.

The management of EASA is overseen by two boards—the Management Board (MB) which is made up of representatives from the 27 member States of the Commission and the EASA Advisory Body (EAB) which is made up of industry representatives. Through continued lobbying and with the support of the EAB, the French DGAC under the direction of the MB established a working group to look in more detail at how general aviation should be regulated in Europe. The paper that was produced took several months of dedicated effort but it reflects the industries concerns which, I have to say, were also shared by some of the member States. Then principles and guidelines which form the actionable items in the paper were endorsed by the MB at its meeting in September. The question is, how soon can EASA adopt these guidelines into the process of rulemaking?

IAOPA Europe feels that little will be achieved without an amendment to the Regulation 216/2068 which sets the legal obligations for EASA. So the MB has asked EASA to publish before July 2014 guidance material to ensure that the new rulemaking process is implemented consistently with the guidelines. However, the European Parliament breaks next year for the purpose of re-election and by the end of 2014 there will be a new transport commissioner.

By 2014 work on Flight Crew Licenses will be complete as member States must be compliant with the FCL legislation by April 2014. The Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) between Europe and USA should also be reaching conclusion. This is important for owners and operators of November registered aircraft in Europe and again highlights the importance of amending the 216/2008 regulation. Progress is slow, but it is progress.

IAOPA Submits Two Working Papers in Advance of the ICAO 12th Air Navigation Conference

IAOPA will be introducing two Working Papers for consideration by the States that will be attending the ICAO 12th Air Navigation Conference that will restate ideas and concepts that are important to general aviation worldwide. The first is designed to reinforce and draw attention to the Foreward contained in Annex 6 – Part II, International General Aviation – Aeroplanes that allows for an appropriate level of safety and recognizes the difference that exists between general aviation and commercial operations. The second Working Paper stresses to member States that are in the process of implementing the block upgrades that access and equity needs to be a cornerstone of any airspace modernization effort and that all system users must continue to be accommodated. Copies of the Working Papers are located on the IAOPA website homepage at: www.iaopa.org. IAOPA affiliates are asked to review the documents and make sure that representatives from their governments that will be attending the 12th Air Navigation Conference have visibility to the documents and encourage their support and passage.

APPA/AOPA-Brazil Named to Working Group with ANAC

Keeping general aviation at the highest discussion level on the Brazilian regulatory scenario, APPA/AOPA Brazil was asked by the ANAC (Brazilian Civil Aviation Authority) to reappoint one of the two general aviation representatives to the agency board, based on ANAC´s bylaws and its Council procedures. Following the strong work of George Sucupira in the last decade, now, Humberto Branco, APPA/AOPA-Brazil Strategy Director is formally nominated by ANAC´s President for a three-year mandate before the Agency´s Board.

A very clear, focused, and step-by-step agenda is on-course before the Agency and being conducted by APPA/AOPA-Brazil who is also in charge of presenting the current general aviation scenario, its challenges, opportunities, and related policies to the Board. On top of the discussion, is the principle of making the Agency responsive to the need for proportionality on all regulatory affairs involving general aviation. At the present time Brazilian GA is being strongly pressed and threatened by overregulation in several aspects, especially in the operational and medical requirement areas. Some basic matters such as encouraging general aviation pilots to get their IFR licenses in order to improve skills and safety, and to allow GA pilots to use new GPS technologies and up-to-date electronic flight bags are being threatened by over-regulation, extra aircraft equipment, certification costs, higher medical requirements, and lower level of service in the airspace, including terminal areas, RNAV environment and airports.

In some ways, the Brazilian regulation is going in the reverse direction of general aviation’s current needs and perspectives. Brazil is experiencing a paradox—GA sales are booming despite the regulation pressure that is creating new and low-efficient rules—instead of motivating general aviation growth and compensating for decades of stagnation.

APPA/AOPA Brazil is trying to find a productive and rational working environment at the Agency and other regulatory entities and is counting on strong support from IAOPA, especially on the exchange of information coming from ICAO and the FAA. Their main goal is to protect general aviation and keep everybody flying safer, wiser, and easier.

AUSFLY an Outstanding Success, AOPA-Australia Says

AUSFLY, the fly-in event for general aviation aircraft and pilots, was held over the weekend of 14-16 September at Narromine, NSW. The event was organised by the Sport Aircraft Association of Australia (SAAA) and co-supported by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Australia (AOPA) and the Australian Warbirds Association (AWAL).

