By Jim Timm JimTimm

February 2016

The flying weather has been great, and I hope all of you have been able to get out there and enjoy it while we can. Also, while you’re out there aviating, there are a lot of flying events coming up on the calendar and it will be fun going to them.

More and more pilots are now flying with a primary flight display (PFD), a multi-function display (MFD), and GPS with a moving map display, and all of these should address many of the big problems pilots face and provide them with a wealth of information that should enhance safety. Moving maps make it almost impossible to get lost, these devices have databases that have more data available at a touch than you ever had in the biggest Jeppesen flight case, and more weather information available in an instant than ever before possible. With all of this wealth of information, one would think there would also be a great advancement in flight safety. With all this information available at our fingertips, and with an auto pilot to provide us with the time to gather and interpret all this information, one would think we would have to be safer, but the NTSB says this isn’t necessarily true. They claim that pilots flying with all of this hightech equipment are killing themselves at a rate almost twice that of pilots flying with “steam gauges.” Pilots flying high-tech airplanes with this equipment usually have more ratings, are instrument rated, and generally more experienced. So what is happening here? These technically advanced avionics are inherently more complicated, requiring more time to learn, and to remain proficient. With all the information made available, does it instill a level of over-confidence and trick pilots into making bad decisions, leading them into situations beyond their ability to cope? Maintaining a high level of flying currency is critical with high-tech equipment, and maintaining that necessary level can be very challenging. Could the training required when transitioning from “steam gauges” to “glass panel” cockpits be at fault? So, the bottom line is, where is that improved safety we were expecting? What is happening out there? As a parting shot, when everyone is ADS-B out equipped, and many with ADS-B in, providing traffic and weather info, is everybody going to be spending an inordinate amount of time with their head inside the cockpit and not looking outside to see where they are going and who else may also be close out there? Are we going to be looking at another high-tech safety issue a bit down the road, or will it pay off for us? I hope it will be safer. (More discussions regarding safety issues will be at our annual GAARMS safety event. See the article in this newsletter.)

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In a recent airspace meeting, the Air Force Safety Office reported that in the past few months there have been zero intrusions into the Goldwater Range restricted areas! This is the good news. The bad news is that the military and the Boeing Company reported a significant number of intrusions into the R-2310 restricted area located between Florence Junction and the town of Florence. We commented on this problem in the last newsletter and the problem is ongoing. Pilots have not only been wandering into it, but are intentionally flying across it. Be aware, there is a very significant amount of UAV pilot training occurring in this area and Boeing, Raytheon, and other companies are also using the restricted area for UAV flight testing. Some of these UAVs are rather large and may weigh several hundred pounds and hitting or being hit by one of these would be disastrous. We were also advised that some of these intrusions appeared to be made by agricultural aerial applicator aircraft. We were asked if anyone can get the word out to this user group to avoid entry into the R-2310 airspace which starts at ground level.

Be aware, in this same airspace meeting, many airports in the Phoenix area reported they have had occasional sightings of UAVs operating in their airspace. Please keep an eye out for them when flying at reduced altitudes in the Phoenix area.

Per the Scottsdale FSDO, there have been approximately twenty four (24) pilot deviations in the Phoenix Class Bravo airspace since the first of the year. How many were local pilots versus out of state transient pilots was not defined, nor was the seriousness of the deviations. When operating near/under the Bravo airspace, be careful and know where you are and where the boundaries of the Bravo are. You don’t need the deviation on your record and we don’t want an accident happening.

executive 2016 03 3Luke AFB will be having an open house on April 2-3, celebrating their 75th year of operation. Be aware there will be a TFR around the base for their air shows and there will also be TFRs in effect at times several days before the event allowing for air show practice time. The TFRs may have a radius of 5 mi. Tucson Davis Monthan is also having an air show March 12-13. Check for NOTAMS carefully a few days before the events.

By now I suspect everyone has heard the news, the fall Copperstate Fly In on October 28 - 29 will be at Falcon Field in Mesa and not in Casa Grande. The length of the event has been reduced to two days; however, the operation should be much the same as it was in Casa Grande. Instead of a large tent, they will be using one of the original WWll hangars for the vendor displays and shopping area.

Last year the FAA announced a plan to discontinue several ILS instrument approaches around the country, and four of them were here in Arizona. Based on the comments they received, the FAA announced Bisbee, Casa Grande, and the Grand Canyon ILS approaches will remain in service for now, and the Nogales ILS will be discontinued. These remaining procedures will again be reevaluated at a future date.

