Parteibuch Aggregator Feed

AOPA News: 'Not sufficient data for an endangerment finding...'

AOPA News — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:00:00 +0000

A major benchmark in the avgas transition process occurred late in August, with the submission of formal comments to the EPA by the General Aviation Avgas Coalition. The key focus was on the need for a careful study of the issue.

AOPA News: Q&A on the future of avgas

AOPA News — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:00:00 +0000

Avgas represents one third of 1 percent of all gasoline sales in the United States. So why is the Environmental Protection Agency even bothering with 100LL lead emissions?

Who's who on avgas future: EPA and FAA

Who's who on avgas future — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:00:00 +0000

The Environmental Protection Agency's advance notice of proposed rulemaking on lead emissions from aviation fuel acknowledged the difficulties of a transition to an unleaded fuel, and that a joint EPA-FAA effort will be critical if engine modifications will need to be developed and certified.

AOPA News: AOPA's new information tool on fuel

AOPA News — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 19:55:25 +0000

For almost 20 years, AOPA and other general aviation associations have actively been involved in the issue of "un-leading" avgas. With a new "ePilot Special Report" series, AOPA is taking another step toward keeping you informed and involved in a process that will surely impact all our flying for years to come.

AOPA News: Obama calls for transportation infrastructure investment

AOPA News — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 20:00:00 +0000

AOPA welcomed President Barack Obama's announcement Sept. 6 that his administration will press for a major investment in the nation's transportation infrastructure, including at airports and in the Next Generation air transportation system NextGen .

Geek Pilot: Making the best of it

Geek Pilot — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:37:42 +0000

Haven’t flown yet. Sat airport reserve yesterday. Nothing. At the end of the shift the Captain also TDY from my base and I headed up to the city…after studying train routes.

We did alright. Saw quite a bit.

First stop was the American Museum of Natural History. Spent a good two hours there before heading to Ground Zero then Staten Island and finally Times Square. I ate Ray’s Pizza for dinner…which annoyed my wife. Years ago we were here with her entire family. She wanted Ray’s Pizza. It was her birthday. The rest of the family voted for Olive Garden thus we all ate at Olive Garden…..in Times Square…in New York. I did get her a souvenir menu though.

Today I was on a 2 hour call out. Nothing. Tomorrow will likely be the same. The next time I know I will fly? Friday night….when I commute home. Making the best of it. I will likely head back into the city again tomorrow.

[View with PicLens]

Geek Pilot: For Those About To Commute, I Salute You!

Geek Pilot — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 00:39:39 +0000

My first three days on TDY in the north east…no flying.

On Thursday I was on a call out till 7PM. With a 2 hour call out my “back of the napkin” math showed me being useless after 2PM. I played it safe and listed on a 5PM flight home. I was off Friday and Saturday.

The first flight was weight restricted by 10 seats. Sure enough I didn’t get on.

The next flight was also weight restricted. Initially they pulled 18 seats! Ugh. Not good. Already a fairly full flight. I saw an offline flight attendant also trying to get on. I told her about the weight restrictions. She was over course not happy. Thankfully as departure time approached they lifted some of the weight restriction and I got a seat. The Captain came up and told the gate agent that every standby is getting on and that the fuel on board was less than planned, but fine for the trip. Glad he did that as the flight attendant got on as well.

My wife picked me up at 9PM. Home by 10PM.

I spent Friday with my wife and newborn daughter. We ran errands and ate dinner with friends. When I got home I began planning my commute back.

I figured no one would be going to the New York area on Saturday morning. I was wrong. All flights full. Not good. I began looking at connecting in small cities. Most routings were full, but I could connect to a regional flight flown by my airline and get a jump seat. Sunday is a reserve day. No idea what time I would be needed.

Around 10 PM Friday night I gave up. I would just head to the airport and try to catch the 7AM direct flight hoping to get the jump seat. There are three airports I can fly into, EWR, JFK or LGA. All were full!

Since my wife picked me up on Thursday night, she would have to drop me off Saturday morning my car was still in the employee lot . She wasn’t really happy having to get up so early especially with my daughter waking up every 2-3 hours anyway.

She dropped me off and I headed to the gate. I was number 40 on the standby list. Another mainline pilot was already listed. Being a mainline flight he has priority over the jump seat.

At 6:55AM all seats assigned. A few standbys got on. Not me. The mainline pilot was assigned the jump seat. The agent closed the boarding door and headed to the plane. I headed to the next gate. Once I got there I looked back at the list for the 7AM flight.

Apparently there was an unassigned seat in the cabin as the mainline pilot was assigned a real seat. Ugh. I could have had the jump! Too late.

