AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 18
PROFICIENT PILOT
Reflections
A senator who helped aviation
BY BARRY SCHIFF / AOPA Foundation Legacy Society chairman
WHEN I FIRST began to write for AOPA Pilot in 1963-yes, I am
that old-I had no sense of how far flung was our audience. It was
not until 24 years later that I began to appreciate the extensive
range of our readership.
This was before the advent of moving map displays and when
terminal control areas (TCAs) and airport radar service areas
(now called Class B and Class C airspace) ruled our flights and
transformed the skies around many U.S. cities into tangled thickets
of operational complexity. On August 31, 1986, a Piper Archer and
an Aeromexico DC-9 collided at 6,400 feet
over Cerritos, California. Both aircraft were
in the Los Angeles Terminal Control Area,
which had been created to prevent such a
disaster. Clearly there was a problem with
TCAs that begged for solution.
A few months following " Cerritos, " I
was filing revised instrument charts in my
Jeppesen manuals. As I glanced at one of the
standard instrument departure (SID) charts,
an idea began to germinate. Moments later,
it mushroomed into an exciting concept that
might be useful to those of us who tiptoe
through the minefields of airspace restrictions
surrounding so many large cities.
SIDs provide charted IFR routes and
altitudes that are used when departing certain
busy airports. Standard terminal arrival
routes, or STARs, provide similar guidance
for arriving pilots. Following a SID or a STAR
keeps a pilot in compliance with airspace restrictions by following
the lines on the chart and complying with published altitudes.
Sectional and TAC charts, of course, outline airspace where
the December 1986 edition of this magazine, but it dedicated the
cover to the beginning paragraphs of the text, which was a first.
A few months later I received a telephone call from thenOklahoma
Congressman James Inhofe. He asked if I had heard
from the FAA about possible implementation of my idea. When I
told him that I had not, he said, " Let's see what we can do about
that. Would you help me draft a legislative bill that would compel
the FAA to adopt your concept? " I was honored.
" How did you hear about my idea, " I asked without thinking. " I'm
a pilot and an AOPA member, " he replied. I
felt foolish but felt better when I found
myself testifying before Congress in defense
of Inhofe's bill, H.R.3243. Prior to the bill's
passage, however, the FAA volunteered to test
the concept and, if successful, mandate the
publication of VFR routes through complex
airspace. Jeppesen had already begun to
publish and distribute trial charts.
Unfortunately, or I should say,
Barry Schiff (left) and James Inhofe (right).
fortunately, moving map displays with GPS
positioning soon became available. These
made it so easy to avoid trespassing into
airspace where one does not belong that
published routes were no longer needed. My
concept became less important, although it
did lay the groundwork for special flight
rules areas.
Retired Sen. James Inhofe recently and
sadly passed away. He was one of those rare
pilots may not fly. It is up to them to determine how best to avoid
such airspace. Would it not be helpful, I thought, to have charts that
show VFR routes similar to SIDs and STARs, which could lead pilots
through complex airspace? Such routes would provide pilots with
safe guidance to and from airports in proximity to TCAs (without
requiring an ATC clearance). Rather than having to plan their way
through an airspace labyrinth, pilots would need only to follow
published routes. AOPA was so enthused about this idea that it not
only published " Leading the Way, " my article about the concept, in
18
AOPA PILOT / October 2024
individuals who succeeded in leaving behind a world better than he
had found. Much of his effort benefited GA-including such landmark
legislation as the Pilot's Bill of Rights.
Now that I have discovered how much clout I have with the
Washington establishment, perhaps
I can convince the powers
on the Potomac to rethink their
striking " cockpit " from our lexicon
in favor of " flight deck. " I
mean, really. A flight deck on a
Piper Cub?
www.BarrySchiff.com
BARRY SCHIFF has been
instructing since 1956
and has all CFI ratings
except for powered-lift
aircraft. He has written 13
books, the latest being his
critically acclaimed, An
Illustrated Guide to Flying.
http://www.BarrySchiff.com
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024
Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - Cover4
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - Cover1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 4
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 6
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 10
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 11
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 12
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 13
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 14
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 15
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 16
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 17
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 18
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 19
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 20
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 21
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 22
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 23
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 24
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 25
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 26
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 27
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 28
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 29
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 30
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 31
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 32
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 33
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 34
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 35
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 36
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 37
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 38
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 39
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 40
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 41
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 42
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 43
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 44
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 45
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 46
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 47
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 48
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 49
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 50
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 51
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 52
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 53
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 54
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 55
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 56
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 57
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 58
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 59
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 60
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 61
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 62
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 63
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 64
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 65
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 66
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 67
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 68
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 69
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 70
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 71
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 72
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 73
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 74
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 75
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 76
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 77
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 78
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 79
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 80
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 81
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 82
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 83
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 84
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 85
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 86
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 87
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 88
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 89
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 90
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 91
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 92
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 93
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 94
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 95
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 96
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 97
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 98
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 99
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 100
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 101
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 102
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 103
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 104
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 105
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 106
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 107
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 108
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 109
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 110
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 111
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 112
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201906
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201502
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201103_test
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201011demo
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot0308
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com