I hope everyone has been able to do a little flying in spite of what has been happening around us. The Governor hadn’t closed down GA airports as of the writing of this, so hopefully you can go to the airport and go flying for a while. Practice some of the pilot training exercises to sharpen up the coordination skills and make a bunch of touch-and-go landings to keep the skills up. We all need to keep flying because maintaining the FAA minimum currency requirements are not conducive to assuring that you are a safe pilot. Only getting out there and flying will do that. Besides it will take your mind off some of the other issues that presently surround us. It will be fun, believe me.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
FAA
Notice Number: NOTC0006 Wrong Surfaces and You
A wrong surface event occurs when an aircraft lands or departs, or tries to land or depart, on the wrong runway or on a taxiway. It also occurs when an aircraft lands or tries to land at the wrong airport. In 2019, there were 480 wrong surface events, and over 80 percent of those involved general aviation pilots. To reduce this risk, consider these best practices when flying.
- Verify correct runway alignment, like magnetic compass orientation, referencing instrument approach courses, etc.
- Be wary of over reliance on technology. Electronic Flight Bags and moving map displays are intended to increase pilot situational awareness and safety. Don’t let them become a distraction.
- Make a safety check on short final to verify you have the correct runway, and no vehicles or airplanes are present on the landing surface.
- Develop a go-around policy for when there is any doubt of making a safe landing on the correct surface.
The 42nd Annual General Aviation (GA) and Part 135 Activity Survey is in process. This voluntary survey was distributed by mail to a representative sample of GA, and on-demand Part 135 owners, and operators requesting completion of the survey online or by mail. The survey will help the FAA estimate the size, primary use, and flight hours of the 2019 GA and Part 135 fleet. If you received a questionnaire and haven’t completed it yet, please do it now.
The FAA recently published Advisory Circular (AC) 61-142 to provide clarity regarding existing requirements for sharing flight expenses with passengers. This AC discusses the expense-sharing exception contained in 14 CFR section 61.113(c), which permits a pilot to share the operating expenses of a flight with passengers provided the pilot pays at least his or her pro rata share of the operating expenses of that flight. Those operating expenses are limited to fuel, oil, airport expenditures, or rental fees, and it specifies that private pilots who wish to share expenses may not “hold out” to the public as willing to offer transportation services through a website or app without an operator’s certificate. That guidance comes at the behest of Congress, which had asked the FAA to clarify regulations governing expense-sharing flights.
At the end of last year, the FAA also published its latest revision to Advisory Circular (AC) 90-114 (Revision B), Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Operations, which provides comprehensive guidance on ADS-B operations in the National Airspace System (NAS) in accordance with ADS-B regulations (14 CFR sections 91.225 and 91.227). Of note in this revision is the clarification of certain operational policies like aircraft that are exempt from 91.225 (Section 3.2), ADS-B Out operations during formation flying activities (Section 4.3.1) and during aerobatic flight (Section 4.3.2.6.2), and inoperative ADS-B procedures (Section 4.3.4.2). The AC also provides a helpful overview of the ADS-B system architecture, the various forms of available equipment, broadcast services available to ADS-B users and operational considerations with regard to equipment performance requirements and airspace restrictions. To access AC 90-114B, go to https://go.usa.gov/xd375.
AIRSPACE
At the beginning of March, I began to get notices that meetings were being cancelled because of concerns over the Coronavirus. As a result, all meetings for the month ended up getting cancelled, and I am unaware of any current or upcoming significant airspace issues. However, there is an airspace issue that I don’t understand, and that is the continuing GPS testing that is occurring in the area and its impact on the operation of ADS-B systems. Testing was scheduled at Fort Huachuca, White Sands, NM and Fort Irwin, CA this past reporting period, and all of these test sites would impact operations in Arizona. My question: is this testing going to be a continuing thing for the foreseeable future, or is there an end in sight?
SAFETY
Aviation safety in this past reporting period was very good in that we did not have any accidents reported by the NTSB, and we didn’t hear of any through the media or other contacts that we have. The NTSB did release three accident reports in this period that had been on hold, and they are covered in this month’s report. See my April Accident Summary for details.
CONSTRUCTION
Coolidge Municipal Airport (P08) still has runway 5-23 closed for rebuilding, and it’s still scheduled to reopen May 22. Runway 17-35 is open for use. Use extreme caution in using runway 17- 35 because of skydive operations on the south side of the airport. Please keep the approach legs of the RWY 35 pattern short! This could be a challenge for some pilots, but be safe. Be sure to check NOTAM’s for changes.
There are still many airports around the state having construction projects in process or planned to start. Unfortunately we don’t have all the latest details of what projects are coming up, but at the moment, the best advice we can offer is to check for NOTAMs at your destination airport, and when you get there, use extra caution. We don’t want to have your flight end up in the monthly Aviation Accident Summary. Do Fly safe.
As you are aware, APA is working with several airports around the state to update their Airport Master Plans, providing the pilot and aircraft owner’s perspective in the process. Chandler Municipal Airport (CHD), Kingman Municipal Airport (IGM), Page Municipal Airport (PGA), Lake Havasu City Municipal Airport (HII), Superior Municipal Airport (E81), Sedona Airport (SEZ), Flagstaff (FLG), Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport (IFP), and Grand Canyon Airport (GCN) are currently in their Master Plan update process.
THINGS TO DO - PLACES TO FLY FOR BREAKFAST:
- The fly in breakfast at Coolidge Municipal Airport (P08), normally on the first Saturday of the month, is closed due to the Coronavirus crises, and the event is on indefinite hold.
- The Falcon Field EAA Warbirds Squadron fly in breakfast, and car show was on the third Saturday of the month. Due to the Coronavirus crises the event is on indefinite hold.
- The third weekend of the month APA has a camping weekend at Grapevine Airstrip. Potlucks and group meals are no longer served on these weekends. You are welcome to visit Grapevine anytime.
- On the third Saturday, the fly in breakfast at Benson (E95) at Southwest Aviation is on a quarterly basis. Check the calendar for updates to see if it is or will be cancelled.
- The last Saturday of the month there was a fly in breakfast at Casa Grande Municipal Airport (CGZ). Due to the Coronavirus crises the restaurant is closed, and the event is on indefinite hold.
- At Tucson’s Ryan Field Airport, Richie’s Cafe is closed due to the Coronavirus crises and is on indefinite hold.
Check with the APA Getaway Flights program and online calendar for fun weekend places to fly.
Be sure to check with individual restaurants, airports and event organizers for timely updates as many are operating with unusual hours, cancellations and/or postponements.