I am not a commuter. I’m not used to the stress.

My next plan was to connect in a smaller city. I listed and was number 11. Ten seats open. I then looked at the next direct to flight to the New York area. No pilots listed. Still oversold. I flipped a coin….ready to try another direct.

Five minutes prior to push I was given the cockpit jump seat. Worst seat in the house, but I was going.

Being full I had to check my carry on. No big deal as it’s easier than hunting for overhead bin space.

The mainline crew was nice. I took my seat…took me a second to remember how the jump seat worked.

Once in base I headed back to the hotel. It was only noon. Waste of a day. I was happy to be home with my wife and kid. Commuting sucks. Especially on reserve. I have 11 days off a month. If I were based here I could easily see having to commute on at least 3 days off a month, likely 4 bringing my true days “off” down to 7. Ouch.

Commuters….once again you have my respect.

Tomorrow morning I have airport reserve starting at 5:30AM. First departure isn’t until 8AM. Nice!

AOPA News: New Mexico honors aviation

AOPA News — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:00:00 +0000

New Mexico relies on GA for businesses, tourism, aviation training, agricultural applications, and police and fire protection. Gov. Bill Richardson recognized the importance of aviation to his state by proclaiming September 2010 "Aviation and Aerospace Appreciation Month."

AOPA News: GA event brings pilots, members of Congress together

AOPA News — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:00:00 +0000

Oklahoma pilots talked about user fees, avgas, and more with AOPA President Craig Fuller and AOPA member U.S. Sen. James Inhofe during an Aug. 18 General Aviation Serves America community event at Wiley Post Airport in Oklahoma City.

AOPA News: Pilots share thoughts, concerns with senator

AOPA News — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:00:00 +0000

Why is general aviation important to you? An audience of 130 Denver-area pilots and aviation enthusiasts had an opportunity to share their answers with their senator Aug. 30 at a GA Serves America community event at Centennial Airport.

AOPA News: Kansas aviation brings $10 billion in economic activity

AOPA News — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:52:04 +0000

Aviation in Kansas has an ally in its state legislature; elected officials are working together to ensure that Kansas aviation stays strong. A bipartisan coalition awarded airports 25 grants, totaling $1.3 million, to focus on airport development, airport and pilot safety, and airport maintenance.

Geek Pilot: The Northeast!

Geek Pilot — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 01:23:40 +0000

For the first time ever…I will say where I am….kinda. I’m based in the New York area for part of this month. Vague..yes…but less vague than normal. Three airports to pick from EWR, JFK, and LGA.

My airline has a temporary increase in flying in this base and needs a little extra help.

Today is day 2 of my TDY Temporary Displacement or Temporary Duty…eh . I was on a 2 hour call out. Never was called.

Due to the US Open being in town, hotels around the entire area are full. My airline kinda dropped the ball on booking the rooms forcing me to stay in a backup…backup hotel last night. Truly the worst hotel I have ever stayed in. I mentioned the hotel to a friend of mine at another airline and he agreed…as it’s his airlines’ NORMAL hotel. Ouch.

This morning I checked out of the old hotel, took a van to the airport, had lunch, watched the Apple press event on my Ipad, then took a van to the new….much nicer hotel.

That’s it. Well I did walk a good distance to a store to buy food. The hotel food, even with the employee discount, is crazy expensive. I did eat lunch…a $20 cheese burger and coke.

Tomorrow I am on a 2 hour call out from 4AM to 7PM. In reality if I am not called by 3PM…I’m good to go…and go I will…home.

I am going to non-rev home tomorrow night as I am off Friday and Saturday. I plan on coming back Saturday night. That all depends on the hurricane though. If I think it’s going to affect the NY area I will come home Friday.

AOPA News: Calif. legislature sends flight school reg delay to governor

AOPA News — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:30:00 +0000

The California Assembly overwhelmingly passed legislation Aug. 31 that would impose a moratorium on costly new flight training regulations in the state. The Senate had already adopted the bill, which now goes to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

AOPA News: Land-use measure passes California legislature

AOPA News — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:30:00 +0000

California public-use airports would be assured the protection of an airport land-use commission under a bill passed by the state Assembly Aug. 30.

Geek Pilot: Vacation is over….no doubt about it

Geek Pilot — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:18:26 +0000

My vacation was great. My daughter completed her first 3000 mile non-rev experience perfectly. Didn’t cry for more than 7 seconds TOTAL. Just say back and took it all in. She was born to fly!

