Page 16 - Volume 12 Number 4

Undertaking LOC-I, New DC Air
Space Requirements and
FAA Authorization Bill Status
Meeting Set to Confront LOC-I
On April 24, in Washington, D.C., the NTSB will meet with government and industry leaders as part of the government-industry collaborative effort to undertake loss of control in ight (LOC-I) in general aviation. The meeting will include representatives from the FAA, industry associations, ight schools and technology manufacturers who will be part of three roundtable discussions on pilot training, cockpit technology and next steps needed to address problem areas.
LOC-I continues to be the leading cause for general aviation fatalities and is the only aviation-speci c recommendation on the NTSB’s Most Wanted List.
NTSB member Earl Weener said that so far, collaboration appears to be happening effectively; and that while it is too soon to say progress has been made, the number of LOC-I and fatal LOC-I accidents trended down in 2016, the latest full year of complete data.
The meeting is open to the public and also will be webcast live online at http://ntsb.capitolconnection. org, from 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.
New DC Airspace Flight Plan Requirements Effective March 29
The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) wants pilots to be aware of a NOTAM effective March 29, 2018 that will affect pilots operating in the DC airspace, including DCA Access Standard Security Program (DASSP) operators. On that date, pilots operating in the Washington DC Flight Restricted Zone (DC FRZ) must le ight plans through the FAA’s Washington Center Flight Data Unit (FDU), instead of ling a ight plan with the Washington Hub Automated Flight Service Station (Leidos AFSS), by calling 703-771-3476.
The new requirement applies to ights to, from and between all airports in the FRZ, including Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA), as well as College Park (CGS), Potomac Air eld (VKX) and Washington Executive/Hyde Field (W3Z) in Maryland. DASSP operators must now le their ight plans to or from DCA through the Washington Center FDU.
Heidi Williams, NBAA’s director of air traf c services and infrastructure said, “The FAA is changing the ight plan ling process in an effort to of oad services from
14 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
a contract Flight Service Station to FAA employees. Although the FAA conducted a risk analysis on the new procedure, the DASSP operations were not part of that analysis.”
The new requirement was published in FDC NOTAM 6/7196. Williams points out that this creates a compliance challenge as the existing procedure is currently codi ed in 14 CFR 93.343 and also 49 CFR 1562.3. The FAA is working to revise the regulations that require pilots to call Leidos AFSS to le DC FRZ ight plans.
Pilots operating VFR departing the FRZ who wish to request search and rescue services will have to le a ight plan separately with Leidos AFSS, in addition to ling with the Washington Center FDU.
“The existing ight plan ling procedures have been engrained in pilots ying in the DC FRZ for over a decade,” said Williams. “Since DCA operations were not fully considered as part of the change, NBAA is watching the transition very closely because of the security rami cations and possible operational impact on DASSP operators.”
The FAA has indicated subject matter experts who understand DC FRZ procedures will be onsite with Washington Center staff to ensure a smooth transition.
The NBAA asks any member who experiences challenges with the new procedure to advise NBAA’s Air Traf c Services of the concern by emailing airtraf c@ nbaa.org. NBAA will use the information to work with the FAA to ensure proper handling of ight plans in the DC FRZ.
Removal of ATC Privatization Provision from House FAA Bill Gains Appreciation from Aviation Organizations
On February 27, House Transportation and Infra- structure Committee Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pennsylvania) announced the provision for privatization of the U.S. air traf c control (ATC) system had been removed from the FAA Reauthorization Bill. He said that the proposed reform of ATC in H.R.2997 “did not reach the obvious level of support needed to pass Congress,” and he will now work with his colleagues on a reauthorization bill “to provide long-term stability for the FAA.”
by Kim Blonigen
APRIL 2018
AVIATION ISSUES