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It is getting hotter and my patience is growing shorter with this whole pandemic situation, especially with the video conference and teleconference meetings. I hope someone comes up with something soon, so we can get back closer to what was normal. The present virus situation has resulted in some rather interesting occurrences. I recently saw an article explaining that the Boeing 737 is often the most common aircraft in the air at any given moment, but given the present situation, the Mighty Cessna Skyhawks have often had them outnumbered! According to a manager of FlightAware’s custom data and rapid reports, which is a constantly updated list of flight activity around the world, in the morning hours on the east coast, the Boeing 737, the most common transport, will outnumber the Cessna 172’s. However, after approximately 10 am Eastern time, the Skyhawks often get the upper hand and generally keep it. At a point on a May morning, there were 593 Boeing 737’s in the air and 440 Cessna 172’s. A bit later in the day, FlightAware was tracking 507 C172’s with just 271 B737’s in the air. While the numbers will change a bit from day to day, this anomaly continues because the pandemic has crushed the demand for air travel to an unprecedented degree as indicated by these numbers. We can be assured that the Skyhawk’s king-of-the-air status will change as commercial aviation bounces back from this present decline.

executive director report 2020 july cessna skyhawk

I’m unaware of any reason for general aviation flight activity to have declined here in Arizona because of the virus pandemic, except perhaps that of flight training. The FAA has mandated that any airport receiving federal grants must remain open unless they have specific FAA approval to close. I’m unaware of any airports in the state that have been closed. Some terminal buildings, administrative offices, and FBO’s may be closed, so check NOTAMS and airport services before you depart. The present “stay at home” mandates should not be preventing you from flying, so don’t let your flying skills deteriorate. Get out and go fly!

If you think the coronavirus is, or will impact your flying activities, I guess you need to be thankful we don’t have a privatized air traffic control system like they do in Canada. I just found out that the virus pandemic may hit some of the Canadian airspace users bottom line, as Nav Canada, the not for profit corporation that runs their air traffic services, is proposing fee hikes of 29.5% for commercial operations. Fortunately, at this time, the flat fee of $68.40 per year for recreational and aerial applicator aircraft apparently may remain unchanged. Fees charged for other services however are going to be adjusted. Nav Canada recently has been encountering huge losses of income because of the extremely drastic drop in the number of commercial air traffic operations. They have explored all available alternatives, including government assistance to minimize or avoid the proposed rate increases, with little success. What is happening in Canada should be a good teaching moment for proponents of a privatized air traffic services system for the US. This ATC privatization issue came up again about two years ago, and fortunately we were able to beat it down. This fee increase proposal in Canada should remind us all what could happen here in the United States if we had privatization of our ATC system, so let’s all keep all this in mind when the issue comes up again.

 

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

 

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FAA

The FAA issued a special federal aviation regulation (SFAR) that provides blanket extensions of medical certificates and airman knowledge tests that would have expired in March and May, moved the certificate extension until June 30 for all pilots regardless of the type of their flying. The SFAR also provides flight review and instrument currency extensions under very limited circumstances to get pilots back in the air to support the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. The latest comment I have heard is that there is talk underway for a further extension of the SFAR beyond the end of June.

Be wary when flying into a controlled airport because some towers may have recently had to adjust their hours of operation. They may be having to operate on a reduced staff because some of the staff may have tested positive for COVID-19. Falcon Field (FFZ) announced they have had to reduce their operating hours to 6:00am to 3:45pm. These hours are expected to last through at least July 3. Again, check airport NOTAMS before departure to determine if your arrival airport has adjusted their tower operating hours.

 

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AIRSPACE

There have been a few video conference and teleconference meetings happening, but I’m unaware of any airspace issues that have come up that require action or attention on our part. There is one item, however, that you may want to be aware of if you fly in or around Chino Airport (CNO) in southern California. Chino is a very popular warbird hangout, and apparently pilots departing CNO are, on occasion, inadvertently flying into the nearby Ontario Airport (ONT) Class C airspace unannounced. This Letter To Airmen (https://cms.sbcounty.gov/airports/Airports/Chino.aspx) has been released to address the issue. Take a look if you plan on flying in that area.

 

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SAFETY

Lately, the NTSB aviation safety information seems to have been unusually meager, and as a result, actual aviation safety may perhaps be somewhat of an unknown. In any event, June 9 was really a very dark day for experimental aircraft. At about 8:00 am an RV-4 crashed approaching Safford airport to land, and at about 8:00 pm (same day) a Zodiac CH601 HDS crashed near Ak Chin airport. The pilots were fatally injured and the airplanes destroyed in both cases. There were five accidents that we are aware of that occurred in this reporting period, and fortunately the other three accidents didn’t involve serious injuries, but they should not have happened. Please be a little more careful out there!

See my July Accident Summary for this month’s details. 

 

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CONSTRUCTION

Your Aviation Tax Dollars at Work. The town of Payson had submitted to the FAA a request for the usual 80% matching funds for an improvement project, but the FAA responded by coming back with a $1 million grant for the project. The grant will be for lighted signage for ramps, fuel, and taxiways, the installation of LED taxiway lighting, installation of a PAPI system for runway 6, and REIL’s on runways 6 and 24. The construction is planned to start in September and should be completed by October. Be sure to check NOTAM’s for Payson Airport (PAN) to stay current with construction and possible closures.

The newly rebuilt Runway 5-23 at Coolidge Airport (P08) is now open. It’s approximately 6,000 feet long by 200 feet wide, with overruns and wide shoulders. It's very impressive, and it’s almost like landing on Sky Harbor without the airliners. Initially there may be a few very short term closures for minor adjustments, so always check NOTAMS before departure. Runway 17-35 is open for use; however, 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, so please be safe. 

For that matter, always check for NOTAMS at any intended airport to be used. There is a lot of construction going on, and this is especially true for Gateway Airport (IWA). One of their upcoming improvements will be the elimination of a “Hot Spot” on taxiway Victor, near the tower. The intersection of taxiways is being modified to simplify the flow of ground traffic.

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There are still many airports around the state having construction projects in process or planned to start. Unfortunately we don’t have the latest details on all these projects that are coming up, but at the moment, the only advice we can offer is to check for NOTAMs at your destination airport, and when you get there, always use extra caution. Always fly informed.

As you are aware, APA is still 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. 

 

executive director report 2020 july take away only please call

THINGS TO DO - PLACES TO FLY FOR BREAKFAST:

Because of the present virus pandemic, many of the airport restaurants have take-out service available. Call ahead.

  • The fly in breakfast at Coolidge Municipal Airport (P08), normally on the first Saturday of the month, has stopped for the summer. The next Fly In Breakfast season is being scheduled to restart October 3, 2020.
  • The Falcon Field EAA Warbirds Squadron fly in breakfast, and car show is normally on the third Saturday of the month. The breakfast has stopped for the summer and will resume in October. 
  • Please note, the Tonto National Forest is closed due to extreme fire conditions! This includes the Grapevine (88AZ), Red Creek, and Pleasant Valley (24AZ) airstrips. Watch for re-opening dates, and help us get this word out!
  • The last Saturday of the month there was a fly in breakfast at Casa Grande Municipal Airport (CGZ). Due to the Coronavirus crises, only take out is now available. Hours are 7:00 am to 2:00 pm


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

 

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