I am currently sitting in a room…a hotel room…although that’s giving it a lot of credit. Hands down the worst hotel I’ve ever stayed in.

I arrived from my vacation last night at 9PM. Getting from the airport to my house is normally a 30 minute affair for my wife and I. Now that we are 3…took longer…..twice as long.

After getting my daughter squared away I had to repack my suitcase. Yadda, yadda, yadda I was in bed at 11PM. Fell asleep around 11:30PM.

My sleep was stopped at 4:15AM. For reasons that made no sense, scheduling put me on the first flight out this morning knowing full well I would not be used for any additional flying. I left home at 4:30AM, parked my car at 4:55AM, and boarded my deadhead at 5:30AM.

Once I arrived at my temporary base the crap started. I had been previously sent an email stating I would be staying 1 night at the on airport hotel and the remaining nights at a much nicer hotel. Fine.

I called scheduling before I left this morning and was told something different, I would be staying at the nicer hotel the entire time.

After arriving in the new base at 10AM local , I called the nicer hotel and was told they couldn’t accommodate me until tomorrow. Ugh. Over the next HOUR I called the airport hotel and scheduling trying to figure out where I was staying. Once I arrived at the airport hotel they had no reservation for me. Turns out the scheduler put all the rooms in HIS name ?!??!?!!? It was now 11:45AM. Another First Officer from my base walked in. He was on a later flight and arrived as I had figured everything out. Off to lunch.

The other First Officer I only knew by his last name and his face every now and then. We ate lunch after walking for a mile as there is no reasonably priced food any closer then headed back.

As luck would have it I am more senior here overall, but at the bottom of the list due to the TDY rules. Since it was my choice to bid a TDY I am the bottom guy after everyone else. Oh well. I work the next two days then am off for two days. Should be able to go home for at least one night, maybe two.

Vacation is over. It was great spending time with my wife, daughter and in laws.

ethan: Dance Dance Revolution

ethan — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:50:45 +0000

We’re rolling back from the gate in Huntsville, Alabama. In the back, all 14 of our passengers are pretending to listen to the Flight Attendant’s safety demo. Overhead the first raindrops are starting to fall from a leaden sky. We are two thirds of the way done with a six leg day and as the daylight begins to fades I can feel the tiredness start to creep in. For the last hour the FO and I have been telling each other that once we get to Huntsville it’s just a short hop back to Charlotte and then a quick jump to Newport News and the end of the day.

Outside in the humid Alabama air our ramp crew looks like they are having a blast. I can see the tug driver shaking his head and smiling as he watches one of the other rampers do a theatrical jog to keep up with the airplane as we push back. Not satisfied with the jog he begins skipping next to the nose of the plane, his head bouncing up and down outside my window. The tug driver now starts laughing out loud and I get slightly concerned if he’ll be able to stop us smoothly or not. I have no need to worry though as he brings the airplane to a halt and between laughs tells me to set the parking break.

I give the ok to start the engines and while the crew outside disconnects the tow bar the FO spins up both engines and we run the associated checklists. As the tug pulls backwards from the plane towards the gates I check the travel on the rudder and flip on the hydraulics for the nose wheel steering. With everything working as it should I release the parking brake but before I can add power and turn out towards the runway I notice that two of the rampers are having a dance off as they head to the gate with the tug. Realizing we still have 15 minutes until our Air Traffic Control release time I reset the parking brake and we watch.

The skipping ramper starts things off with the classic Running Man. The other ramper quickly responds with a weak Lawn Mower. Even from 100 feet away, through the increasing rain I can see the first ramper shaking his head in mock disgust. Apparently he thinks the Lawn Mower is part of amateur hour. He then ups the ante by busting out the Sprinkler. The dance move challenged ramper gives it another try with the Mail Man straight into a duck walk but the other ramp just turns his back still shaking his head in disgust, although as he turns around I can see he’s actually laughing. My FO and I are also laughing hysterically at the show going on and I wonder for a second if our passengers in the back can hear us and are wondering what is going on.

They finish up the dance off with a combination of moves that carry names I have no idea what are. I think I spot some moon walking and a bit of the cabbage patch but I’m not really sure. My FO, who actually grew up during the disco days of the 1970s can’t place them either. As they finish up the contest, they solemnly bow to each other and I wish I had a horn on the plane. Instead I release the parking brake and rev the engines in appreciation while turning the aircraft tiller to the left. We start a slow taxi out towards the runway as the rain starts to come down in earnest.

AOPA News: Aircraft financing program offers new lower rates

AOPA News — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:30:00 +0000

The AOPA Aircraft Financing Program's goal is to get pilots into the aircraft of their dreams. To help make aircraft ownership more attainable, the program just lowered its rates to make monthly payments more affordable.

