The weather has been a bit unusual during the last part of March. One Saturday the weather here in Phoenix was not too bad, but south of us it was foggy and the freezing level was on the ground, and we ended up going to IHOP, but generally the flying has been great. With the sometimes high overcast, you can fly most anytime and get a smooth ride. The only problem that I have run into are the small bugs. Either I’m flying too low or some of these little fellas are turbo charged and are flying higher. Towards the end of a flight, it gets a bit difficult picking out traffic from the bugs on the windshield, and then the clean-up after you land.  Anyhow, it’s all part of the fun I guess. So let’s go flying!

I guess I do owe some of you an apology. In the last newsletter I was discussing how to contact the Aeronautics Division at ADOT, and I mistyped their e-mail address. To contact the aircraft registration department at ADOT use the e-mail address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

FAA

Fortunately, everything has been rather quiet from the FAA as far as general aviation is concerned. I have not been made aware of anything from the FAA as far as changes or proposed changes that would impact us in the general aviation community. I hope this continues for a while. It would be good to hear something from the FAA concerning the MOASIC issue at the EAA Oshkosh event. However, I realize that would be expecting too much, knowing how slowly the FAA moves.

 AIRSPACE

I was certain everyone was aware that there were TFR’s over all the Phoenix area the end of last month because President Biden was in town. Well, apparently there was one person who wasn’t aware, because I had heard that there was a small general aviation airplane spotted in one of the TFRs. While the President was here, apparently the Air Force had jet fighters loitering high over the TFRs, and apparently one was directed to intercept the intruder and escort them to an airport for a landing. Something I don’t understand is that the fighter couldn’t find the intruder. I had heard this reported over a newscast, and I never heard anything more about the incident. I can’t imagine the fighter not being vectored directly to the intruder if there was one. I guess we may never know if anything happened.

Because of the increased parachute drop activity, check NOTAMS along your proposed flight route, and monitor enroute facility frequencies for parachute activity.

SAFETY

In this past reporting period, aviation safety has once again not been very good because of the rather large number of accidents and incidents reported. The really bad news is that there was an accident at Gila Bend that resulted in one fatality and one very serious injury. The airplane was a twin engine ultralight trike. There was no information available as to how or why the accident happened. The good news was that in the rest of the reports we had received, no one had gotten hurt. 

For the details of the accidents/incidents in this past February - March reporting period see my Accident/Incident Summary Report located elsewhere in this newsletter. Please fly safely.

Members, please continue to send accident information to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the date, location, aircraft make, if anyone got hurt, and with as much detail as possible. Thank you.

It was also unfortunate that in this past reporting period the FAA reported three Near Mid Air Collisions (NMAC).

The first one was a single place light sport experimental airplane that entered the traffic pattern at Coolidge airport from the opposite direction of other traffic and missed another aircraft in the pattern by about 50 feet.

The second one reported was between a Cessna and a Piper in the pattern at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway airport. The Piper was instructed to follow the Cessna, but the Piper turned prematurely and headed directly at the Cessna resulting in a near miss.

The last NMAC occurred when a Cessna entered the Mesa Falcon Field Class Delta Airspace without first establishing two-way radio communications and conflicted with the local traffic. 

The number of pilot deviations were up in this last reporting period. These deviations were committed by pilots with pilot certificates ranging from Student Pilot through ATP, and apparently there were some out of state pilots that also committed some of these deviations. Some of the deviations were serious enough to warrant the issuance of a Brasher notice to the pilot. Perhaps in some of these cases the pilot could have been distracted, but in any case, the pilot was evidently unaware of what type of airspace they were flying in or were about to enter, and what was expected of them. Pilots always need to listen very carefully to ATC instructions and follow them, and if they can’t comply, immediately tell the controller why they can’t. When flying in controlled airspace, pilots need to be aware that they should never be creative, but first advise ATC before they do anything that may differ from the instructions given. When on the ground, pay attention to airport signs and runway markings, know what they mean, and comply with them. Always fly with forethought and caution.

In summary, the general aviation deviations this reporting period are as follows:

For all the details of these deviations see my Pilot Deviations Report located elsewhere in this newsletter.

CONSTRUCTION

There are airports around the state that have construction projects in progress or have projects that will be starting soon. Unfortunately, we don’t have the specific details on all these projects, but we would urge you to always check for NOTAMS at your destination airport so you don’t have an unexpected surprise when you arrive.

APA is working with airports around the state assisting with the updating of their Airport Master Plans by providing the pilot and aircraft owner’s perspective in the process. Sierra Vista Municipal Airport has started their Master Plan Update process, and there is a meeting scheduled for later this month. The Airport Master Plan Update process usually requires about a year for completion.

THINGS TO DO - PLACES TO FLY FOR BREAKFAST:

The fly-in breakfast at Coolidge Municipal Airport (P08) is on the first Saturday of the month. 

On the second Saturday of the month, consider flying down to Ryan Field (RYN) near Tucson for breakfast or lunch at Ritchie’s Restaurant. They are open daily from 6 am to 2 pm to serve you.

The Falcon Field Warbirds Squadron normally has had a fly-in breakfast on the third weekend of the month, but because of the storm damage at FFZ, and other complications the breakfasts have been temporally halted, and it is presently undetermined when they will be able to restart them. We will advise when we have new information.

Grapevine is open full time, and the third Saturday weekend camping and cookouts will conclude in April for the season, starting up again in October. The camp host will prepare the main course, and campers, please bring a side dish or dessert to share. Grapevine, which lies within a National Forest, is heavily used by the Forest Service for fighting wildfires, and the Military for Special Training.

On the last Saturday of the month a fly-in breakfast is continuing to be put on by the Casa Grande Masonic Lodge in the air-conditioned Terminal of the Casa Grande Airport.

When you fly to any of these venues, be sure to look for the Fly Arizona Passport Placard at the restaurant, and at the airport terminal. Scan the placard with your smart phone to get credit on the passport program for being there.

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

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