Airport Access

Growing up, having easy access to airports was a given for me. I honestly believe having that access contributed directly to my passion for aviation. I think that same thing can be said for many of us baby boomers that love aviation. There is, in this country, an increasing concern that the continued enhancement of security will lead to further and further restrictions to airport access and that will close the door for a large segment of potential new enthusiasts.

I am pleased that there are many airport administrations across the country that recognize this and have taken steps , some extraordinary, to do more than just  accommodate the general public but to go to great lengths to make them feel welcome and to make them feel, that as part of the community, the airport belongs to them.
There are several examples in the Valley of the Sun, two that I've experienced recently in Mesa, Arizona - Falcon Field and Phoenix Mesa Gateway airport.
At Falcon, I was being given a tour by Airport Projects Supervisor Jeff Tripp, when he noticed a family at the fence line watching the planes. Mr. Tripp went out of his way to approach them and invite them to use a special viewing area that allows the public closer access to view the activities on the airport.
Phoenix Mesa Gateway built a grassy knoll for families to use as well as benches for folks to observe operations at their airport.
I know there are many other great examples out there, so do me a favor, if you have an airport manager that understands the responsibility to encourage and inspire future generations, take the initiative to let him or her know how much you appreciate that. If your airport doesn't - let me know

Land-O-Matic Makes “Flying Like Driving”

By Kim Stevens

My mom recently presented me with a stack of old post cards she had been saving, including the one shown with this article. The shiny C-172 pictured with a first generation Corvette certainly caught my eye today as I'm sure it must have for anyone who saw it back in the day.

This particular post card was addressed to my dad, Sam Stevens, and came from Clinch Flying Service, a
Cessna dealer, located at the Municipal Airport in North Platte, Nebraska. It was postmarked April 10, 1957 and was a reminder that ground school class would be held on the following Saturday at 10:00 A.M.  The back of the post card reads,  [Take a "drive" in the sky in this amazing new airplane, the Cessna 172 with patented "Land-O-Matic" landing gear. It makes "flying like driving!" See and fly one at your nearest Cessna Dealer today.]

My dad got to fly the 172 on lots of cross countries back then. He got his Private license in Tulsa Oklahoma in the mid fifties on the G.I. Bill and then his Commercial with Clinch in North Platte. "I loved that plane," he said. "I had to drive the 44 miles to the airport for each lesson since I lived in Cozad at the time."

Clinch Flying Service was started in 1938 by John Clinch a native of Norfolk, Nebraska when the airfield was a fenced pasture. Clinch, considered the “father of North Platte aviation,” started the Clinch Flying Service. For thirteen years he also managed the North Platte airport, which has become a modern municipal airport. Clinch assisted in the development of the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics and

helped organize the Nebraska Aviation Trades Association.

My father recalled that a rather experienced kid they had working for them some, conducted the ground school which took place about once a month.  He said that after a few minutes of talk, they played poker the rest of the night. "I'm sure the Clinch Flying Service was unaware of this happening," he said. "I always lost what money I had."

State Continues to Dine on Aviation Fund

Guest Editorial by Barclay Dick

Aphorist and poet Stanislaw Lec said, “Cannibals prefer those who have no spines.”  Regarding aviation, the State of Arizona proves the point.

The State’s feasting began in the late 1990s when Governor Symington recognized a need for monies to resolve the State’s Y2K issues.  He looked to the State Aviation Fund for assistance.  Subsequently, the Legislature redirected 50% of the flight property tax revenue from the Aviation Fund to the General Fund.

Because every manager of Arizona’s airports was facing the same Y2K dilemma, there was an understanding of the State’s need to supplement the General Fund and little objection was raised.  It was assumed the Governor and the Legislature, upon resolution of the Y2K issue, would return 100% of the flight property tax revenue to the Aviation Fund.

But, the Legislature, having heard little complaint about the diversion, continued to flow 50% of the flight property tax into the General Fund until the State’s fiscal year 2004.  Had it not been for the Arizona Airport Association’s continued efforts to return the flight property tax revenues to the State Aviation Fund, the Legislature, undoubtedly, would have continued to spend those monies on everything but aviation.

When faced with the current fiscal dilemma, the Governor and the Legislature again turned to the Aviation Fund, as well as other funds.  However, it is unlikely many other funds were as dramatically impacted, at least on a percentage basis, as the Aviation Fund.  According to the Arizona Airports Association, during the last 10 years, the Legislature has used 43% of the Aviation Fund revenue for purposes other than aviation.  Yet, it’s only the Arizona Airports Association that has questioned the action.  Aircraft owners, who pay their aircraft registration fees into the Aviation Fund, appear to have no objection to the use of those monies for non-aviation purposes.  Cities, towns and airport authorities appear to have no concern about the loss of grant monies for their airports.