AOPA President Andrew Andersen praised the event as an enormous success. "More than 350 general aviation aircraft flew in for the inaugural AUSFLY event", Andrew said. "It surpassed our expectations and we are ecstatic about the warm welcome and friendship extended to us by the SAAA at their home airport”. As a major co-supporter, AOPA contributed extensive advertising of the event in the Australian Pilot magazine, as well as by e-mail and through its website.

"It's clear that many AOPA members responded to our call and took part in a fun, safe and educational weekend." Andrew said. "We've had many comments in support of our involvement and look forward to joining again with leading GA organisations at the next AUSFLY event." For more information about AOPA-Australia, and its role in the AUSFLY event, email to Este endereço de email está protegido contra piratas. Necessita ativar o JavaScript para o visualizar..

Aviation Working Group Response to FAA Regarding Non-Citizen Trust

A working group has issued its response to the FAA regarding the registration of N numbered aircraft to non-U.S. Citizen Trustors and offered further recommended changes to the initial FAA proposal to modify existing rules and regulations. In 2010, the FAA issued a moratorium on non-citizen trusts that if enacted would have severely impacted the industry, as a result an industry coalition was formed to provide guidance to the FAA on better ways to restructure its program without crippling an already struggling industry. A public meeting was held in June of 2011 to seek comments from the industry and in response, on August 17th of this year, the industry coalition submitted extensive comments to the FAA on ways to improve the program. For a copy of the entire recommendations contact IAOPA.

Brazil Over-flight Information

APPA/AOPA-Brazil has advised that the Brazilian Civil Aviation Authority has published relevant information for general aviation aircraft desiring to operate in the country. The document contains a list of frequently asked questions and provides links and additional guidelines for requesting landing rights and staying in the Brazilian territory. APPA/AOPA-Brazil recommends that anyone interested should check http://www2.anac.gov.br/portal/cgi/cgilua.exe/sys/start.htm?sid=390 for information regarding the rules and services provided to civil aircraft with destination to Brazil.

IBAC Announces Appointment of New Director General

Washington, DC, September 10, 2012 – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is pleased to welcome Kurt Edwards, who was appointed by the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) on Sept. 7 as its new director general. IBAC is the international non-governmental organization (INGO) that represents the interests of business aviation operators from around the world in international forums, primarily ICAO (the International Civil Aviation Organization).

IBAC’s members, including NBAA, are national and regional associations that work together to coordinate global policies and positions for the business aviation community and to represent the community in international rule-making and policy-making work. IBAC’s principal office is located in Montreal, Canada, in the headquarters building of ICAO.

“Mr. Edwards brings to the organization substantial experience in international aviation issues," said IBAC Chairman Peter Gatz. "Previous to coming to IBAC, Mr. Edwards served in high-level capacities with the International Affairs and Environment Offices of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He also led FAA outreach efforts while based in Brussels and Paris, as well as at ICAO on environmental matters.”

Edwards commences duty with IBAC effective immediately. He replaces Donald Spruston, the previous director general who served from 1999 to the present. Spruston announced last year his intent to step down. Since that time the IBAC board has conducted a comprehensive global search to find a new director general with the capability of continuing the development of business aviation policies and interests on issues such as safety, security, air traffic management and the environment.

For more information, contact the IBAC director general at (514) 954-8054 or Este endereço de email está protegido contra piratas. Necessita ativar o JavaScript para o visualizar.. Visit the IBAC web site at www.ibac.org.

ICAO Runway Safety Events

ICAO has two runway safety events coming up in the next 45 days at locations in South Africa and Russia. ICAO and its Runway Safety Partners are committed to presenting Regional Runway Safety Seminars (RRSSs) across the globe over the next two years to promote the establishment of Runway Safety Teams (RSTs) as a means of addressing runway safety issues. Be part of an important regional event that will bring together experts from diverse professional domains to promote a multidisciplinary approach to improving runway safety outcomes throughout the globe. For more information click on the corresponding links:

Cape Town RRSS, 29-30 October 2012
http://www.icao.int/MEETINGS/CAPETOWNRRSS/Pages/default.aspx

Moscow RRSS, 6-8 November 2012 (additional information to be added soon)
http://www.icao.int/MEETINGS/MOSCOWRRSS/Pages/default.aspx

UAS in the USA

Can manned and unmanned aircraft safely share the airspace? If you’d believe the news, you’d be convinced that small, homebuilt unmanned aircraft are haphazardly overtaking the National Airspace System (NAS) without any boundaries or rules. The truth is far from that. Sure, there are innovative commercial designs making the news. But in reality, it takes more than a back yard, a gizmo, and a remote control to make the transformation from the design lab into the NAS. Yet, as numerous Unmanned Aircraft Systems return from combat in the Middle East, military training operations in the United States are expected to increase dramatically in the near future. And with this proliferation of UAS, unfettered NAS access—as opposed to expanding special-use airspace—would allow military UAS pilots to train and stay proficient. But, what are UAS and how will they impact general aviation? Can manned and unmanned aircraft safely share the airspace? Let’s explore further in the Air Safety Institute’s brand new course, Unmanned Aircraft and the National Airspace System (NAS). The course was developed in partnership with the Department of Defense (DoD).

