By Adam White, Alaska Airmen’s Association Government Affairs
Private Airport database update
Two years ago the FAA went about cleaning up the private airport database. Primarily looking to get rid of airports that did not have current contact information and had not been updated in recent years. After the Alaska Airmen’s Association asked for a more methodical process the FAA agreed to not do a wholesale sweep.
That first round was for airports that had not been updated in more than 20 years. There were around 10 private airports in Alaska that were cleared off the list, but several were updated and are no longer in danger of removal.
This current round is for airports with data more than 10 years out of date. There are 22 airports on this list in Alaska. If you own or manage a private airstrip, please make sure the FAA has current information. If you need help call Adam and he can help you wade through the process.
Birchwood Airport
DOT and the Municipality of Anchorage are exploring what it would look like to transfer responsibility and ownership of the Birchwood Airport. At the beginning of Governor Dunleavy’s term, he tasked DOT with reducing their budget and the number of airports they owned. Mayor Bronson of Anchorage approached DOT asking what it would take to transfer Birchwood.
This is not a done deal, and it will be a lengthy process if it continues. DOT estimates 18 months to two years for a project of this magnitude. There will be opportunities for public input and the Alaska Airmen’s Association is very much engaged in the issue. If you are a transient user or are based at Birchwood, please let us know your ideas, concerns, and opinions. If you are not already, we highly encourage you to become a paid member of the Birchwood Airport Association.
100LL
Recently the EPA was sued which forced an “endangerment study” for 100LL AVGAS. We have known for a long time that lead is a hazardous substance. Lead is still in aviation fuel to help with detonation and valve wear issues in our engines. Many studies have been done in the past which while validating that there are lead emission they have shown that there are larger sources for lead pollution that are easier to mitigate. So for years we have been getting a reprieve. Those days appear to be coming to an end. Several airports on the west coast of the Lower 48 have stopped selling 100LL citing environmental concerns.
The aviation industry, Alaska Airmen’s included, have formed a coalition to help educate the public and help regulators understand the aviation industry’s needs. While there are several promising alternative fuels in the works, there is still not a fleet wide, direct replacement, drop in fuel. 100LL is considered a boutique fuel, which is complicating the transition. There is not a large enough market to drive a lot of research money to find a solution. One year’s consumption of 100LL in the US equals three minutes of car gas consumption.
Canadian ADS-B
Canada is once again pushing ADS-B equipage. Their mandate will require 1090es Diversity (top and bottom antennas) in class A and B airspace initially and there is talk of requiring it for cross border operations. Diversity systems are very expensive and extremely difficult to install on some airframes.
The Alaska Airmen’s wrote a joint letter with COPA, AOPA, NBAA, GAMA and others expressing our concerns to Nav Canada and Transport Canada. We are awaiting word on possible considerations. This fight is long from over and is still developing, look for more updates as the situation evolves.
FAA Leadership
With the retirement of Steve Dickson, the FAA and the Biden Administration are in the process of finding a new Administrator. The FAA Alaskan Region is also in need of a permeant Regional Administrator. As of now these positions are filled with temporary replacements. These periods of transitions can be difficult as there are projects and programs that tend to flounder until permanent leadership can be installed. One such project that the Alaska Airmen’s is watching very closely is the FAA Safety Initiative. (FAASI). While the staff assigned to this initiative are very dedicated and capable, without permanent leadership at the Regional Administrator level and higher it is difficult to keep the momentum. We are pressuring the FAA to fill these positions quickly but with the right persons for the job. As we all know, often times having the wrong person in the position is worse than it being vacant.
Mountain Passes
There has been a lot of great news on this topic lately. Be sure to read Tom George’s article in this edition of the Transponder (publishing as a standalone article at a later date) to get all the details.
If you want more information on these topics or have questions, comments, or if you know of new issues, please get in touch with Adam White (adam.white@ alaskaairmen.org or 907-245-1251, ext. 8). Watch Adam’s monthly live updates on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. As always, when you file your public comments, please copy the Alaska Airmen’s Association.