The State of Arizona has more recently demonstrated a greater disregard for aviation and the aviation community in a number of ways.

The Grand Canyon National Park Airport

This is the only airport the State of Arizona owns and operates.  The State’s annual appropriation for the operation of the airport during the last 10 years or longer has been woefully inadequate.  An informal survey conducted by the Arizona Department of

Transportation’s Aeronautics Division a few years ago indicated that among 50 airports across the nation with between 200,000 less and 200,000 more annual enplaned passengers than GCN, GCN had the smallest operating budget.  The airport with the next lowest budget, a budget that was 250% larger than GCN’s budget, had 200,000 fewer enplaned passengers.  Despite ADOT’s awareness of that fact, and an ample balance in the State Aviation Fund at the time, ADOT would not increase the airport’s operating budget by even as much as 10%.

Toward the end of the State’s fiscal year 2007, the Legislature had not yet approved a budget for fiscal year 2008.  Every department of the State was directed to prepare plans to curtail all but the “essential services” of the State should a budget not be approved before the beginning of fiscal year 2008.  Operation of the Grand Canyon National Park Airport was recognized as an “essential service” of the State of Arizona and no plans were made to shut it down.

The State faced the same dilemma at the end of fiscal year 2008.  Under a new Governor and a new Director of ADOT, operation of the Grand Canyon National Park Airport was not viewed as an “essential service” of the State.  Despite protests from the Aeronautics Division, ADOT directed that preparations be made to curtail the operation of the airport until a fiscal year 2009 budget was approved.  Only at the eleventh hour, with the FAA suggesting it would pursue an injunction to keep the airport open, did the State relent to keeping the airport in service without interruption.  However, responsibility for the operation of the airport was removed from the Aeronautics Division, with a staff including three Accredited Airport Executives and over 100 years of airport management experience.  It was given to ADOT’s Facilities section, which had no experience managing or operating a civil airport.

With the State’s continuing budget debacle in fiscal year 2009, the Governor directed each department of the State to prepare a plan to reduce its budget by as much as 15%.  As part of its plan, ADOT proposed to “downgrade” GCN from a commercial service airport to a general aviation airport and “limit the hours of operations and size of allowable aircraft” at the airport.  In a memo, the Aeronautics Director suggested such arbitrary and unilateral action by ADOT was inadvisable.  Those actions would have reduced the airport’s operating budget by less than $150,000 while exposing the State to liabilities in the tens to even hundreds of millions of dollars.  Additionally, they would have deprived the airport of practically all revenue.  ADOT’s response to that note of caution was the dismissal of the Aeronautics Director and the Deputy Director.

Aviation Safety

The State’s diversion of Aviation Fund monies away from aviation interests has prevented many improvements for the capacities, safety and security of Arizona’s airports.  But, equally or more egregious is ADOT’s apparent disregard for aviation safety.

With its dismissal of the Deputy Director of the Aeronautics Group, ADOT had no representation on the Aviation Safety Advisory Group, (ASAG). When asked to provide another representative to ASAG, ADOT declined, saying, "We're no longer in that business."

What an odd response from an agency with its own airplane used for business, including the transportation of State Transportation Board members, staff, consultants and federal officials.  What an odd response from a state with a Department of Public Safety operating a fleet of aircraft for law enforcement and emergency services and for the transportation of the Governor and her staff.  What an odd response from a state with several members of its Legislature owning aircraft and/or being pilots.

It’s inconceivable that a Highway Safety Advisory Group could exist in Arizona without having an ADOT representative.  Why would ADOT decline to be included on an Aviation Safety Advisory Group?  Has it determined the lives and property of aviators, airplane passengers, airport operators and airport staff are inconsequential compared to those persons and vehicles using surface transportation?

ADOT purports itself to be the State’s “multi-modal transportation” agency.  Is it not including aviation as a transportation mode?  Has it no concern for the safety of that mode of transportation?

Will no one insist that ADOT have a representative on ASAG?

State Aviation Fund

As alluded to above, the State of Arizona continues to use the Aviation Fund as its slush fund, taking from it whatever and whenever it wants for various other uses.

For years, different ADOT Directors, Deputy Directors, Budget Directors, finance staff and other top level officials have asserted that only monies from the State Aviation Fund could be used for the operation of the Aeronautics Division and for grants to the state’s airports.  But, likewise, ADOT could not use Aviation Fund monies for any other ADOT purposes.  Yet, recently, ADOT determined a need for $6.5 million from the State Aviation Fund to fill a department budget shortfall.