AOPA Summit Reminder

Those international members attending AOPA-US Annual Summit in Palm Springs, California, October 11th through the 13th, are reminded and encouraged to participate in an IAOPA International Open Dialog, to be held Friday, October 12th, from 10:30 to 11:30 AM in the Hilton Hotel, Palm Canyon A located adjacent to the Convention Center. Additionally, an International Member/Attendee area is set aside in the Hilton Hotel, Palm Canyon B for the duration of the Summit that will have internet connectivity (bring your own computer or device) so that our international participants have an area to go to and check emails or catch up with other pilots from around the globe. For a full list of activities and information regarding Summit, visit http://www.aopa.org/summit/schedule/schedule.cfm.

Stories of International Interest on AOPA-US Website this Month

In this issue:

Costly Transponder AD Rescinded

IAOPA has saved aircraft owners millions of euros by successfully petitioning for the removal of an Airworthiness Directive which was as costly as it was unnecessary. The AD concerned Mode C and S transponders and should have applied only to commercial air transport aircraft. Instead, it was extended to all aircraft, and over the last six years owners have spent something like €20 million unnecessarily to comply with it. Now, thanks to the work of Dan Akerman of AOPA-Sweden, EASA has agreed to cancel the AD. George Done, Chairman of AOPA-UK, explains the background:

"On 30th August 2006, EASA issued an Airworthiness Directive No. 2006-0265 that concerned Modes C and S transponders. It was to address a problem of false advisory altitude reporting that had led to a loss of aircraft separation during TCAS maneuvers. It followed on from a much earlier AD issued by the FAA in 1999 that applied to Transport Category aircraft with Mode C and was subsequently modified to apply only to aircraft above FL240. As a result of test data that had been collected in the meantime showing that the repetitive testing required for compliance was unnecessary, the FAA AD was cancelled in April 2000.”

The UK CAA issued their own equivalent AD as a result of a TCAS incident involving two Boeing 747 aircraft shortly after the FAA one. This was superseded in 2000 by an AD that applied to all aircraft [Read More] (IAOPA Europe e-News, Sept 12).

AOPA-Australia Comments to CASA on Proposed New Passenger Charter Rules

AOPA-Australia has written to CASA about its proposal for a new regulatory framework for passenger charter operations. AOPA-Australia President Andrew Andersen explained that this proposal, which would become Part 135 of the new Australian regulations, has merit as a starting point, but that AOPA-Australia is deeply concerned about the potential effect of these regulations on general aviation.

"AOPA-Australia has no doubt that CASA genuinely seeks to establish regulations that would improve the safety of low-capacity charter operations and certainly does not dispute the importance of the safety of those operations, particularly for rural and regional communities, but great care will be needed in framing these regulations if the current customers of charter services are to continue to have access to any services at all." Andrew said.

"These changes will be particularly onerous on small operators of up to three or four aircraft, in terms of cost, time, extra training, additional expertise and extra personnel." he added.

Contrary to many expectations, AOPA-Australia's members and other contacts within the Australian charter industry had few problems with the proposed IFR equipment requirements and operational procedures. However, there was considerable disquiet about potentially top-heavy requirements for safety management systems, and unnecessary prescribed roles for personnel in even the smallest organizations, with related costs.

If you would like to obtain a complete copy of the comments submitted you are invited to e-mail Este endereço de email está protegido contra piratas. Necessita ativar o JavaScript para o visualizar..

AOPA-Spain proposes 19 No-Cost Measures to Save GA

AOPA-Spain has proposed to the Spanish government a program of 19 urgent measures that could be taken to save general aviation without involving the government in significant investment or cost. GA in Spain is suffering particularly badly in the current economic crisis. It is about 20 times smaller than GA in France, the UK, or Germany, and as Rafael Molina of AOPA-Spain reports, today survival has become the first priority of AOPA-Spain.

The lack of alternative airports to state-run AENA network, increased airport charges and new rates applied on a per-passenger basis has come as a blow to general aviation. But the government’s announcement that the operating times of 17 airports are to be reduced could be a fatal blow to small operators and flying clubs.

AOPA’s package of 19 measures has been presented at a Workshop on aviation chaired by the Director General of Civil Aviation, and has been well received by the Ministry and the Director General. The full list is available on the AOPA Spain website.

