AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - June 2020 - 46

Blow off
some steam.

PILOT BRIEFING

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THE FAA will reduce the operating hours of air traffic control personnel at more than 100
ATC towers and terminal radar approach control facilities to limit employees' exposure to
the coronavirus as the pandemic continues to slow flight activity in the national airspace
system. No end date was given for the downsizing that will affect ATC facilities in Class C
and D airspace, where traffic volume has declined as much as 96 percent as of late April.
"These facilities have seen a significant reduction in flights, especially during the evening and nighttime hours, since the pandemic began," according to the FAA. "Adjusting
the operating hours will further protect our employees and reduce the possibility of temporary tower closures from COVID-19 exposures by ensuring enough controllers are
available to staff the facilities during peak hours."
The FAA will conduct a regular analysis of traffic levels to determine how to appropriately staff the facilities. The modifications will be reviewed regularly for an eventual
return to normal operations, said Rune Duke, AOPA senior director of airspace, air traffic,
and aviation security. AOPA and other aviation groups are developing general recommendations on how such responsibilities as the posting and consistent dissemination
of notams, and the monitoring of navaids, should be handled when the tower is closed.
"We are taking a close look at the FAA's strategy and their initial list of locations,"
said Duke. "The FAA and air traffic controllers have done an outstanding job to keep the
system running during this extraordinary time. Their collaboration with aviation stakeholders has been key to ensuring the safety and efficiency of the system."
The AOPA Air Safety Institute recently released a safety notice about ATC zero events
that provides additional guidance on what pilots can do during preflight to ensure they
have all of the pertinent information.
aopa.org/pilot/atczero

TEST PILOT ANSWERS

from page 41

1. The Ryan B1 so resembled the Ryan
NYP-The Spirit of St. Louis-that motion picture pilot Paul Mantz was able
to modify two of them for use in the
1957 movie of the same name. Charles
Lindbergh was said to have been
astonished by the similarity of these
replicas to his airplane.
2. The word hangar comes from the
French word hangar, which means
outhouse or shed.

*In most circumstances. Actual vacuum pump removal will vary by aircraft.
Copyright 2020 Aspen Avionics Inc. "Aspen Avionics," "Evolution Flight Display
System," and the Aspen Avionics aircraft logo are trademarks of Aspen Avionics Inc.
All rights reserved. U.S. Patent No. 8,085,168, and additional patents pending.

3 False. During 1960, 1961, and 1962,
the United States conducted three
large-scale military exercises-Skyshield I, II, and III-to test our defensive capability against attack by the
Soviet Union. During each of these
exercises, all aircraft between the Arctic Circle and Mexico were grounded
for up to 12 hours.
4. El Al is Hebrew for To the Skies or
Onward and Upward (depending on
the translator).

www.aspenavionics.com

46 | AOPA PILOT June 2020

5. The correct answer is B. In 1919,
Royal Air Force Maj. J.E.M. Pritchard
parachuted from the British airship
R.34 in dress uniform. He did this so
he could arrange for the mooring of
the airship, something that no one in
America knew how to do.
6. The correct answer is D. There are
nine cable-tethered blimps suspended
up to 15,000 feet above and along the
U.S. southern border. They are used
as downward-looking radar platforms,
are shown on sectional charts, and are
marked with strobe lights.
7. This angle best prevents reflection
and glare.
8. False. Under certain high-load,
high-temperature conditions, a leadacid battery can seriously overcharge
and explode.

http://www.aopa.org/pilot/atczero http://www.aspenavionics.com

AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - June 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - June 2020