AOPA News Februar 2003

February 2003
		Chile Becomes a Provisional Affiliate of IAOPA A group of concerned pilots and aircraft owners in Chile has joined together to form AOPA- Chile. The group submitted their application to the IAOPA Secretariat in December; their application will be circulated to existing affiliates for comment and discussion.  Barring any negative comments AOPA-Chile will become the 57th affiliate of IAOPA in March 2003.   Gonzalo Picó Domínguez, the driving force behind the new organization, stated, "Our organization came about as an answer to the concern of general aviation aircraft owners and pilots that had little or no participation with aviation authorities in the discussion of aviation rules.  Also, we are concerned with actions of central government authorities, especially urban planners, to close airports.   Our purpose is to cooperate with authorities to promote flight safety; to promote GA in front of the general public; to help members with products and services that make their operation safer and lower its costs; to advise and support members in defending their rights and interests with the authorities and other parties (insurance companies, etc)."   AOPA-Chile signed in with 37 members but expects to rise rapidly to 100 due to the appeal the organization will have for pilots and owners.   AOPA-Netherlands Protests Noise Restriction When founded, Lelystad Airport was hailed as the most GA-friendly airport in the Banelux.  Now, a NOTAM has been issued designating that the airport requires prior permission for non-based aircraft due to noise abatement.  A new noise metric has been instituted by the Dutch government which will restrict takeoffs and landings to just a fraction of the previous amount allowed.  AOPA-Netherlands has protested this new restriction, stating that the entire noise budget for this airport and surrounding areas is insufficient to accommodate all commercial, military and general activities.   COPA Assists on Floatplane Access Issue The British Columbia Floatplane Association has been working with the British Columbia government for some time to preserve access to the Province's waterways for floatplanes. The Province has been advocating significant restrictions on floatplane operations. The floatplane association turned to the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) in an effort to gain wider support for its position regarding access.  COPA has asked its members to join the supporting action and contacted provincial officials to advocate more liberal access.   Secretariat Prepares for ICAO Aviation Security Panel Meeting The work begun by the IAOPA Secretariat in 2002 to establish fair and reasonable security provisions for general aviation and aerial work within ICAO will continue in March with the meeting of that organization's Aviation Security Panel. The existing standards and recommended practices listed in ICAO Annex 17, Security, makes no provision for GA/AW activities, instead showing only airline oriented security provisions for all types of aviation operations.   IAOPA won a major concession at the ICAO High Level Ministerial Security Meeting in February 2002 when that group acknowledged the unique nature of GA/AW and directed the Air Transport Commission to accommodate their needs within the Annex. The March meeting will address the specific wording and provisions for GA/AW in Annex 17.    New Brochure Encourages Pilots to "Take 'em Flying!" AOPA US's newest publication, Take 'em Flying!, encourages pilots to share their love of flying by providing a firsthand flying experience to people unfamiliar with general aviation. "Pilots are the best ambassadors for general aviation," said IAOPA President Phil Boyer. "In addition to writing letters to the editor and contacting legislators, pilots can help general aviation at the local level by giving others the opportunity to learn about the benefits and the thrill of GA by experiencing it firsthand." Take 'em Flying! offers suggestions about who to invite for an orientation flight, how to contact potential guests, what to talk about, and how to conduct the flight. It points out the importance of remembering the purpose of the flight through every phase:  to demonstrate the joy of flying and the safety and utility of general aviation aircraft. "The more people we introduce to GA, the more accurate the public's perception becomes," said Boyer. "Whether you fly a friend, a community leader, a reporter, or a teacher, you'll be doing valuable work on behalf of general aviation." Take 'em Flying! is available at www.aopa.org/info/comres4u.html.   FAA Can Now Revoke Pilot Certificates For Security Threats The FAA and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has recently published the "direct final rules" that permits the FAA to immediately suspend, revoke, or refuse to issue a pilot certificate to anyone that the TSA has determined poses a threat to transportation security.  The agencies issued the rules under the authority Congress gave them when it passed the Aviation Transportation Security Act of 2001, which directed TSA and the FAA to "make modifications in the system for issuing airman certificates related to combating acts of terrorism. " Although AOPA solidly supports every reasonable action to prevent terrorist acts, these rules beg many questions as to the rights of pilots," said AOPA President Phil Boyer.  "AOPA's legal and technical staffs will examine them letter by letter..."   Plan to attend the 2004 World Assembly in Toulouse, France! Watch for details in future issues of the IAOPA eNews!
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