They include the elimination of minimum landing fees, the immediate abolition of the tax on GA passengers, relief from mandatory handling, the extension of operating hours of airports, and the breaking of fuel provisions monopolies. The list also seeks changes in access to airspace, the removal of the obligatory flight plan filing requirement for VFR, more flexible application of the EASA’s Part M maintenance requirements and more.

Rafael Molina writes: “These measures do not involve any investment and would generate an increase in activity of GA and those companies that rely on GA.”

In the meantime AOPA-Spain suggests that all pilots flying to Spain after August 23 check carefully the AIP information on airfield operating hours, or contact AOPA Spain for updates. (IAOPA E-News, Aug 2012).

AOPA-Australia Welcomes New Rules for ADS-B, Mode S Transponders and GNSS Navigation

AOPA-Australia President Andrew Andersen has welcomed new Australian rules published this week for ADS-B, Mode S transponders and GNSS navigation systems.

The new rules represent the industry-agreed position that the Australian Strategic Air Traffic Management Group (ASTRA) promoted and which AOPA-Australia, an active member of ASTRA, supported.

“The whole Australian aviation industry will benefit from the introduction of new ATC surveillance technology, in which Airservices Australia is the recognized world leader”, Andrew said. ADS-B ground stations can be installed for a fraction of the cost of radar installations, enabling more efficient and complete ATC services for general aviation and airlines. It requires an investment by IFR GA in new technology, but by aligning the ADS-B and Performance Based Navigation (PBN) requirements, the impact on GA will be manageable and spread across a period of years. Existing transponder exemptions for certain vintage and sport aircraft, including gliders, continue to apply.

AOPA-Australia’s successful arguments against mandatory ADS-B fitment in VFR aircraft and ensuring a reasonable transition period are particularly significant. Further discussions within ASTRA and with CASA are anticipated for further requirements for the 2020 timeframe. AOPA-Australia, however, has made it clear that it will not support any mandatory VFR ADS-B requirements until low-cost 1090ES ADS-B avionics solutions emerge that are within the financial reach of VFR general aviation operations. Australia has not and does not intend to implement ADS-B over the UAT protocols and frequency band.

The rules themselves and an explanatory statement may be downloaded from http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2012L01739/Download.

AOPA-U.S./IAOPA Sponsor Think Global Flight

AOPA-U.S. and IAOPA have joined as sponsors of the upcoming Think Global Flight that is designed to promote the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Education and the boundless opportunities in aviation and aerospace industries worldwide. This international in-flight effort will cultivate and promote a greater awareness and interest in STEM in classrooms by way of an around-the-world flight of adventure taking off in the Fall of 2013.

Objectives of the flight are:

• Circumnavigating the Earth bridging international classrooms across the globe through the use of virtual venues called Student Command Centers (SCC) for ages 4-16 years old.
• Creating a greater awareness for the importance of international green technologies.
• Empowering parents with their child’s educational development through a greater awareness of STEM education as related to aviation and aerospace.
• Increasing the number of children across the globe, interested in and inspired by aviation and aerospace, especially among under-represented groups such as girls and minorities as they follow the ThinkGlobal Team on their journey around the Earth.

Organizers of the flight need the help of AOPA affiliates around the globe in completing this daunting challenge. Those states interested in sponsoring or assisting with the flight can help by providing:

1. IAOPA’s outreach support for contacts across the globe interested in participating as a SCC (educators, youth groups, flight schools, others)
2. Support along their route with lodging; transportation to lodging
3. Support easing for landing permit process, as well as, communicate with them on fuel availability; and other flight needs as required.

The route of the flight can be located at http://www.thinkglobalflight.org/route/the-route, please check to see if your country is on the list.

If you are can assist in any way, please contact Captain Judith Rice at Este endereço de email está protegido contra piratas. Necessita ativar o JavaScript para o visualizar..

IAOPA at the 2012 International Air Transport Forum (IATF), Ulyanovsk, Russia, Aug 23-25

The organizers of the 2012 IATF invited Frank Hofmann, IAOPA’s Representative to ICAO, to participate as guest speaker on General Aviation issues at their Forum. The request for IAOPA’s participation was to provide information to the attending officials and industry not only concerning ICAO expectations of GA but also for IAOPA to present an overview of how countries with strong GA activities have approached GA.

The venue was Vostochny Airport where the huge Russian AN124 transport aircraft is constructed and a new MRO facility is being built. A variety of smaller GA aircraft flew in revealing a wide cross-section of aircraft types operated in Russia. An Air Show and public displays attended by thousands were featured on the last, cloudless day.

