Fighting Back at SMO
The Santa Monica city council voted unanimously yesterday to increase the landing fees at the airport by about 250%. Even some based at the airport feel the battle is trending badly for SMO’s continued viability. I agree with them. The biggest bite doesn’t come from the fee itself as much as the fact that aircraft based at Santa Monica are no longer exempt. So a student learning to fly at the airport will now have to pay thousands of extra dollars to achieve PTS-level proficiency as they get dinged for every single landing. A typical GA pilot or owner at SMO who flies, say, twice a month will face a similar financial burden. And that’s to say nothing of the precedent this sets for other airport operators. You can bet every one of them is...
Read MoreFAA Tower Closures
A few days ago, the Federal Aviation Administration published a list of air traffic control towers which are slated for closure now that the sequestration-related budget cuts have kicked in. Looking at the list of Southern California facilities, one sees quite a few busy airports which sit under multiple layers of airspace. At times like these, it’s important to take a deep breath, remember that the vast majority of airports are already non-towered, and as always, cast a skeptical eye on the antics of those in Washington. I’ve been monitoring the hue and cry from aviation magazines, organizations, and bloggers and have been impressed by how many have refused to adopt a hysterical “the sky is falling!” attitude. It’s also worth noting...
Read MoreThose Fat Cats
Normally I’m a fan of the JetWhine author Scott Spangler, but a recent article lamenting how much worse off we are than 40 years ago is truly perplexing. While I certainly understand his frustration at the high cost of flying, I’d expect a better understanding of economics from those who are involved in the expensive end of business aviation. We demand a level of safety, comfort, and security today which far exceeds that of the early 70s. Between litigation, regulation, and new technology, the cost of flying was bound to be higher today than it was in the foggy memory of the so-called good old days. As for middle-class incomes, his argument centers on the detrimental effect of “rich people”, something I can’t help but take issue...
Read MoreWe Pay, They Don’t
Yesterday we alighted in San Francisco to drop off a few passengers. Despite the fact that we were only on the ground for about twenty minutes and used no services, the FBO (fixed base operator) there still charged us $1,100 for the privilege. Contrast that with the U.S. government, which took over the office of a Boulder City FBO for four days, ran wiring, installed phone lines, confiscated his entire operation for a full day in support of a visit by President Obama, and then balked at the $50/day discounted rate that the owner asked the federal government to pay. First they refused to pay anything, later relenting and adding that they’d never use his facility again. “The one client I have today wants it for free,” Fahnespock. “It’s really baffling how...
Read MoreWho’s the Boss?
If you’re mentally yelling “Tony Danza!”, think again my friend. When it comes to aviation, the rules are made by the Federal Aviation Administration. Someone might want to let the L.A. County Board of Supervisors and Congressman Howard Berman in on that fact. The good Mr. Berman has introduced legislation — supported by the Supervisors — which, according to his press release, would “give the FAA the authority to set minimum altitudes and flight paths for helicopter traffic in LA country (sic)”. Low-flying helicopters are becoming a nuisance, and federal authorities should restrict how low they can fly in Los Angeles County, the Board of Supervisors said Tuesday. Citing persistent helicopter noise from flights carrying...
Read MoreIn Defense of Business Jets
Scott Spangler at Jetwhine recently opined that business jets are “merely pawns in the war over wealth”. His article was prompted by a snarky New York Times op-ed which gleefully zinged Texas governor Rick Perry for his frequent business jet travel. While I don’t disagree with Spangler’s assertion, his missive got me wondering why American business is so timid about extolling the virtues of corporate aviation. They know the benefits of a business jet better than anyone, yet it’s virtually unheard of for any firm large enough to have a corporate aircraft to crow about what it does for them. I know, I know: NBAA, GAMA, AOPA, and other industry alphabet groups have been trying to get the word out via No Plane/No Gain, GA Serves America,...
Read MoreNon-Commercial Landing Fees
As Ronald Reagan famously uttered with a shake of his head, “there you go again…”. I’ve noticed that more and more airports are starting to charge landing fees for non-commercial aircraft. Hilton Head Airport was in the news today as the latest to announce a levy for private aircraft landing at a small general aviation field. The article notes this as the first airport in South Carolina to charge such a fee, but you can bet it won’t be the last. During the same meeting, officials learned the state’s top aviation official objected to a related proposal that would charge private pilots to fly to the airport. Money collected under the proposal would also be used to pay for future construction, including runway lengthening. The fee...
Read MoreLooking Beyond the Shuttle
It’s not easy these days feeling optimistic about American prospects for continued leadership and success in the world. The economy is hurting, manufacturing sits at a nadir, our collective debt — both public at private — is at an all-time high, and the things which once placed us on top of the heap have slowly become the province of other countries. The computer industry, the automotive sector, finance, and yes, even aviation. It wasn’t long ago that the idea of ceding leadership in the aerospace industry was unthinkable, but these days a new jet is as likely to come from Airbus, Bombardier, or Embraer is it is to emerge from the factories of Boeing, Gulfstream, or Cessna. Valuable assets in the general aviation sector such as Continental...
Read MoreTFR Madness
More evidence we’re living in a world gone crazy. And I’m not just talking about Wall Street, my friends. The TFRs have truly reached a level which can only be described as insanity. You know, I remember a time when it was possible to fly across this country of ours much the way we drive across it: just get in and go. Oh, sure, you had to check the weather, compute landing and takeoff distances, fuel load, weight & balance, etc. But aside from the usual due diligence, nobody was stopping you from using the airspace around your own country. Grab a chart and go fly. That shouldn’t sound foreign. It’s called “freedom”. Remember? There was no need to get the government’s permission to fly, submit a passenger manifest to...
Read MoreImmigration Reform
Damn Foreigner is back, and it’s good to see him among the living (posting?). His most recent entry was on a topic that is near and dear to his heart: immigration. He’s a smart guy and makes some salient points. However, I was left wondering what solution he might offer to fix this thorny problem. Should we allow anyone into the U.S. without any regard for who they are, why they’re here, or what our needs might be? I don’t think that’s what he proposes. But there are some who feel that way. As a Southern California native, I’ve noticed some things about this area. To put it bluntly, the quality of life is falling due to overpopulation. This is a long term trend that I’ve been watching over a period of decades. When I...
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