Summer is supposed to be moving on, but it’s still hot. I guess I’m getting old and crabby, but I still say it’s hot, and I really don’t enjoy the flights on Saturday morning for breakfast like I should. So in spite of the heat, let’s go flying anyway, and keep the skills up where they should be.
It was good weather for AirVenture in Oshkosh, and it was good to spend some time looking at all the airplanes and things there. Too bad the budget wouldn’t allow the acquisition of some of the things that we saw and thought we might need. In any event it was fun, and I hope you were able to go. If you didn’t make it, it’s something to put on your bucket list to do sometime. It’s really a fun event.
It’s difficult to guess what Mesa Falcon Field may do with their landing fee schedule now that the FAA headquarters has gotten involved, and the city is in a holding pattern for 90 days. I’m sure they will go forward, and charge a fee, but what it will be is an interesting question. I really hope other airports in the state will stop and rethink what is happening, and not just jump on the wagon, and start charging similar fees. I would like to hope that a lot of airplanes will not leave Falcon Field, and go elsewhere, and clog up other airports. Time will tell what will happen. I just hope that it doesn’t screw up the system.
The commercial use of ADS-B is being looked at by numerous states. This is really a safety issue, and national legislation on the ADS-B issue needs to be passed soon to prevent a patchwork of varying laws being passed around the country. Call your national legislators on this issue now!
The tethered balloons that may have been located near Glendale Airport in an aviation high density traffic area have been canceled. Why the approval of the balloon location came from an FAA FSDO located in another state is an issue that really needs to be looked into. It never should have happened.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
FAA
We haven’t heard of anything from the FAA that would impact your flying activity, but be assured that APA will always be on the alert for any rule changes that could impact your activity and inform you immediately.
The Administrator has said that they need to address the problem of outages they have had with the present system, and that they need to build a new infrastructure, and modernize the airspace, making it more responsive to the users’ needs.
The FAA Control Tower at Marana Regional Airport is continuing per plan. Hopefully soon, we will see the start of the construction phase.
AIRSPACE
Based on what we have heard at aviation meetings, the civilian and military parachute activity around the central part of the state should start to build up as the cooler weather arrives. Please be advised that some of this will be military and contract parachute activity, some of this activity may also be occurring during the nighttime hours and from high altitudes, and may be from Flight Level altitudes with both high altitude and low altitude parachute deployment. Remember, the high-altitude operations may result in parachutes descending through airspace far removed from the final landing site. If you can determine the surface wind direction, the safest place will be downwind of their Drop Zone. Always check NOTAMS for parachute activity on your route of flight, and if possible, use Flight Following for your proposed flight to receive flight advisories, and if possible, please monitor enroute facility frequencies for parachute activity. The parachute icon on the chart is a warning that there might be parachutists in the area.
We still haven’t heard anything regarding the Air Force proposal to modify the MOA’s in the area or the proposal to modify the dimensions of two of the class delta airspaces in the Phoenix East Valley area.
SAFETY
The FAA SDL FSDO provides us with the FAA input for the Accident/Incident report and also provides all the information for the Pilot Deviation and NMAC reports. We very much appreciate their efforts. For details of the accidents, deviations, and NMAC’s reported, see these reports located elsewhere in this newsletter.
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.
Regarding the Pilot Deviations, there were nineteen deviations reported during this period, and there were eight Brashers issued. These deviations were committed by pilots with certificates ranging from Student Pilot through ATP. Of the nineteen deviations, there were ten out of state pilots. Pilots need to be more careful in their flying and carefully listen to ATC instructions. Pilots must always be aware of what type of airspace they are flying in, or may be about to enter, and know what will be expected of them.
In summary, the general aviation deviations this reporting period are:
1 Altitude Deviation No Brasher
5 Phoenix Class Bravo Airspace Deviations 2 Brashers
2 Class Delta Airspace Deviations 2 Brashers
4 ATC Instructions 2 Brashers
4 Runway Incursions 2 Brashers
1 Restricted Airspace Incursion No Brasher
2 Un-known Deviations No Brasher
CONSTRUCTION
In approximately late September Phoenix Deer Valley Airport (DVT) will be closing Taxiway Bravo nightly for reconstruction. Coming up in October, the north runway may be closed for a few days for crack sealing. So always be sure to get airport NOTAMs and study them before your arrival.
Tucson International Airport has a major construction project underway and has recently received a grant for the construction of the new parallel runway. All this activity may impact your arrival, so always get the latest airport NOTAMs, and study them well before your arrival.
Numerous airports around the state may have construction projects planned, or in progress that we aren’t aware of. So always get NOTAMs at your destination airport so you don’t have a surprise on your arrival.
APA works with airports around the state assisting with the updating of their Airport Master Plan by providing the pilot, and aircraft owner’s perspective in the process. 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 during the cooler part of the year, and the next one is scheduled to be in October.
On the second Saturday of the month, consider flying down to Ryan Field (RYN), west of Tucson for breakfast or lunch at Ritchie’s Restaurant. They are open daily from 6 am to 2 pm to serve you.
Grapevine is open full time, and generally on the third Saturday is when the weekend camping and cookouts are planned during the cooler months of October through April, which is right around the corner. If you would like to volunteer to be a CAMP HOST, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.!
Remember, Grapevine, which lies within a National Forest, is heavily used by the Forest Service for fighting wildfires, and the Military for Special Training.
There is a fly-in breakfast on the last Saturday of the month at the Casa Grande Municipal Airport (CGZ). The “Runway 5 Cafe” is now permanently closed. It has been replaced by another new Cafe. The Casa Grande Masonic Lodge will continue to be serving breakfast in the air-conditioned terminal from 7 to 11 am on the last Saturday of the month.
When you fly to any of these venues, be sure to look for the Fly Arizona Passport Placard at the restaurant and also at the airport terminal. If you haven’t, scan the placard with your smart phone app to get credit on the passport program for being there.
Check with the APA online Calendar for fun weekend places to fly.