Welcome to the August 2026 Edition of the APA Approach!
It’s been a busy year so far and July is always exceptionally busy since it includes the annual trip to AirVenture in Oshkosh. I had the opportunity to connect with fellow APA members and our partners at AOPA and the Recreational Aviation Foundation (The RAF). These are important relationships that continue to strengthen our collective advocacy for general aviation in Arizona and across the country.
A special word of thanks to the RAF for their hospitality at their annual Tuesday morning gathering. They had some big news to share this year with their Expanding The Map initiative focused on opening, improving, and restoring access to airstrips across the country including the Fly Rocky Top airstrip network in East Tennessee. These are some spectacular airstrips and truly special places. These efforts align closely with our collective mission – protecting access, supporting responsible recreational flying, and ensuring that pilots can enjoy the extraordinary places that aviation makes reachable. You can find out more about Expanding The Map at theraf.org
Cary Grant, President of the Arizona Aviation Safety Advisory Group (ASAG), and I met with the AOPA Advocacy team at Oshkosh to discuss the ongoing Falcon Field landing-fee issue. As noted last month, the fee program is now the subject of a federal lawsuit filed by two major Falcon Field flight schools - CAE Academy and Thrust Flight. In addition, several airport tenants have submitted FAA Part 13 complaints.
We understand that the City has responded to the FAA regarding the Part 13 complaints and that the agency’s investigation remains active. At the same time, the City has retained a national airport-law firm to conduct a legal and compliance review of the Falcon Field Proposed Fees & Charges proposal unanimously approved by the City Council on March 23, 2026. As part of this process, the Council approved an additional 90-day delay in implementing landing fees during its July 27 meeting.
Despite the delay, the City stated that it “remains dedicated to implementing a landing fee program that helps keep Falcon Field financially self-sustaining, ensures those who use the airport pay the cost of their use, and protects taxpayers from bearing the cost of those operations.” The City also indicated it would implement the fees sooner if possible. As you have likely concluded, reaching a final resolution will be a lengthy and uncertain process. Nevertheless, AOPA, APA, and ASAG remain fully engaged with both the City and the FAA on behalf of the general aviation community. Importantly, AOPA has elevated the issue to the senior leadership of its Advocacy team, ensuring that their legal and policy expertise is applied directly to the matter.
This level of engagement is essential. The Falcon Field proposal is widely recognized as precedent-setting for GA airports nationwide, and the outcome will influence how landing-fee policies are approached across the country.
In closing, just a reminder that we are only 90 days away from the 2026 APA Scholarship application deadline. If your or someone you know is interested, you can find the application on our website at https://azpilots.org/pilot-info/scholarship-program.
Thank you for supporting APA’s mission through your membership and as always, please feel free to reach out to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any comments, concerns or questions.
Fly Safe,
Chris