The 3 day event included, among other things, an important series of discussions on General Aviation as it might develop within Russia. IAOPA’s presentation included this issue, and was helped significantly by the behind-the-scenes input of AOPA-Russia President Vladimir Turin. The message delivered emphasized the need for a GA friendly aviation policy as well as for adequate access to airports. It was noted that airports constitute the source of young people's initial interest and are the eventual entry path into the diverse field of aviation, all of which is necessary for generating the pool of aviation manpower. As well, airports serve as the training centers for all necessary aviation related trades. Costs to train and to fly must remain within the reach of sufficient numbers of people and companies to create an effective General Aviation infrastructure. Stress also was placed on regulations not being the primary source to answering safety problems. Instead, safety was explained as being a result of a wide variety of factors—accessibility of spare parts, mechanics’ training, costs, access to airports, fuel, information, and a willingness of pilots and owners to abide by existing well-thought-out regulations.

IAOPA also stressed how important to the development of a thriving General Aviation industry is a robust support for the activity from industry, government, and the public. Of particular interest to Hofmann, and important to the continued development of General Aviation in Russia, was how involved and committed to General Aviation the District of Ulyanovsk has been in the past and continues to be. This kind of support is crucial to the success of GA. Without support from industry, the public, and from the government as demonstrated in the kind of regulations it requires, it is not possible to generate the kind of growth which Russia hopes to achieve. All of the components must be functioning together— no one sector (industry, public, or government) can achieve success alone. Encouraging is that Ulyanovsk appears to be showing leadership in resolving long-standing aviation-related limitations.

This IATF forum provided the opportunity to discuss openly the need for a thoughtfully controlled development of the General Aviation industry so that it will evolve safely and be in conformance with the standards and practices that exist in countries that already have a highly developed General Aviation market. To become accepted and active on the world market Russia, as well as any other country in the process of developing its GA industry, must assure that it adopts or exceeds the existing world norms—particularly the norms of ICAO, EASA and the FAA. But how a country goes about this is of the utmost importance.

IAOPA stressed that Russian regulations, in meeting these standards, must be created in such a way that they separate the General Aviation sector’s standards from the standards of commercial airline operations. ICAO standards and recommended practices make it clear that General Aviation operations are not expected to operate to the same level of safety as do airline operations. Regulations should be proportional to the risk of the operations and should be performance based, not prescriptive. Such changes that distinguish between standards of General Aviation and those of the airlines may require a change in outlook by those involved in creating regulations. AOPA-Russia is very active in its advocacy role to help achieve this result.

All such changes are a major challenge, will take time, and will take an enormous cooperation between the various active players – organizations such as AOPA-Russia, industries and their associations, regional governments, and national government.

The value of this 2012 IATF lies in the fact that these elements —organizations, industry, and government each had a strong presence in Ulyanovsk. That fact presents a major opportunity for advancing General Aviation in Russia.

The organizers of the Forum must be congratulated for the extensive displays of aviation products and services evident both in their hangar and outside. The very fact that it was possible to achieve this level of participation is noteworthy. Demonstrating the importance of General Aviation in Russia is a first step toward building a strong General Aviation infrastructure.

It was a unique opportunity for IAOPA to be a participant and to elaborate a larger view of GA.

EASA Publishes Notice of Draft Amendment on UAS

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has released a notice of draft amendment on Transposition of Amendment 43 to Annex 2 to the Chicago Convention on remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPASs) into common rules of the air. The purpose of the Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA) is to propose the alignment of the European common rules of the air (SERA) with Amendment 43 to Annex 2 to the Chicago Convention. The largest part of Amendment 43 is devoted to remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPASs), but it also includes revision of some provisions for ‘manned’ oceanic traffic.

All European AOPA’s are encouraged to review the document and submit official comments. The document can be found at http://hub.easa.europa.eu/crt/docs/viewnpa/id_166. To place comments please logon at http://hub.easa.europa.eu/crt/.

AOPA-Italy Helps to Move PBN for GA Forward

AOPA-Italy will participate at the AIRET Air Excellence and Technologies convention in Rimini on Sept. 6th.

During the two days of seminars of the convention, dedicated to the future of Air Navigation using EGNOS ( European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service), AOPA-Italy President, Rinaldo Gaspari, will underline the importance of accelerating the testing and implementing of the SBAS/LPV procedures based on the use of the EGNOS satellite technologies (system similar to the already operating American WAAS/FAA system) to allow General Aviation the use of new, necessary routes, to re-vitalize the sector so strongly hit by fuel cost and tax increases.

