AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2024 - 10

AOPA ACTION
TOP STORIES /
Revoking access does not
V make sense, AOPA says
AOPA SUBMI T T ED COMMENT S TO THE
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) after
a draft management plan detailed a proposal
in which access to 16 airstrips in a Utah
national monument would be revoked.
The BLM Draft Resource Management
Plan (RMP) and Environmental Impact
Statement included a provision that
would prohibit aircraft operations in the
Bears Ears National Monument at all but
two of the 18 existing airstrips. Pilots and
airport advocates, bolstered by support
from the Utah Back Country Pilots
Association and the Recreational Aviation
Foundation, are asking that public access
be retained for recreational flying and
emergency operations.
Describing these restrictions as
" onerous, " AOPA's comments argue that
the airstrips have the lightest environmental
footprint to this land, specifically,
pointing to clear evidence that " these users
practice 'Leave No Trace' ethics and do in
fact leave these airstrips in better condition
than when the users first arrived. "
Additionally, the Utah backcountry
airstrips provide access to otherwise
inaccessible land for individuals with
oices strong opposition to potential airstrip closures in Utah
mobility issues, and most predate the
1964 Wilderness Act-and as such should
be retained. Also, research conducted by
the UBCP did not reveal any evidence of a
single noise complaint because of aircraft
operations within the national monument
area in the past 70 years.
The state of Utah has almost 8,000 certificated
pilots, many of whom enjoy flying
in the state because of the backcountry
access to pristine regions like Bears Ears.
AOPA is seeking to collaborate with the
BLM and U.S. Forest Service, the agencies
that jointly manage the Bears Ears
National Monument, so that these airstrips
can be preserved, and better charted, for
the pilots of Utah and the countless others
who hope to visit in the future.
Airport community engaged in Santa Monica
THE FUTURE OF SANTA Monica Municipal Airport (SMO) hangs
in the balance as the struggle between the city and airport supporters
continues.
The city of Santa Monica hosted several summer community
engagement meetings to seek input from residents on the future
of the airport should it close in 2029. These meetings were part of
the public process announced in January 2023 to determine the
future land use and address community needs.
While pro-development groups propose the airport land be
used for additional housing, further contributing to urban sprawl
and increasing traffic congestion, there is overwhelming support
for keeping the airport-which has been in the city for generations,
serves as a hub of the community, and is home to a variety of small
businesses and recreational space.
AOPA and aviation organizations have fought for years to demonstrate
the value of investing in the infrastructure and future of
SMO. It is where the next generation of aviators train at flight
schools and where nonprofit organizations operate for the benefit
of the community. The airport provides emergency response and
10
AOPA PILOT / September 2024
disaster relief operations and provides community access to charitable
organizations such as Angel Flight, which provides medical
transportation to people in need. The airport also has the potential
to be an incubator for future aviation technologies.
As the yearslong fight to keep the airport open continues,
AOPA remains committed to the mission of preserving the freedom
to fly, joining local SMO supporters and other local, regional,
and national aviation organizations in the hope Santa Monica
government leaders will move to ensure the airport remains operational
and an aviation historical landmark for generations to come.
" Decisions are made by those who show up, " said AOPA
Western Pacific Regional Manager Jared Yoshiki. " While there
are some that support more development and more traffic congestion,
let's make sure our voices continue to be heard to show
the city leaders that the airport has a place within the community. "
More online
Read more about these stories and the latest from AOPA's
advocacy team.
aopa.org/advocacy
http://www.aopa.org/advocacy
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2024

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