AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2024 - 11

'Call AOPA, they can
fix that!'
By Mike Ginter, AOPA vice president of
airports and state advocacy
M E MB E R S C A L L US
every day asking for
help about their certificate,
medical, flight
instructor renewal,
annual, aircraft value,
or legal help, and more.
Members also call us
every day asking us to help with an issue at their
local airport. In every case, AOPA has experts on
staff to handle most every issue you face, including
airport issues. But solving airport issues is a
team sport and requires local effort.
Our staff of experienced airport advocates
are dedicated to working with pilots to resolve
airport problems. We've helped save GA hangars
from destruction, prevented closure of
airports, blocked incompatible residential developments,
and helped communities understand
regulations governing aircraft noise and the
use of leaded avgas. Our biggest fights recently
focused on the imposition of unfair and unreasonable
FBOs for parking or for special events.
In November, we dealt with egregiously high
special event fees for the F1 Races in Las Vegas,
where three county owned airports imposed
special event fees of $3,000 or more just to get
prior permission to land. This fee essentially
denied access to the typical GA pilot who may
have wanted to fly to one of the airports near Las
Vegas for the races-or any other reason. We are
working hard to prevent these same fees from
denying access to GA pilots for the Super Bowl
and other major events in the future.
Our airport advocacy team tackles each
problem using a time-tested process that is
based on facts, aviation policy, and law. With
all the facts in hand, we work with members
to develop an achievable goal and a strategy to
achieve that goal. The process requires diligence
and hard work, and depends on close collaboration
with our members, but we are very
proud of our record of success. The problem is
never as easy as most pilots think-but working
together, we can achieve our shared goals.
mike.ginter@aopa.org
ON THE FRONT LINES /
REGIONAL NEWS /
Setting
AOPA state
legislative
policy
By Sean Collins, Eastern regional
manager
WI TH AOPA'S REG I ONA L managers
representing general aviation
interests at all state capitals across
the country, members often wonder
how AOPA sets state legislative
policy. Using AOPA's core tenets of
ensuring the safety, future viability,
and development of the general aviation
industry, our state legislative
team weighs individual bills according
to the merits of their impact to
the local aviation industry. AOPA
works to reduce the cost of general
aviation and also works with local
pilots to support efforts that call for
additional airport investment, when
needed, from state revenues.
The focus for the 2024 legislative
sessions will be protecting
general aviation from legislation
that threatens the supply of 100LL
fuel before an unleaded replacement
is widely available and any
efforts to impose restrictions on
aircraft operations. In 2023, we
successfully defeated bills that
threatened 100LL fuel sales in
Washington, New Mexico, and
Massachusetts, and we are actively
fighting to protect airports in
California, Colorado, and Florida
from attempts to weaken federal
authority over our airspace.
What can you do to help us in
these fights? Watch for our call to
action emails and take the requested
action-usually by calling or emailing
a state representative-so your
voice is heard.
sean.collins@aopa.org
SOUTHERN REGION
AOPA mourned the passing of Airport
Support Network volunteer and advisory
board member Jim Johnson. Johnson
served as an ASN volunteer at Bessemer,
Alabama (EKY) and on the advisory board
since 2017. His passion for general aviation
was reflected in all the great work he did for
Bessemer Airport and for AOPA.
NORTHWEST MOUNTA IN REGION
Advocated before Pitkin County, Colorado,
board of commissioners for fair and
reasonable FBO fees at Aspen (ASE).
Spearheaded an industry letter to Colorado
Attorney General Phil Weiser informing him
of facts and legal precedence concerning
leaded avgas and aircraft noise near airports
in advance of a " listening session " with antiairport
community members near Rocky
Mountain Metro (BJC).
AL ASKA REGION
AOPA and other industry stakeholders
asked the FAA for additional ADS-B ground
stations to fill gaps in coverage. The first
three stations are being constructed and are
expected to be available by next spring.
GREAT L AKES REGION
AOPA, the Ohio Aviation Association,
and Ohio Regional Business Aviation
Association hosted state legislators at to
educate them on the importance of airports
and to gain support for Ohio House Bill
185, which will update language within the
Ohio Airport Protection Act and clarify the
Ohio Department of Transportation's role in
issuing tall structure permits.
WESTERN PACIFIC REGION
Hawaii and the U.S. Army are about to
finalize a long-term land use agreement
for Dillingham Airfield (HDH). With a
complicated water system repair underway,
this long-term lease will enable FAA funding
for needed airfield repairs. In California, a
newly formatted Aviation Day at the State
Capitol will showcase the value of airports
and new innovations in aviation.
aopa.org/advocacy/state-advocacy
AOPA PILOT / January 2024
11
http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/state-advocacy
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2024