The complete "small airports" network available to GA in Europe not equipped with an ILS approach will, in the future, have the possibility to be given "safe" instrument approach procedures not based on expensive ground infrastructures, no longer competitive in terms of costs/benefits and the possibility to operate with DH around 250 ft will make most airports usable to GA traffic creating new operational possibilities to our fleet, not too tightly depending on met conditions and with high safety standards (error possibilities should be lower than 2 meters).

A real technological revolution defying the Civil Aviation Authorities of the 27 Countries with the aim of simply passing through technology.

“We hope all this will be accepted without too much bureaucratic opposition and useless complications” Gaspari said confirming the engagement of AOPA-Italy to press our National Authority in a Country foreseeing the first test only on 3 airports and beginning only in 2013.

IAOPA Talks to Chinese Leaders on What GA Needs to Develop

IAOPA Secretary General Craig Spence traveled to China at the invitation of AOPA-China to make a presentation at the Second China Low-altitude Economy Summit that was held in Shenyang, China. The summit was well attended by key representatives of the Chinese government, both national and local, and focused on “breakthrough and innovation” that will be needed to get China’s general aviation industry off the ground. In the presentation, Spence provided an overview of IAOPA and its accomplishments in both ICAO as well as the individual efforts of many of the affiliates. Additionally, he stressed the following five areas that China should focus on as it moves forward in its effort to develop a robust GA infrastructure:

First, you are in a great position to build general aviation but you need to build it on a foundation of safety. IAOPA through the AOPA Air Safety Foundation has the largest library of pilot safety training and education material and you should work closely with the Air Safety Foundation and AOPA-China to tailor that material for the needs of GA in China.

Second, recognize the differences that exist between commercial and general aviation and regulate accordingly. Regulations that are appropriate, even necessary, for commercial aviation would unnecessarily burden general aviation.

Third, pave the back roads. Commercial aviation goes from large city to large city, similar to the system of highways that connect major cities. General aviation reaches all of the other cities and connects them with the large and smaller cities throughout the country. They use the back roads. It is just as important to make sure that the tools needed to make GA safe and effective are in place. ADS-B and performance based navigation provide the opportunity to open GA airports to all weather capability at a fraction of the cost of conventional systems.

Forth, understand the differences between general aviation and plan accordingly. GA airports do not need many of the complicated and expensive systems in place at commercial airports. Imposing too many additional requirements will unnecessarily burden GA and raise the cost.

Finally, embrace the joy that is flight.

The Shenyang conference was one of numerous activities scheduled as part of AOPA Week, which also featured the first AOPA-China fly-in event Aug. 25 to 27 in Faku, and the 2012 AOPA Shanghai International General Aviation Show, Aug. 28 to 30 in Shanghai.

AOPA Summit Activities Planned

AOPA-U.S. will be holding its annual Summit in Palm Springs, California from October 11th through the 13th, and this year’s event will have a renewed focus for international members and IAOPA Affiliates. In addition to the multitude of display’s, seminars, and other special events this year’s Summit will focus a special meeting in which all international guests in attendance will be invited to participate in an IAOPA International Open Dialog, to be held Friday, October 12th, from 10:30 to 11:30 AM in the Hilton Hotel located adjacent to the main exhibit hall.

The ever popular Parade of Planes will be held on Wednesday, October 10th from 10:00 am until noon traveling through the streets of Palm Springs, and then the return of the planes on Saturday around 3:00 pm.

An International Member/Attendee area is set aside in the Hilton Hotel for the duration of the Summit that will have internet connectivity (bring your own computer or device) so that our international participants have an area to go to and check emails or catch up with other pilots from around the globe.

For a full list of activities and information regarding Summit, visit http://www.aopa.org/summit/schedule/schedule.cfm.

Cross Canada Solo Challenge –Donor agrees to match any Donations that the Challenge Generates, up to $10,000

By: Kevin Psutka, COPA

On July 10th, 2012 sixteen year old Matthew Gougeon, of Sudbury, Ontario, fulfilled a dream when he embarked on a solo flight across Canada in an amphibious Cessna 182 and consequently he became the youngest pilot to fly this type of airplane solo from Canada’s West to East coasts.

Matthew has been flying all his life, taking the controls of his father’s aircraft at only seven years old. He began flight training at age 13 and by the age of 15 had completed his first solo flight.

In the summer of 2011 he received a recreational pilot permit and, soon after, he achieved his seaplane rating. Since then he has been logging time in the Cessna he used to fly across the country. For safety, his father was nearby in a chase plane.

Details of Matthew’s adventure can be found on his web site http://crosscanadasolochallenge.ca/.