Title 28, Chapter 25, Article 1 of the Arizona Revised Statutes discusses the State Aviation Fund.  It says, “The department shall administer monies that are appropriated by the legislature from the state aviation fund.”  Additionally, it defines the State Transportation Board’s responsibilities relative to the fund; “The board shall distribute monies appropriated to the department from the state aviation fund for planning, design, development, acquisition of interests in land, construction and improvement of publicly owned and operated airport facilities in counties and incorporated cities and towns. The board shall distribute these monies according to the needs for these facilities as determined by the board.”

Will no one, other than the Arizona Airports Association, question ADOT’s authority to take monies from the Aviation Fund for the department’s budget shortfall?  If ADOT insists it has the authority to use the Aviation Fund monies as it needs and desires, will no one ask for an opinion about that determination?  Is no one going to query whether or not the Legislature appropriated those funds to ADOT for its internal use?  Is no one going to ask if the matter has appeared on a State Transportation Board agenda for action?

Aeronautics Division/Group

Aeronautics was a legally mandated division within the Arizona Department of Transportation.  Specifically, Title 28, Chapter 2, Article 2, Section 28-332, subsection 3 of the Arizona Revised Statutes states:  “C. In order to carry out the responsibilities enumerated in subsection B, the department is organized into the following divisions:

1. Motor vehicle.

2. Transportation planning.

3. Highways.

4. Aeronautics.

5. Public transit.

6. Administrative services.”

Despite that mandate, in June, 2009, the ADOT Director eliminated the Aeronautics Division and made it a “group” of the Multi-Modal Planning Division.  He further dissected the Division by sending the aircraft registration function to the Motor Vehicle Division, the Grand Canyon Airport to the Facilities section (as previously discussed) and the outreach program to the Communications and Community Partnership section.

It’s too bad that, other than the Arizona Airports Association, no one questioned the Director’s legal authority to make such a change, a marginalization of the former Aeronautics Division and, arguably, a marginalization of aviation in Arizona.

It’s too late now.  During the 2010 legislative session, ADOT had the legislature amend Title 28, Chapter 2, Article 2, Section 28-332, subsection 3 with the following:

“D.  The director may do any of the following:

1.      Establish divisions in addition to those prescribed in subsection C.

2.      Reorganize the department.

3.      Consolidate the department.”

The continued taking of Aviation Fund monies by the State, either for deposit to the General Fund or for ADOT’s internal use; the considered closure and/or downgrading of the Grand Canyon National Park Airport due to budget issues; the choice to ignore the Aviation Safety Advisory Group; and, the elimination of the Aeronautics Division in favor of an Aeronautics Group indicate little regard for the interests of aviation, aircraft owners, pilots and airport operators by the Governor, the Legislature and ADOT.

Only the Arizona Airports Association has inquired about those actions.  Alone, its effectiveness is minimized.  Unless individual airports, airport authorities, cities, towns and counties, other aviation organizations within the state and those businesses that have a concern for aviation join AzAA in its effort to protect aviation interests in Arizona, the State of Arizona’s gluttony will continue until all that remains of the Aeronautics Division/Group, the Grand Canyon National Park Airport and the State Aviation Fund is an impolite burp.  That and aircraft registration fees and flight property taxes, which will flow into the General Fund for use as appropriated by the Legislature.

Mr. Dick has over thirty years of experience in the airport industry and is a former director of the Aeronautics Division of the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Glamorization of thievery may be sending the wrong message about our airports!

With the news that 20th Century Fox  has purchased the rights for a film based on the exploits of the bare-foot bandit, are we sending the message to every would-be thief in America that our GA airports are easy marks?
News reports are growing and their seems to be a quiet expectation and longing for word on the continued exploits of the young fugitive, accused of stealing planes, cars and boats. Beginning along the West Coast, he has most recently brought his passion for crime to the Midwest with apparent break-ins at airports in South Dakota and Nebraska.
Colton Harris-Moore, dubbed the "barefoot bandit" because he was without shoes when he allegedly broke into houses in Oregon and Washington, may be inadvertently the cause of the media's message that thievery is easy at general aviation airports.
If the allegations against Harris-Moore, 19, are true, the young man may be becoming more desperate, if not dangerous, according to some reports.
Everyone loves a good story but we don't want to create a birthing ground for would-be copycats who crave the attention of a nation-wide audience  and  a little milk to the point of causing, accidently or not, the loss of life.
No one has been hurt, yet, but that might change as he becomes more emboldened and the authorities get more desperate to put an end to this saga, or what is more scary, a pilot at the next airport he cases, decides to become a national hero or the first victim.
So, at what cost does the sensationalizing or dramatization of the bare-foot bandit bring? General aviation has enough to be concerned about without the added emphasis that security at our airports is lax. Let's hope the bare-foot bandit isn't a catalyst for unreasonable TSA attention.

