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Friday, August 21, 2015

FAA Ending Universal Flight Watch Weather Frequency

Friday, August 21, 2015 @ 8:00 AM

UPDATE: FAA Ending Universal Flight Watch Weather Frequency on 9/24

The FAA will discontinue the universal Flight Watch frequency 122.0 MHz for in-flight weather services on October 1. Weather services provided under the Flight Watch program Enroute Flight Advisory Service (EFAS) will continue to be provided via charted frequencies pilots use to obtain weather information, open and close flight plans, and for updates on notams and temporary flight restrictions.

The changes come as pilots transition "from traditional Flight Service assistance to more automated and web-based tools to obtain services. Through the use of updated technology Flight Service is taking the opportunity to eliminate redundancies and underutilized services," the FAA informed pilots in a message on its website.

Providing the weather services on local flight service frequencies will resolve issues of bleed-over and frequency congestion that have occurred on 122.0 MHz. Another advantage of the change will be the availability of the services on Flight Service frequencies monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as opposed to the limited monitoring of 122.0 MHz, said Rune Duke, AOPA director of government affairs for airspace and air traffic.

After October 1, the FAA will continue to monitor 122.0 MHz for several months to assist pilots in locating a local frequency.

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

AeroSports Update: The Dreaded Ramp Check

Wednesday, October 8, 2014 @ 8:00 AM

courtesy AERO-NEWS

Most Federal Aviation Regulations make sense because they are aimed at aviation safety. Some of the safety related rules may seem arbitrary, but they are intended to establish minimum safety standards. Other rules may not be safety related are usually rules that require pilots to show compliance with the regulations.  When we use the term ramp check, we are not talking about the unfortunate cases of pilots being approached and questioned by military uniformed personnel from various government agencies. What we are reviewing is the simple case of an FAA operations inspectors walking up in civilian clothes, shaking your hand, and announcing that you’re about to receive a ramp check.

The purpose of the ramp check is to verify that the pilot and aircraft are in compliance with the certification regulations. In other words, your paperwork had better be in order. Pilots and aircraft must have certain paperwork to be legal to fly.  If you want the actual details of what the FAA inspector is authorized to do on a ramp check, it’s found in FAA Order 8900.1, Chapter 1, Section 4, titled Conduct a FAR Part 91 Ramp Inspection.

The pilot must have the following items in his or her possession and must present them upon request by an FAA or law enforcement official.

  • FAA Pilot Certificate
  • Government Issued Photo ID (i.e., state driver’s license)
  • Proof of Medical Certification - for a sport pilot or sport pilot student, this could be an FAA medical certificate or a valid state driver’s license

A student pilot must have his or her logbook on cross country flights, and a sport pilot must have either his or her logbook with the appropriate sport pilot endorsements or a record of the endorsements.  Recreational pilots must also have proof of endorsement for extended cross-country flying and tower controlled airspace training if they had received those endorsements.

Private and higher-rated pilots are not required to carry logbooks with them, and that’s probably a pretty good idea.  However the FAA inspector may ask you to present some sort of proof of appropriate endorsements, such as a flight review, within a reasonable period of time.

The aircraft must also have certain papers to be legal to operate.

  • Airworthiness Certificate - onboard and visible
  • Registration Certificate - onboard with correct address and ownership information on record with the FAA
  • Operating Limitations - onboard the aircraft as part of the aircraft operating handbook, separate document or placards

With a little preparation and a calm demeanor, receiving a ramp check is not that big of a deal.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

AOPA Files Comments On FAA Hangar Use Policy

Wednesday, September 24, 2014 @ 8:00 AM

The AOPA has filed comments with the FAA concerning its policy concerning the use of hangars at airports that have received federal funding. The association wants the agency to offer pilots and aircraft owners more flexibility when it comes to the use of hangars at those airports.

In formal comments filed Sept. 18, AOPA urges the FAA to expand its definition of “aeronautical use” and to give the owners of private hangars more freedom to use hangars as they wish.

AOPA filed its comments in response to the FAA’s proposed updates to policies on the non-aeronautical use of hangars at airports that have received federal Airport Improvement Program funds. While those changes would ease the so-called “sterile hangar” approach, AOPA says the changes do not do enough to meet the needs of aviators.

» More on AERO-NEWS

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

iFlightPlanner featured on 'Airborne' by AERO-NEWS

Wednesday, September 10, 2014 @ 8:00 AM

iFlightPlanner was just featured on a recent episode of AIRBORNE, the Aero-News Network’s award-winning, thrice weekly, aviation and aerospace news program.  You can access a syndicated copy of the webcast here on YouTube…

  

The episode features iFlightPlanners announcement of its Competitive Trade-Up Program, a new initiative allows pilots using any competitive flight planning product to trade-in their existing subscription and have the time remaining on it added to their new iFlightPlanner Premium or Premium Plus membership.

» Competitive Trade-Up Program