Matthew’s adventure is called a challenge because he challenged himself to fly solo across the country but there is also an additional challenge. He wants to help young people less fortunate than himself to realize their aviation dream by challenging everyone he meets to make donations to COPA’s Neil Armstrong Scholarship Fund. http://www.copanational.org/NAscholarship.cfm.

An anonymous donor has agreed to match any donations that the challenge generates, up to $10,000.

This adventure provides excellent nation-wide publicity for the Fund, whose purpose is to provide flight training to worthy young people who might not otherwise be able to pursue their love of flight and who exemplify the fine character, optimism and love of adventure which were epitomized by former COPA President Neil J. Armstrong.

I challenge all members to get behind this enthusiastic young man as he achieves a personal challenge and helps COPA, through the Neil Armstrong Scholarship Fund, to help our youth aim high. Make a donation to the Neil Armstrong Scholarship Fund today and mention that it is in honour of Matthew’s Cross Country Solo Challenge.

Correction to Last Month’s Article on IAOPA Efforts at ICAO Reference to Rescue and Firefighting

Last month’s e-News article on IAOPA’s efforts at ICAO to introduce changes to Annex 14 Rescue and Firefighting incorrectly listed IAOPA’s specific request of the committee. The formal request is “Once the results are known, the ICAO Secretariat will consider how best to address concerns expressed by IAOPA. IAOPA will work with the Secretariat to prepare another Discussion Paper to present to the Airports Panel of the whole meeting in December. IAOPA’s thinking at this point is that the addition of a paragraph in the Annex stipulating that the requirements should not be applied to airports serving Category 1 aircraft (fuselage length under 9 m) may have a chance for acceptance, depending on what the replies to ICAO’s survey from States instruct the Secretariat to do. Although most States already appear to have some exclusion for GA to the requirements, a number of States insist strongly that RFF has to be on the field if/when the airport is open.” I apologize for the confusion.

In this issue:

In this issue:

AOPA-UAE Becomes 70th Affiliate

AOPA-United Arab Emirates became a fully approved affiliate of IAOPA effective April 22, 2012. IAOPA Secretary General Craig Spence said, “The headquarters staff is looking forward to a long and prosperous working relationship and we warmly welcome AOPA-UAE as IAOPA’s 70th affiliate member.”

In related news, AOPA-UAE president Yousif Hassan Al Hammadi has taken over as acting general manager of Al Bateen executive airport in Abu Dhabi where he previously served as the deputy general manager.

AOPA-Italy Reverses Government Luxury Tax on Private Aircraft

The Italian Senate and House have passed a measure that repealed a luxury tax on aircraft owners or operators of private aircraft who spend more than 48 hours in the country. Italy’s president, Giorgio Napolitano, signed the measure, making it official.

“The previous law allowed private aircraft to stay in Italy for no more than 45 consecutive days before charging the tax. But the Italian government, plagued by rising debt and austerity measures imposed by the European Union, decided to implement a number of new taxes on items including houses, gasoline, luxury cars, boats, and aviation’, said AOPA-Italy Director Massimo Levi. “The government was trying to go after the private property of Italian citizens who they thought was registering aircraft abroad to avoid paying taxes.

‘‘The tax was a problem for pilots worldwide, not just Italians”, said Levi. “Just think: A Piper PA-28 Cherokee owner being charged with a new luxury tax of US $4,000, a Cessna 172 owner being charged US $3,700 or a Robinson 44 helicopter being charged US $8.000,” he observed. “It canceled in an instant all tourism and business. It also sent away all foreigners who were taking their aircraft, mostly helicopters, to Italy for maintenance operations.

“AOPA-Italy worked with a team to get this legislative change, including Italy’s president, the presidents of the country’s historical aircraft association and Aero Club, an Italian senator with contacts in the pilot community, and the National Business Aviation Association”, said Levi.

“I am happy that by working with those who want to protect general aviation in Italy, we were able to get the government to change its mind about imposing taxes that would have been detrimental to an industry that brings so much to our country,” said Levi.

COPA Works With Government on Wind Turbine Hazards

COPA President Kevin Psutka recently wrote an instructive letter to government officials warning of the potential safety impact wind turbines will have on aviation. Psutka advised COPA members to, “Read COPA’s letter and then contact your MPP and MP to get them involved in raising the profile of the impact of Wind Farms on aviation. Use the information provided in the letter and the position paper included with it but put into your own words what you feel is necessary to turn around this significant issue.

“Collingwood airport is just one example of the issue. With 7000 more turbines to be erected across Ontario, there are and will be other airports impacted by the lack of protection for aviation.”

