AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 138

STATE AND LOCAL ACTION

AOPA in the states
Working for you-all across the country
AS MANY STATE LEGISLATURES wind
down their session for the year, here's
a recap of some of the issues your state
government affairs team has been
working on across the country.
FLYING INTO SOMEONE'S BACKYARD

For many pilots, owning an airstrip
is a dream. But letting other people
use it can be a nightmare. One reason
opening private property for public
use can be such a headache is liability.
All states have recreational use statutes (RU) that protect landowners
when they allow the public to use their
land for many recreational purposes.
However, noncommercial aviation
uses were rarely included in the definition of recreational activity. In a joint
effort with the Recreational Aviation
Foundation and many state aviation
associations, AOPA regional managers Bob Minter (Southern Region),
John Pfeifer (Western Pacific Region),
and Bryan Budds (Great Lakes Region)
have helped promote legislation so private airstrip owners in South Carolina,
Georgia, California, and Wisconsin can
breathe a little easier when allowing
other pilots to use their land. Similar
legislation has been passed by the
Michigan House of Representatives and
is waiting to be debated by the Senate.
AOPA Regional Manager Yasmina Platt
(Central Southwest) is also looking for
recreational use statutes to be discussed
in the Texas legislature next year. In all,
more than 20 states have amended their
RUs to include aviation.
SAFER AIRSPACE: BELOW 200 AGL

AOPA is working across the nation
with state aviation agencies and agricultural aviation associations to pass
legislation that would require towers
below 200 feet to be marked according
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138 | AOPA PILOT August 2014

to FAA guidelines. Meteorological
Evaluation Towers (MET) often are
198 feet or less and are used to measure
wind speed and direction for the development of wind energy facilities. They
can be erected quickly and, depending
on their location, without notice. In
2011 the FAA issued guidance on the
voluntary marking of METs but did
not mandate MET marking. AOPA
regional managers Dave Ulane and
Yasmina Platt have helped state legislators in Colorado, Oklahoma, and
Washington pass legislation requiring
METs and other communications towers (including guy wires) to be marked
in such a way as to be visible from
2,000 feet away. AOPA is set to promote similar legislation in Nebraska
and Texas in 2015.
AOPA: WORKING DOWN TO THE WIRE

The last hours of a legislative session
can be a whirlwind of excitement and
chaos as legislators try to pass bills in
the last few minutes they're allowed.
For AOPA Regional Manager Bob
Minter (Southern Region), representing AOPA members in these intense
moments is a source of pride and
excitement. In the Tennessee Senate,
a last-minute floor amendment would
have ended the Transportation Equity
Fund, the state's dedicated aviation
fund. Minter jumped into action by
calling, emailing, and texting key aviation administrators across the state. "I
have no idea how many contacts I really
made but it was an action-packed 15
minutes," he said. As the senator proposing the amendment took the floor he
stated, "The airports people are in the
halls and are very upset." The senator
withdrew his amendment and AOPA
members across Tennessee let out a
cheer-and a sigh of relief.

AIRPORT SUPPORT NETWORK

NEWS & NOTES

ASN VOLUNTEERS
STEP UP FOR THIRD
CLASS MEDICAL
REFORM
FIGHTING FOR REFORM As AOPA
continues to fight for reform of the
FAA's medical certification system,
the association's Airport Support
Network volunteers have joined
the fight. In mid-May, AOPA
called on ASN volunteers to help
gain support in Congress for the
General Aviation Pilot Protection
Act (GAPPA).
Since then, ASN volunteers
have been contacting their members of Congress, asking them to
co-sponsor GAPPA. They have
also been reaching out to pilot
friends and other aviation supporters to engage them in the
effort as well. AOPA provided the
ASNVs with background on the
issue, which they could use and
share with others. Volunteers
reported they had talked with
Congressional office staffs, and
seen their representatives on district visits. AOPA's Congressional
Affairs team was able to follow up
with legislators to discuss the legislation. As a result of this effort,
members of Congress are signing
on to co-sponsor the bill.
ASN volunteers are among the
most engaged pilots at their airports, and understand that third
class medical reform addresses the
number-one concern of pilots, will
save pilots and the FAA time and
money, will do a lot to keep current
pilots flying, and help encourage
others to get into aviation.
Have you told your member
of Congress you want third class
medical reform? And have you
thought about becoming an ASN
volunteer? It's a great way to help
AOPA protect your freedom to fly.
WEB

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AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014

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