AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2011 - 12

AOPAACTION

COMPILED BY KATHY DONDZILA

What AOPA is doing to keep you flying

GA leaders seek relief for losses from TFRs
other agencies worked with aviation businesses last summer to keep flight operations running during a TFR at Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. That precedent could become the basis for the TSA to consult with industry on developing procedures that would let aviation businesses continue to operate “at near-normal levels” while addressing security needs during presidential travel. The leaders offered the DCA Access Standard Security Program as a functioning example and a possible path toward allowing improved operational access to airspace during a TFR. “Already today, the DASSP allows qualified operators to conduct flights to and from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport,” the letter said.

Secret Service agents flank Air Force One as members of the presidential entourage deplane.

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ix association presidents have requested that the Transportation Security Administration work with general aviation on ways to reduce business losses sustained under airspace restrictions during presidential travel. In a letter to TSA Administrator John H. Pistole, the association leaders called for a joint effort to minimize the effects of temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) that have been imposed—sometimes to a radius of 30 nm from airports used during the president’s travel. The letter offered examples of aviation businesses suffering extensive revenue losses while their operations were curtailed because of the TFRs. “This has been a continuing issue and we believe that we now are at a stage where practical and pragmatic steps can be identified to improve TFR design and implementation without compromising the security of the president,” said the letter, signed by AOPA President Craig Fuller, EAA President Rod High12 • AUGUST 2011

tower, General Aviation Manufacturers Association President Pete Bunce, Helicopter Association International President Matthew S. Zuccaro, National Air Transportation Association President James K. Coyne, and National Business Aviation Association President Ed Bolen. Examples of financial losses by GA businesses from

TFRs included a fixed-base operator at Chicago Midway Airport losing an average of $60,000 a day in revenue when President Barack Obama visits the area. “Also helicopter air tour operators in Hawaii and Las Vegas experience losses in excess of $150,000 during each presidential visit,” the letter said. The association leaders noted that TSA and

NATIONAL

Study: LightSquared network ‘incompatible’ with GPS

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special advisory committee has issued a summary of its report that validates concerns about threats to GPS by a proposed broadband communications network. Elements of the cellular network proposal by LightSquared are “incompatible” with aviation because of potential GPS signal interference. And that modifications could be made “to allow the LightSquared system to coexist with aviation use of GPS.” “This confirms our message that the concerns

expressed by the aviation community and other industries dependent on GPS are warranted, and are now helping to shape the review process,” said Melissa Rudinger, AOPA senior vice president of government affairs. The report called for more study to determine frequency limits versus power for the network’s base stations, taking into consideration the effects of altitude on signal interference and the “lowest path loss for the low-altitude en route scenario.” The report, which

discussed operation at the low and high channel, said the impact of LightSquared’s deployment of upper-channel spectrum is expected to be “complete loss of GPS receiver function.” Members of Congress also recently weighed in on the side of the GPS community. A letter signed by 33 senators, including 13 members of the Senate General Aviation Caucus, called on FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski to rescind LightSquared’s conditional approval and bring the full FCC into the review process.

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AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2011