Friedrichshafen AERO 2012 Show

IAOPA ICAO Representative Frank Hofmann attended the 20th AERO Frederichshafen show and exhibit in April and filed this report:

IAOPA joined AOPA-Germany at its exhibit, which provided an excellent opportunity to hear European members' concerns first hand. The preoccupation of membership appears to be with over-regulation and unnecessary requirements imposed on pilots and builders of aircraft. It is felt that the regulations are in fact impeding the development of safer aircraft. Many were upset with the actions and attitude of EASA toward maintenance and licensing issues. Evidence of the difficulty with the regulator is the fact that Cessna has not been able to certify its LSA Skycatcher in Europe and consequently did not display its aircraft at the show. Current certification costs even in higher volume production amount to some $ 100,000 per aircraft, pointing to the need for a more appropriate certification process for smaller aircraft. LAMA-Europe is driving for the European Light Aircraft, ELA, to be recognized, with rules which will permit less expensive certification processes. Two classifications are envisioned – one for aircraft under 1200 kg and another for aircraft under 2000 kg. IAOPA has challenged EASA representatives to demonstrate the safety case for its stringent certification rules.

However, LSA style aircraft appeared at the show in full force, having a full hangar of types displayed. Czech, Slovenian, Italian and German designs were prolific. A surprising number of gyrocopter models were displayed – an application of the LSA category. Clearly the cost of storage is a driving force for the popularity of these aircraft. As well a tiny two-seat helicopter was featured, drawing much attention.

Seminars dealt with electric powered aircraft, a possible new Instrument Rating for Europe and the contribution GA makes to more advanced aviation, among others. GAMA made a presentation highlighting the low delivery numbers and drastic decline in deliveries since 2007, both in number of aircraft as well as in numbers of pilots. Deliveries are now only one-third of 2007 levels; deliveries of Cessna’s Skycatcher have only been 20% of the orders Cessna had in hand.

At a seminar dealing with Unmanned Aerial Vehicle aircraft and it was stated that the community must work cooperatively with the Remotely Piloted Aircraft group. Presenters were reminded that IAOPA, although willing to cooperate with the RPA industry, insists that there be no reduction of airspace currently used by GA in order to make way for RPA and that the detect and avoid responsibility be placed on the RPAS and that no additional equipage be demanded of GA as a consequence to RPA operations.

The AERO show this year was a trade show in that there was no air show associated. Many visiting aircraft made it to the show due to relatively good weather - it appeared that all the parking spaces were taken and a nearby reliever airport apparently handled some 500 aircraft. Some aircraft were turned away from the airports due to congestion. Many of the visiting aircraft appeared to be higher performance types rather than LSA types.

General Aviation Airports: A National Asset

A recent FAA study documents an 18-month review of the nearly 3,000 US general aviation (GA) airports, heliports, and seaplane bases identified in the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS). This in-depth analysis highlights for the traveling public the pivotal role GA airports play in our society, economy, and the aviation system. The study also aligns the GA airports into four categories---national, regional, local, and basic---based on their existing activity levels. The new categories better capture their diverse functions and the economic contributions GA airports make to their communities and the nation.

This strategic tool will help the FAA, state aeronautical agencies, and airport sponsors make planning decisions. The FAA worked with aviation-industry stakeholders including state aeronautical agencies, aviation associations, aviation user groups, airport directors, airport authorities, airport planners, academia, other federal agencies, and local councils of government.

GA airports can serve many different functions and advance the public interest, ensuring that Americans nationwide have access to medical flights, search and rescue, disaster relief, aerial firefighting, law enforcement, community access, commercial and industrial activity, flight instruction, and air cargo.
The FAA will incorporate findings of the study into existing GA airport guidance. The United States has the largest and most diverse network of airports in the world and general aviation is a critical component. GA airports do more than relieve congestion at other airports, and in 2009 contributed $38.8 billion to the economy.

AOPA-US Media Guide Available Online

With the explosion of online and cable outlets and a constant 24/7 news cycle, the media are desperately seeking good news stories to fill available space and air time. General aviation is always an attractive target, especially when it comes to local airports.

So it should come as no surprise when a reporter comes to do stories on topics including pilot training, airspace restrictions, airport security, and accidents or incidents. These are topics that are especially interesting to reporters, but most of them do not have experience covering aviation as a regular beat.

If reporters approach you, it is important to understand how the media works. AOPA's recently updated eight-minute online course, Guide to Talking to Reporters, is designed to offer tips to pilots in case you ever have to deal with reporters' questions. Without proper preparation and word choice, your comments could be edited into a meaning you did not intend and, as a result, portray GA in a negative light.