AOPA News: Avgas endangerment finding not ready for prime time

AOPA News — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 18:16:46 +0000

There is not enough data nor is there a requirement for the Environmental Protection Agency to find that avgas represents an “endangerment” under the Clean Air Act, and careful study is needed before any decision about an alternative to leaded fuel can be reached, a coalition of industry groups told the agency in formal comments submitted Aug. 27.

AOPA News: California flight school reg. delay clears Senate

AOPA News — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 02:06:02 +0000

A bill that would delay the implementation of costly new requirements for flight schools in California passed the state Senate Aug. 24.

AOPA News: FAA re-registration process needs your full attention

AOPA News — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 02:06:01 +0000

For the first time in its history, the FAA is requiring that all aircraft be re-registered. To get started, review your aircraft registration card and see in which month your aircraft was originally registered.

ethan: Golfing

ethan — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:18:47 +0000

I’m in a somewhat familiar position, sitting in the left seat, with my FO to my right, my left hand lightly gripping the wheel while we navigate our way across the Charlotte Express ramp with our bags stowed somewhere behind us. However, the wind blasting my face and the fact that I am using my foot on a gas pedal to make us go faster is a pretty good indication things aren’t as they normally are. A stray pushback tug looms out of the darkness ahead, illuminated by our one weak headlight and the full moon that is filtering through the broken cloud layer above. I turn the wheel to the left and our speeding golf cart loops around the tug. That’s right. Golf cart. I glance over at my FO and shake my head and wonder briefly how we ended up driving around the deserted Charlotte ramp at 2 in the morning in a golf cart.

4 hours ago

The Charlotte Airport is a zoo. I try to find a quiet spot behind the gate podium and stay out of the way. The last bank of the night is getting ready to leave and people are everywhere. I’m starting a modified high speed which is basically a trip where you fly out the last flight of the night and then fly the first flight back in the morning, ended up with somewhere between 2 and 6 hours of time at a hotel in between. The downside is you get very little if any sleep during the trip. The upside is that you don’t start your day until after 9 at night are done with your day by 7 or so in the morning. Despite the beating your body takes while flying them, high speeds are popular among a lot of crews and tend to go pretty senior in a bid.

My high speed is actually made up of three legs instead of two. I start the trip with a deadhead up to Akron where there is a plane that needs to be shuttled back down to Charlotte. Once in Charlotte I will go into the “rest” period of my high speed before heading back to the airport at 6:30 in the morning to deadhead back to Dayton and be done for the day. Of course I don’t really plan on going back to Dayton but rather head home on the first flight west in the morning. That’s the plan anyway.

The crew for the flight to Akron finally shows up and after they get the plane ready we start to board. 20 minutes later we are taxiing out to join the line for takeoff. 10 minutes after that the wheels are up and my eyes close as the plane picks up speed heading northward.

2 hours ago

I’m sitting in the left seat of the plane that brought us up to Akron while my FO organizes our bags in the galley. Outside two mechanics have the plane hooked up to a tug and are pushing us back across a rain streaked ramp towards the hangar where our plane is waiting. I’m “brake riding” for the mechanics which sounds way more glamorous than it really is. We are secured to the tug which is more than capable of stopping the plane’s momentum when they get to the hangar, however, just to be safe and just in case the tow bar gets disconnected somebody has to keep their feet on the aircraft’s brake pedals. Through the rain I see the lead mechanic make a kill it gesture and after warning the FO it’s about to get dark I reach up and flip off the auxiliary power unit which is providing power to the aircraft. The lights fade and then turn to darkness as the generator spins down. I flip the last several switches by feel and as the plane goes cold the tug rolls us back into the hangar, joining the three other airplanes already in for the night.

Once secured there the FO pops the door and we drag our bags back out into the rain to the plane we will be taking back to Charlotte. The thoughtful mechanics have powered it up for us and the cabin lighting looks inviting through the midnight rain drops. Once on board I start checking the systems and setting up for the flight south while the FO plunges back into the rain to do a walk around. By the time he’s back on board after pulling the chalks I give the ok to shut the door and we settle down to setting up the flight. It ends up being my leg and after running a few checklists I brief the departure and spin up both engines. A remarkably upbeat for the hour ground controller clears us to taxi and I pop the brake and start towards the runway.

