AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - May 2014 - 122

SURVEY

72%

of AOPA members have
mentored a potential pilot.

News & Notes
MEMBERSHIP

AOPA supports Able Flight
Scholarship for disabled pilots
AOPA PRESIDENT MARK BAKER presented an $8,000 check to Able
Flight Executive Director Charles Stites to help the organization
with its efforts to offer free flight training to the disabled. Funding
for the scholarship came from the AOPA Foundation.
Able Flight partners with Purdue University's Department of
Aviation Technology to train pilots using a specially adapted Light
Sport aircraft. Scholarship recipients spend six weeks training at
Purdue, which includes all of their expenses.
"Flight training is a powerful tool to help the disabled become
more self-reliant," said Stites. "From my perspective, it is an extraordinary experience to see a life change, and I'm the luckiest guy to
be able to hear their stories."
People can help Able Flight in two ways. "One, they can recommend someone with a disability to apply for a scholarship," Stites
said. "Two, they can make a donation that allows us to continue to
offer flight training. We appreciate the support of people and organizations like the AOPA Foundation." Each scholarship is $8,000.
"Able Flight is a terrific organization that is successfully offering
people with disabilities the life-changing experience of learning to
fly," said Baker. "AOPA members and their donations through the
AOPA Foundation allow those who participate in Able Flight to
become more involved with GA. We look forward to welcoming its
next group of student pilots."
Able Flight is still taking applications. It is making a special
effort to attract female candidates.
WEB

www.ableflight.org

122 | AOPA PILOT May 2014

WHAT AOPA IS DOING TO KEEP YOU FLYING

WITH STRONG CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT,
AOPA BATTLES USER FEES
User fees for aviation are part of the president's
new budget proposal, despite continued strong
opposition from Congress and the aviation community. The White House released its fiscal year
2015 spending plan, which includes a $100-perflight "surcharge" to pay for air traffic control
services. "We are disappointed that the president
doesn't seem to have gotten the message," said
AOPA President Mark Baker. "With Congress
on our side, I am confident we can prevent this
arbitrary proposal from becoming a reality, but
we have to stay vigilant. We are working hard
to make general aviation more accessible and
affordable, and whether you call it a user fee or a
surcharge, we will keep fighting against proposals like this that would raise the cost of flying."
A $100-per-flight fee has been a regular feature of the president's annual budget proposals,
making an appearance in each of the past four
spending plans. While the fees would apply only
to turbine aircraft, it is extremely likely that a fee
on any portion of the GA fleet would soon extend
to others as well. AOPA has long argued that
user fees are the wrong way to fund the national
air transportation system and that the FAA needs
to reduce spending in several areas before looking for any new revenues. The current system of
excise taxes on fuel is efficient and ensures that
everyone who flies pays to support the system.
AOPA ASKS CBP HEAD TO INVESTIGATE STOPS
Just days after he was confirmed as commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, Gil
Kerlikowske received a letter from AOPA asking
him to immediately fulfill a commitment he made
to review the agency's zero-suspicion enforcement activities regarding general aviation.
In the letter, AOPA President Mark Baker
noted that AOPA has now received nearly 50
reports of stops of general aviation aircraft made
without a warrant, probable cause, or reasonable
suspicion that illegal activity was taking place.
Some of those stops involved officers with drawn
weapons and dogs, and many resulted in aircraft
being searched and passengers and pilots being
questioned or detained. AOPA began seeking
information and answers about these stops from
CBP's Air and Marine Division in January 2013
and has yet to receive satisfactory responses.
"We need to know why general aviation is apparently being singled out for this kind of treatment,
and we need it to stop," Baker said. AOPA will
continue to seek cooperation from CBP and work
with Congress, the FAA, and others to bring an
end to these incidents.

http://www.ableflight.org

AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - May 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - May 2014