AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - March 2025 - 11

AOPA works for you
By Murray Huling
AOPA vice president
of regulatory affairs
D E S IG N AT E D P IL O T
EXAMINER availability
and other
reforms
are among the most
concerning issues to
which AOPA devotes
much time. There has
been an improvement
in the number of active DPEs performing
checkrides, now at 1,035. However, we all know
there is a long way to go to reduce wait times.
Another area is the need to bring down some of
the exorbitant fees being charged by some DPEs.
I have heard as high as $3,000 for a checkride
without expenses, which is unacceptable. I pass
along information from pilots to the FAA, on a
monthly basis, on these very issues.
We all remember the aircraft registration
renewal timeline. In December 2022, the FAA
took more than 190 days to renew an aircraft
registration. Through AOPA's advocacy
efforts, a provision was included in the FAA
Reauthorization Act of 2018 that extended the
duration of aircraft registration from three years
to seven years. And through our persistence, the
FAA promulgated related regulations, and the
time for registration of aircraft now fluctuates
around 30 days. We're now working to help
reduce that time down to close to a week.
Need to know when the FAA raises an airworthiness
concern that could affect your
aircraft? The airworthiness concern sheet
(ACS) process will help by allowing you to contribute
information for the FAA engineer who
has an airworthiness concern; after all, no one
knows your aircraft better than you. Your assistance
can help the FAA better understand an
issue to determine if an AD is necessary before
being issued. If an AD is issued, your input can
help properly scope its applicability, inspection,
and maintenance protocols. AOPA works with
the FAA to disseminate airworthiness concern
sheets to the general aviation community, and
all you need to do to receive them is sign up at
aopa.org/acs. There is no subscription fee for
this service. murray.huling@aopa.org
ON THE FRONT LINES /
REGIONAL NEWS /
Get to know
your hangar-use
policy
By Tom Chandler
AOPA Central Southwest
regional manager
T HE FA A'S HA NG A R - US E policy
allows hangars to be used to store
" active aircraft, " but it doesn't define
" active aircraft " or provide additional
guidance for airport operators
when administering this policy. As
a result, airports are using a variety
of interpretations to meet this
requirement, and while their intent
is usually good, their implementation
is creating huge discrepancies.
Some airports have recently
updated their rules and regulations
and hangar leases to include a
requirement that an " airworthy aircraft "
be stored in the hangar. Other
airports may require minimum operations
requirements or flights within
a certain timeframe to determine airworthiness.
Still others are requiring
proof of maintenance logs showing a
current annual inspection. While the
annual inspection might be preferable,
it leaves the door open for issues
when aircraft require a longer time
to complete the inspection because
of a range of common delays.
Nowhere in FAA policy are these
criteria required, which raises serious
concerns about pressuring pilots
to fly aircraft before they are fully
ready to do so safely. AOPA's state
advocacy team has engaged on
this issue, including Boulder City
Municipal Airport (BVU) in Nevada,
where the airworthiness requirement
was eventually softened to
prevent incomplete or ill aircraft
and pilots from being forced to fly.
tom.chandler@aopa.org
NORTHWEST MOUNTA IN REGION
Engaging with Boeing Field stakeholders
regarding the proposed revisions to the
airport's rules and regulations updates to
make them general aviation friendly.
WESTERN PACIFIC REGION
Engaging with policymakers in Nevada
seeking to create a Division of Aeronautics
within the Nevada Department of
Transportation to increase aviation
infrastructure.
SOUTHERN REGION
Engaged local airport municipalities in
Murfreesboro, Tennessee, to advocate for
reasonable updates to airport rules and
regulations to ensure fairness for GA.
GREAT L AKES REGION
Proactively engaged in airspace protection,
aircraft tax incentive programs, and GA
funding priorities in Minnesota, Michigan,
and Ohio. Provided general aviation insights
and priorities for the Michigan Association of
Airport Executives.
CENTR AL SOUTHWEST REGION
Partnering with local aviation organizations
and aircraft manufacturers to exempt GA
parts from sales taxes in Texas, bringing
them in line with similar practices in
surrounding states.
EASTERN REGION
Engaged in collaborative discussions with
the FBO at Philadelphia's Wings Field to
protect GA pilots and tenants from excessive
hangar rate increases while ensuring airport
compliance with federal obligations.
AL ASKA REGION
Advocating for GA over the proposed
revisions to the Anchorage Class C airspace.
aopa.org/advocacy/state-advocacy
More online
Read more about these stories and
the latest from AOPA's advocacy team.
aopa.org/advocacy
AOPA PILOT / March 2025
11
http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/state-advocacy http://www.aopa.org/acs http://www.aopa.org/advocacy
AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - March 2025

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - March 2025
