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Aviation History
2004
2004-09 - 1909.PDF
GENERAL AVIATION TRAINING DAVID LEARMOUNT / LONDON AOPA wants alien rule suspended Association says "impossible" 20 October deadline would prevent US students completing courses already begun The US Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) has formally requested the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to suspend the 20 October deadline for compliance with parts of its "alien flight-training rule" that apply to smaller general aviation aircraft. The law, which is intended to prevent foreign terrorists obtain ing flight training in the USA, may force US citizens who want to train as pilots to go through the same lengthy security clear ance process, according to AOPA president Phil Boyer. "TSA has set an impossible dead line for a rule that directly affects more than 650,000 US certificated pilots, 85,000 resident aliens with US pilot certificates, 93,700 flight students, 88,700 flight instructors and around 3,400 flight schools," says Boyer. If it were put into practice as written, the alien training rule would "hit every US pilot, flight training instructor and flight school" by preventing US flying UKRAINE ROTORS Privately owned Ukrainian heli copter manufacturer Aerocopter has developed a two-seat heli copter called the AK-1. The Subaru EJ-25-powered aircraft runs on petrol and has a take-off weight of 650kg (1,430lb) and empty weight of 370kg. The AK- 1 is being evaluated by Ukraine's Road Police, but is also aimed at the pipeline patrol, surveillance, search and rescue and training aircraft markets. The AK-1 is offered fully assem bled or as a kit, priced at €100,000 ($124,000) and €75,000, respectively. In an effort to highlight the operat ing practices of a number of heli copter companies, Spanish pilots union Sepia has pledged its support to pilots who cease flying once they "exceed this year's legal work limit of 2,000h". Spanish helicopter operators have expressed concern over Sepia's interpretation of actual fly ing time as a number of pilots are expected to reach the legal require ment this month. Sepia has accused some heli copter operators of "deliberately TRAINING CTC Aviation launches one- stop scheme The CTC Aviation Group has launched a pilot training system that enables it to provide a one- stop shop for ab initio or licensed pilots, whether part of an airline recruiting scheme or not. One enabling measure for the new system - to be known as the CTC Wings programme - is a major capital injection into its New Zealand flight training school, for merly McAlpine Aviation Training before it was acquired by CTC. CTC says it has reached an ignoring the flying conditions of their helicopters". The union sug gests that this neglect contributed to the fatal crash earlier this year of an emergency medical services helicopter in the Canary Islands. The operating contract, Sepia says, "clearly specifies that all med ical emergency flights must be operated with a fully type-certifi cated co-pilot. This flight was oper ated with a single pilot." The union is also stepping up its campaign against the use of former military equipment, authorised by students from completing training courses they have already begun, says AOPA (Flight International, 28 September-4 October). The rule would require US pilot trainees not only to prove their cit izenship, but to supply their addresses for the past five years, plus more personal information, and be charged $130 by the TSA for carrying out the checks. Boyer says AOPA knows this was not the intended effect of the Congressional legislation, but adds: "We have long experience of deal- agreement with the New Zealand government to use a 1.6Ha (4 acres) site at Hamilton international air port to build "a major new pilot training school" to be fully opera tional in early 2005, with classroom, the Spanish civil aviation authority for "restricted" use. "These are 20- to 30-year-old helicopters that have a higher accident rate than newer types," Sepia says. The union suggests the non-fatal accident in July of a Bell 205 fire- fighting helicopter "could have been avoided if the aircraft had the powerful engine of a more modern aircraft". Sepia has been accused by Spanish helicopter operators of opportunism. "It wants to gain vis ibility among helicopter pilots," ing with federal regulations. We know that, at some point, the most restrictive interpretation permitted by the letter of the rule is likely to be applied." AOPA's most immediate con cern is for student pilots approach ing the end of a course licensing them to fly aircraft of less than 12,5001b (5,000kg) take-off weight, because although the trainees may start their course before TSA checks have been completed, they cannot complete it without receiving clearance. briefing rooms, instrument flying training devices and a ramp for 22 aircraft. The fleet will consist of single- engined Diamond DA20s and twin diesel-powered DA42 Twin Stars. says an unnamed operator. "The talk about restricted operations has no other objective than getting into the media at a time when heli copter operators and Sepia are negotiating a new collective labour agreement," it says. There is a shortage of helicopter crews in Spain, the operator adds, and the action proposed by Sepia "will not create more posts for pilots, but reduce the activity of operators and ultimately make the employment environment more unstable," it says. INDUSTRIAL ACTION RAINER UPHOFF / MADRID Spanish union backs flying hours conformance CTC's fleet will include Diamond Aircraft DA42 Twin Stars 26 5-11 OCTOBER 2004 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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