There have been lots of happenings in the aviation industry just in the past few months. From the FAA rescinding their LODA policies to airports being at risk to setting records with a paper airplane, here has what’s been happening in the aviation industry.
FAA Overturns a Contentious Flight Training Policy
The FAA has released a notice in the Federal Register confirming that LODAs (letters of deviation authority) are not required for most flight training in experimental aircraft where the use of the aircraft is not being paid for. These LODAs were eliminated in instances where someone is receiving a flight review or transition training in a pilot’s own aircraft. The policy notice includes four examples of which training needs a LODA and which do not. You can find all of that information here.
Airports at Risk as the Search for a New Solution for Unleaded Fuel Continues
According to the president of GAMA (General Aviation Manufacturers Association), Pete Bunce, “[a] lot of communities are using [the process for transitioning to unleaded fuel in general aviation] to close airports, pure and simple.” He used the Reid-Hillview Airport of Santa Clara County as an example, stating that the community has been wanting to close it for a while, and this gave them the opportunity to do so. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) has been put in place between Reid-Hillview and the FAA, which is a study to see how airports can best transition from 100LL to unleaded fuel. Though, Bunce believes there are holes in the MOU that put airports at risk until a solution is found. General Aviation News goes into more about that here.
AOPA’s High School Initiative Receives Grant
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association received almost $500,000 to help them reach high school students who want to become pilots, aerospace engineers, or unmanned aircraft operators for their You Can Fly High School Initiative. The grant money will go toward high schoolers in 43 states through a STEM-based curriculum that is offered for free. The grant is also used to train educators as well. Read more about the grant and what it will do to help educate students interested in aviation.
Aviation Job Market Soars
JSfirm, an aviation job website, has reported that it has seen a 105.67% increase in applicants applying for jobs in the aviation industry. They believe it is due to people searching for better job opportunities, and they’re applying for jobs such as maintenance, avionics, engineering, pilots, and management. The aviation job market is so competitive right now, companies are turning to JSfirm to increase their applicant flow. Find out more about JSfirm and its increase in applicants here.
Advocates Have Successfully Fought Washington 100LL Fuel Ban
With Washington trying to ban the sale of 100LL, general aviation advocates and officials from the AOPA gave testimonials against the proposed ban, and in turn, it was removed. If it had been successful, the sale of 100LL avgas would have been banned starting in 2024 at the largest airports and completely removed in the state by 2030. The ban would have been detrimental to general aviation, especially if it had been in place before a suitable option was available. Though these advocates were successful, Washington’s bill still has wording that is unsuitable, according to them. The bill requires oversight from the Washington Department of Transportation Aviation Division of a lead-related education program and an outreach campaign to airport operators and pilots of piston-engine aircraft. The AOPA still states they do not support this part of the bill. Read more about it on General Aviation News or Global Air.
Airplane Sets a New World Record, a Paper Airplane, That Is!
Now for some fun news! A new world record has been set for the distance that a paper airplane has flown. Two Boeing engineers, along with a friend, flew their paper airplane nearly the length of an entire football field, 290 ft. The engineers, Dillion Ruble and Garrett Jensen, have been folding and flying paper airplanes their whole lives. This flight was one they hope will last a record for years to come. Ruble and Jensen based the design on hypersonic aerospace vehicles. The two spent between 400 and 500 hours studying origami and aerodynamics and creating various prototypes just to design a paper airplane that would go higher and fly longer. It seems their hard work and dedication paid off! Read about the record-breaking flight here!
We hope you enjoyed the latest news happening in general aviation. Stay tuned to our blog for regular news updates and more aviation stories at www.rebelservices.net/latestnews.
