AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2021 - 12

AOPA ACTION
TOP STOR IES /
AOPA says: Know before you go
Top FBO embraces transparency, others dragging their heels
PREFLIGHT PLANNING JUST got easier for pilots
flying to Atlantic Aviation locations after
the major FBO chain posted many of its
fees online-a win for transparency. With
69 locations nationwide, the move is welcome
news to the flying community and
industry stakeholders. AOPA has been
pushing for increased FBO price and fee
transparency for more than three years.
" Publishing fees online will allow pilots
to make informed decisions and will help
create competition, " said AOPA President
Mark Baker. " We applaud Atlantic Aviation
for adopting these business practices to
advance customer service for general
aviation pilots and we encourage all FBOs
to follow suit. "
Since AOPA began calling for FBOs
to make prices accessible online in 2018,
more than 330 associations, type clubs,
and pilot organizations have joined the
crusade Know Before You Go.
The initiative began after AOPA
received thousands of complaints from
pilots who had been surprised by FBO
charges and fees such as security, maintenance,
ramp services, parking, passenger
drop-offs, and more. AOPA estimates that
only about 25 percent of FBOs have instituted
voluntary transparent business
House moves to reverse FAA
flight training policy
REL IEF MAY SOON be on the way for those impacted by the FAA's sudden
policy reversal that now requires specific agency approval to give or receive
training in experimental and restricted-category aircraft. Thousands of
GA pilots were put in regulatory noncompliance practically overnight-
causing much confusion among the flying community and leading AOPA
to reach out to allies in Congress to fight for common-sense legislation.
An amendment in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that
will reverse the FAA's change to flight training policy for certain types
of aircraft garnered approval from the House of Representatives. The
bipartisan amendment by Reps. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and Kaiali'i Kahele
(D-Hawaii) clarifies that a flight instructor providing student instruction,
flight instruction, or flight training shall not be deemed to be operating an
aircraft carrying persons or property for compensation or hire.
Although the amendment will restore what has been precedent for
60 years, the FAA's ill-advised July flight training directive currently
requires operators of certain categories of aircraft to obtain a letter of
deviation authority (LODA) in order to conduct flight training. According
to the FAA, LODAs " prevent operators from broadly offering their aircraft
for joyrides and other similar experiences under the guise of 'flight
training.' " aopa.org/advocacy/pilots
12
AOPA PILOT / December 2021
practices by making their fees available
to aviators online. Atlantic Aviation joins
three other FBO chains-Wilson Air
Center, Cutter Aviation, and ACI Jet-in
pricing and fee transparency.
Other chain operators, such as Million
Air, Flight Level Aviation, and Hawthorne
Global Aviation Services, have made their
ramp fees available at most of their locations,
but not all. The big holdout remains
Signature Flight Support. Should Signature
adopt full fee transparency, 74 percent of all
FBO chain locations would be transparent.
aopa.org/advocacy/
know-before-you-go
AOPA makes case against
Bahamas airport fee
General aviation is already paying its fair share of the cost
to operate Lynden Pindling International Airport (MYNN)
in Nassau, the Bahamas, AOPA says, noting that a lack of
transparency about the airport's costs and expenses makes
the contrary argument impossible to support. AOPA
expressed concerns about the proposed $28-per-passenger
fee for international arrivals soon after the Nassau Airport
Development Co. (NAD) proposed the measure, justifying
the imposition of an additional " airport improvement fee "
in part on data showing that GA aircraft have in recent
years accounted for about 40 percent of landings at the airport,
while providing 11 percent of airport revenue. AOPA
Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs Christopher Cooper
said the percentages were offered without analysis.
" From all accounts, GA currently contributes its fair
share to LPIA considering GA's proportional needs and
usages of the existing infrastructure and the fees currently
paid " to FBOs, the airport, and the government, Cooper
said. " In the spirit of fairness and reasonableness, AOPA
recommends NAD withdraw this proposed modification
to airport fees and charges notice. "
aopa.org/pilot/bahamas
http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/know-before-you-go http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/know-before-you-go http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/pilots http://www.aopa.org/pilot/bahamas
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2021
