AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - April 2012 - 88a

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Register for the World Assembly
Register as soon as possible for the twenty-sixth IAOPA World Assembly to permit AOPA-South Africa, our hosts, to properly plan for all of the logistics involved in this complex undertaking. The following subjects will be discussed in depth at the assembly: Airspace—Allocation and use; Regulations—Making them work for us; Fees and charges—Controlling and justifying; Airports—Promoting and protecting them; AOPAs working together for common purposes The associated social and tour programs promise to be memorable as well. Go online (www. iaopa2012.co.za) for more information.

Aviation unites to attack EASA fees
The entire aviation world has mounted a concerted attack on European Aviation Safety Agency over its scale of fees and charges, which are characterized as inexplicably high and are acting as a major drag on the aviation industry in Europe. IAOPA has joined organizations representing every facet of regulated aviation in writing to the chairman of the EASA board of management expressing concern at the damaging effect of EASA’s fees. The letter comments of the disproportionate charges levied on general aviation and demands that they be reduced through a program of costcutting at EASA. Martin Robinson, who represents IAOPA-Europe on the EASA advisory body, which agreed the text of the letter, says: “We are particularly gratified that our colleagues in the airline world, in aviation manufacturing and in other areas which have up to now not identified closely with general aviation are united on this issue. This makes it very difficult for EASA and the European Commission to ignore. “From general aviation’s standpoint, we have always said that none of EASA’s major overheads—big offices, large staffs—would be necessary at all if the organization existed solely for the regulation of general aviation, so it is unfair that general aviation should be forced to pay such significant sums towards those overheads.” The full text of the letter can be found

in the IAOPA-Europe February newsletter online at (www.iaopa.eu).

Italy imposes high taxes on general aviation aircraft
In December the Italian government imposed annual taxes on airplanes, and selected automobiles and boats in an effort to reduce its national debt. Under this tax the owner of a Piper Arrow, for instance, will have to pay an annual weight-based tax of €3,250 just for the privilege of being registered in Italy. More importantly, all aircraft not on the Italian registry remaining in Italy for more than 48 hours will be subject to the same tax. IAOPA Secretary General John Sheehan responded to these new taxes by providing the following comments to the highest levels of the Italian government: “…When this [tax] is added to the sharply rising charges for aviation imposed by EU regulations regarding airworthiness, pilot proficiency, security, fuel taxes, airspace and airport use fees, etc., the operation of these aircraft becomes prohibitively expensive…. Trade and tourism revenues will be lost, with Italy becoming a pariah State within the international general aviation community….” AOPA-Italy is vigorously opposing these taxes.

excellent general aviation, former military, airports in the last seven years. The only hard surfaced airport left, Bromma, is now being turned into a mass-travel commercial airport. The state owned operator is using an array of brute force methods to get rid of the remainder of general aviation traffic which kept the airport running for many years in the past.” Both IAOPA headquarters and Europe have joined with AOPA Sweden in advising them on how stop this move and/ or provide similar facilities within the Stockholm area.

AOPA-Finland revived
AOPA-Finland’s activities lapsed into inactivity several years ago, but a new group has just been granted provisional affiliate status by IAOPA President Craig Fuller. Esa Harju, an avid private pilot since 2001 said, “Since AOPA-Finland’s activity and resources have been low and minimal in recent years, there has not been any organization promoting general aviation’s interests here in Finland. For that reason, a group of active private pilots here in Oulu, Finland, have organized meetings during last weeks to make fresh start with new resources and ideas in order to represent AOPA’s guidelines, policy and requirements.” The existing organization on which the revived AOPA is based upon is Suomen Moottorilentäjien Liitto, located in Oulu. See the website at (www.aopa-finland.com/).

Sweden’s Bromma Airport threatened with closure to GA
Lennart Persson, AOPA-Sweden sends the following news: “Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, has closed two

www.iaopa.org

APRIL 2012
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AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - April 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - April 2012