Be aware, there is still a significant amount of airport construction activity ongoing in the Phoenix and Tucson areas, and around the state. Be sure to check for NOTAMs before taking off for another airport so you don’t encounter a nasty surprise when you get there.

Unfortunately, the March accident reporting period was not a very good one to start the year off. From the first of the year to the end of this reporting period we have had four accidents reported. One report was devoid of accident details, and the other three did have preliminary reports issued. Of these three, one involved a minor injury and the other two, unfortunately, both involved fatalities. This is not the way we had wanted to start the year. I was hoping we could replicate the safety record we had last year. See my March Aviation Accident Summary for the details. Also, here is a link to a synopsis of the 2015 aviation accidents, with a comparison to the previous year.

The APA is still working with various airports around the state, providing the pilot and aircraft owner perspective in the process of updating their Airport Master Plans. An update of the Sedona Airport (SED), Deer Valley Airport (DVT), and Grand Canyon Airport (GCN) master plans are currently in process.

THINGS TO DO - PLACES TO GO FOR BREAKFAST:

  • The first Saturday of the month fly in breakfast is at Coolidge Municipal Airport (P08).
  • The second Saturday of the month, Ryan Field (RYN) fly in buffet breakfast should have restarted. However, breakfast is available at the restaurant next door.
  • The Falcon Field EAA Warbirds Squadron fly in breakfast and car show is on the third Saturday.
  • The third Saturday of the month there is a fly in breakfast at Benson (E95) at Southwest Aviation. (There are special fuel prices for breakfast attendees.)
  • Also on the third Saturday, around noon, a donation lunch is served by the APA at the USFS Grapevine Airstrip next to Roosevelt Lake.
  • The last Saturday of the month there is still a fly in breakfast at Casa Grande Municipal Airport (CGZ). The Airport’s restaurant, Foxtrot Cafe, operating in the Terminal Building, is open 6:30am to 2:00pm Monday thru Saturday. On the last Saturday of the month they have a “Fly in Breakfast Special” available on the menu; the price for adults is $7 and kids $5.

Check with the APA Getaway Flights program and the online calendar for fun weekend places to fly.

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thru this restricted area at any time. The restricted area isn’t very large, and I don’t think the UAV student pilots using the area are any better than our student pilots, and I would consider giving the area a wide berth. Be aware, and avoid a serious problem.

Be aware, there is going to be a significant amount of airport construction activity still going on in the Phoenix and Tucson areas, and around the state. Be sure to check for NOTAMs before taking off for another airport so you don’t encounter a nasty surprise when you get there. Also, be sure to add TFRs to your preflight checklist.

The past aviation accident reporting period was relatively good with only one accident being reported by the NTSB. The bad news, however, was that it did involve four serious injuries. Perhaps the efforts put forth by the Wings Safety Teams with all the safety briefings has begun to pay off. Based on the low accident/injury rate in 2015, I hope we can get the pilots in Arizona to continue this trend and have a safe flying year in 2016. For more details go to my February Aviation Accident Summary report. By next month, enough of the 2015 NTSB accident information should be available to permit preparation of an accurate year end summary and comparison to previous years.

APA is still working with various airports around the state, providing the pilot and aircraft owner perspective in the process of updating their Airport Master Plans. An update of the Sedona Airport (SED), Deer Valley Airport (DVT), and Grand Canyon Airport (GCN) master plans are currently in process.

THINGS TO DO - PLACES TO GO FOR BREAKFAST:

·The firstSaturdayof the month fly in breakfast is at Coolidge Municipal Airport (P08).

·The secondSaturdayof the month, Ryan Field (RYN) fly in buffet breakfast should have restarted. However, breakfast is available at the restaurant next door.

·The Falcon Field EAA Warbirds Squadron fly in breakfast and car show is on the thirdSaturday.

·The thirdSaturdayof the month there is a fly in breakfast at Benson (E95) at Southwest Aviation. (There are special fuel prices for breakfast attendees.)

·Also on the third Saturday, around noon, a donation lunch is served by the APA at the USFS Grapevine Airstrip over at Roosevelt Lake.

·The last Saturday of the month there is still a fly in breakfast at Casa Grande Municipal Airport (CGZ). The Airport’s restaurant, Foxtrot Cafe, operating in the Terminal Building, is open 6:30am to 2:00pmMondaythruSaturday. On the last Saturday of the month they have a “Fly in Breakfast Special” available on the menu; the price for adults is $7 and kids $5.

Check with the

APA Getaway Flights
program and online calendar

for fun weekend places to fly.

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