Halfway there we are cleared for takeoff and we run the final checklist just short of the runway. Everything completed, I roll onto the runway, push up the power and start splitting my attention between the increasing airspeed indications and the rapidly blurring runway which is passing by through the rain splattered windshield. The correct speed comes and goes and I rotate the nose skyward into heavily laden rain clouds. The tower controller clears us to 15000 feet and tells us to turn to the south towards Parkersburg, West Virginia and then hands us off to Cleveland Center.

In the clouds the ride gets bumpy but with no passengers in the back I’m not overly concerned and roll to the right to turn south. The radar isn’t painting anything so I let the speed build up in the climb. At 8000 feet we pop out of the top of the clouds into an arctic looking landscape. The moon is full and directly overhead, illuminating the cloud tops like an ice field. Out to the distance in the east a few thunderheads rear up over the landscape, sullenly flickering in the moonlight. Our route to the south looks clear and through 10,000 feet I pitch the nose over and let the speed build up to 310 knots. It’s 1 in the morning and there is another airplane within 100 miles of us.

30 Minutes ago

Charlotte is reporting a broken clouds layer at 5000 feet good visibility so we set up for a visual approach as we descend back towards the dark earth. Dropping through the clouds we find ourselves at 4000 feet with nothing visible below us. So much for the weather report I think. While my FO lets the approach controller know that we will need vectors to an instrument approach I pull the approach plate out of my book and start resetting data for an instrument arrival. Approach Control spins us around to the localizer and I dump the autopilot to increase the rate of the turn. Things work out just fine and we end up riding down a radio beam in the sky towards a runway somewhere in the darkness ahead of us. The clouds break up at 2000 feet and the runway appears where it is supposed to be.

With no passengers or bags on board we are very light and I misjudge my flare and end up thumping down on the runway. Only the FO and my pride are there to judge it so I don’t worry too much. We clear downfield and taxi in towards parking. Ramp Control has long since gone home for the night so I call up Company on the radio and ask where they want me to park the plane. After a bit of discussion they tell us to put it in remote parking which is fine with me as that way we don’t need somebody to wand us in like we would if we were parking at a gate. At this hour of the night finding somebody to do that could take a while as all of the rampers are long gone for the night.

I roll to a stop on the deserted ramp and shut down. While my FO starts to put stuff away I jump out and find some chalks lying nearby to secure the wheels. That accomplished I shut down the plane and start bring my bag down the stairs. While waiting on the FO to finish his walk around a pickup truck pulls up with an operations supervisor. She says she’d offer us a ride back to the terminal but only has one seat in her truck. While she’s explaining this another ops person pulls up in a golf cart and she immediately offers us the golf cart and says she’ll catch a ride in the truck after cleaning the plane. I look across the ramp to the terminal and then think about the long walk through the terminal and immediately take her up on the offer. My FO and I throw our bags in the back of the cart and after reminding myself how to drive a golf cart I worked at a driving range years ago we take off across the ramp.

Now

The ramp is silent other than the quiet rumble of our little golf cart motor. I drive around the end of the express terminal and turn towards gate E1, the closest gate to the main terminal and our eventual exit from the airport. We pass underneath tails of darkened airplanes and around rows of empty baggage carts. The lighted jetways pass by in the darkness, looming like something out of Star Wars. I pull in next to gate E1 and turn off the cart. Our single headlight fades away while somewhere above the clouds a full moon continues to shine down.

AOPA News: Card access is last hurdle for GA at new Florida airport

AOPA News — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:30:00 +0000

The only remaining delay before Panama City, Fla., pilots can move into general aviation facilities at the new Northwest Florida-Panama City Airport is installation of the card access reader for the GA hangar areas, airport officials told AOPA Vice President of Airport Advocacy Bill Dunn during meetings Aug. 18 and 19.

AOPA News: Proposed Detroit Class B expansion unjustified

AOPA News — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:30:00 +0000

The FAA's proposal to increase the Detroit Class B airspace ceiling to 10,000 feet msl and expand much of the airspace from 25 nautical miles to 30 nm lacks justification, AOPA wrote in formal comments Aug. 23.

AOPA News: AOPA advocates for continued seaplane access to Ross Lake

AOPA News — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:30:00 +0000

Limiting seaplane access to the northern and southern edges of Ross Lake in northern Washington is too restrictive, AOPA wrote in formal comments to the National Park Service.

AOPA News: AOPA addresses pilot questions in CA events

AOPA News — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:30:00 +0000

Pilots in southern California had the opportunity Aug. 20 and 21 to find out more about what AOPA is doing to work on general aviation issues that matter to them - including the effects of costly flight school regulations, the transition to an unleaded avgas, and a potential airspace redesign that could restrict GA operations in the Los Angeles basin.