LAX, Security, Body Searches and Home

By Kim Stevens

I don't know if I'm just getting to use to the way we go through security at the airport these days, or if it really isn't that bad, or if I've become a frequent flyer zombie destined for the same end as a Lemming.
I recently flew from Phoenix to Los Angeles World Airports, (LAX) for the FAA Western Pacific Region's 6th Annual Airports conference. I was reminded why they call LAX "World Airport" having seen so many different carriers represented during my stay.  My hotel room looked out at the arriving aircraft and it was captivating counting up all of the different companies flying in, foreign and domestic, freight and passenger.
Back to security, I guess it's sad, thinking that it has become routine to strip down before the security gods. At least I've learned what to do and what not to do to get through without the embarrassment of a wand or hand search. I'm not sure what she did to warrant the special attention, but I watched as a rather distinguished middle aged woman in plain view of the rest of us, was patted down by a matronly TSA employee, well patted down is not the correct term, it was more like pressing your hands in and around all of the hills and valleys of the human body.
She put on a good face but if you looked into her eyes,  I think there was a degree of embarrassment and a definite un-comfortableness about the whole thing. What was even more interesting perhaps was the looks or non-looks by the rest of us slugs slinking off as quickly as possible so as not to attract the attention of someone else with a wand. You know, now that I think of it, once through security there is this feeling somewhat akin to thinking we just got away with smoking in the bathroom.
I haven't experienced the full body scanner yet nor do I know if you have to take your shoes, belts and whatever else off before you walk through. If not, that might not be so bad, however I'm sure I'll suck in my gut as I walk through, like that's going to help anything other than my ego. I'm not sure I'll make eye contact with those monitoring the screens, but I better not hear a chuckle.
Talking about LAX, I didn't get the chance to see it but I noticed that according to an article by USA TODAY, Los Angeles revealed its newly reconstructed Tom Bradley International Terminal last week, a development that cost $737 million and took more than three years to finish. You know, I don't think it actually cost $737 million, I think they thought it would just be cool to use the same number as the Boeing aircraft.
Evidently, the new terminal features wider and brighter lit corridors in check-in lobbies, baggage carousels that handle bags faster, renovated restrooms and two aircraft gates that can accommodate new generation aircraft, like the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
The story also noted that the renovated terminal features a new checked bag facility that reduces lobby congestion by eliminating the need for passengers to haul their luggage to a screening machine in the lobby.
Four premium-class lounges that consolidate 16 smaller, individual lounges were also installed. According to the article the airlines at Bradley Terminal chipped in about $20 million to build this new feature. Obviously Southwest was not one of them, for my bags were flying free, my soda was still free, my mini bags of peanuts were free.....I was so giddy I felt like Tiny Tim and asked, may I have more, please!
Yes, there was something comforting about getting on my flight, putting one bag in the overhead bin, one under the seat in front of me, and securely fastening my seatbelt. I watched the ground fade away below as we entered the marine layer. I closed my eyes, clicked my heals and said "there's no place like home, there's no place like home."

A Solution To Arizona’s Economic Recovery Is Staring Everyone In The Face

By Edward Beauvais

Aviation contributes $38 billion yearly to the Arizona economy. More than 470,000 Arizona jobs are related directly or indirectly to aviation. The annual payroll totals $14.7 billion. Arizona’s aviation jobs include employment at the state’s airports, on-airport businesses, aerospace manufacturers, aviation training and education programs, the tourism industry, and military bases.

There are 83 public use airports in Arizona, including 11 privately owned and 14 Native American owned airports. Due to Arizona’s location in the extreme southwest corner of the U.S., Arizona’s economy relies heavily on the efficiency of the aviation industry. Due to the exceptually good weather conditions, aviation training in Arizona puts it at the top of the world’s rankings for this type of activity. Arizona has the best flying weather in the world. The cost of this condition for Arizona is Zero. You could say that Arizona’s major aviation industry enjoys a PRICELESS competitive position when compared to the other areas in the world that need aviation. Also, it is a gift that just keeps on giving.

The overall assessment by many experts in the aviation industry, is that Arizona is short on its aviation capacity. The State can and should support significant expansion of its airport capacity. Total aircraft operations are estimated to grow from 4.84 million annually to 7.32 million by 2030.

The State’s legislature seems to take the aviation industry for granted. Arizona’s Aeronautics Division of the Arizona Department of Transportation was one of the best state run government agencies in the U.S. However, due to severe budget conditions, the elimination the Aeronautics Division will paralyze the ability of its aviation industry to grow and improve its efficiency. This will not allow for the natural job growth to occur. Jobs are the top priority in Arizona and the U.S.

The slogan for today is, “YOU SHOULD DANCE WITH WHO BRUNG YA”