AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2022 - 13

REGUL ATORY AFFA IRS /
ON THE FRONT LINES /
When right-of-way
isn't always right
By Christopher Cooper, AOPA senior
director of regulatory affairs
THE PAST DECADE has
brought many regulatory
and technological
changes to the remote
pilot aircraft community.
In 2016, the
FAA addressed rules
for non-recreational
unmanned aircraft systems
(drones) under 55 pounds. Among other
things, the Part 107 rule requires drone flights
to occur within the visual line of sight of the
operator and to yield the right of way to all
other aircraft, including GA aircraft.
As drone use has increased, significant interest
in operating drones beyond visual line of
sight (BVLOS) has also grown.
The FAA established the BVLOS Operations
Aviation Rulemaking Committee in 2021, comprising
primarily of individuals representing
the drone industry, but also including AOPA
and legacy aviation stakeholders. The committee
submitted 70 recommendations to the
FAA on integrating BVLOS drones into U.S.
airspace. Unfortunately, some of these recommendations
have safety implications for low
level aircraft operators.
The committee recommended that aircraft
not equipped with ADS-B Out give way
to BVLOS drones below 500 feet agl. This also
means BVLOS drones, typically more maneuverable,
would have no responsibility to see and
avoid these unequipped aircraft. AOPA strongly
disagreed with this radical change and recommended
that the safest way to integrate BVLOS
drones is to ensure they can " see " and avoid
a range of aircraft that may or may not have
ADS-B Out.
AOPA supports the safe integration of these
operations; however, such growth cannot come
at the safety or expense of additional equipment
mandates to general aviation. The FAA aims to
propose rules for BVLOS operations by the end
of the year. christopher.cooper@aopa.org
Staying on
glideslope
By Mike Ginter, vice president of
airports and state advocacy
THANKS TO A growing network of
2,000 Airport Support Network
volunteers, AOPA's airport advocacy
team has engaged with and
resolved member issues at 73 airports
this year across the country.
We are currently engaged with 67
open issues. When a member calls
us with an issue at an airport, we
strive to learn all the facts and then
determine how to engage most
effectively. The most important
factor in successfully resolving an
airport issue is to engage with the
right organization with the right
message; in other words, stay on
the glideslope.
If a local community complains
of noise near your airport,
we don't necessarily focus on the
complainers. We focus on collecting
and analyzing the right data, so
that the airport manager can engage
the community using the facts and
implement the right actions that
benefit all.
If the county commission or
city council has published harsh
enforcement language in the minimum
standards document, we do
not harass the airport manager,
we focus on informing the council
about best practices seen at airports
around the nation and ask them to
revise those standards accordingly.
To promote and protect your airport,
consider volunteering for our
Airport Support Network at aopa.
org/asn or call 800-USA-AOPA.
mike.ginter@aopa.org
REGIONAL NEWS /
5,080
EASTERN REGION
Successfully rallied Connecticut AOPA
members to oppose legislation intended
to repurpose Hartford Brainard Airport
for nonaeronautical uses. The state
Department of Economic and Community
Development will conduct a study by
October 15, 2023, to assess the current
environmental and economic potential of
the airport property.
CENTR AL SOUTHWEST REGION
The Oklahoma state legislature passed
a bill to remove the cap on excise taxes
directed into Oklahoma Aeronautics
Commission Revolving Fund, which will
provide an additional $1 million annually
for airport improvement grants.
GREAT L AKES REGION
Advocated in support of legislation
before the Ohio House of Representatives
to protect airports and airspace from
incompatible land use. Working closely
with Ohio Aviation Association and
Rep. Adam Holmes (R) to amend the Tall
Structure Permitting bill.
NORTHWEST MOUNTA IN REGION
Brad Schuster joined the AOPA Airports
and State Advocacy team as the
Northwest Mountain regional manager.
Schuster lives in Kirkland, Washington,
and is based at Harvey Field (S43) in
Snohomish. He is a CFII with extensive
aviation and leadership experience.
AL ASKA REGION
AOPA participated in a demonstration of
the use of two-way texting with Flight
Service in Alaska, providing pilots a new
means of communication to open, close,
or amend flight plans remotely.
aopa.org/advocacy/state-advocacy
AOPA PILOT / July 2022
13
public-use airports
in the nation are accessed by
general aviation aircraft; approximately
500 offer commercial airline service.
http://aopa.org/asn http://aopa.org/asn http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/state-advocacy
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2022

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