ON THE FLY

1. HAVE YOU SWITCHED FROM PAPER TO PLASTIC?

The FAA is reviewing comments on a proposal that would require pilots to replace their paper pilot certificates with tamper-resistant plastic certificates. The final rule is expected to be released early next year, and it's anticipated that pilots will have two years to make the change.

Beat the rush by requesting a plastic pilot certificate online. You should keep your paper certificate, with your original issuance date, for your records, because your plastic certificate will have a new issue date. Ordering a new certificate costs $2, but if you want the FAA to remove your Social Security number from the certificate or its records, you can get a plastic certificate for free.

2. USAF Once Again Orders F-15s
Grounded 452 Planes Must Be Inspected

As ANN reported, the Air Force grounded all F-15s, including newer F-15E Strike Eagles, following the November 2 downing of a Missouri Air National Guard F-15C. Investigators say in-flight structural failure was the cause of that crash; the single pilot onboard was able to eject, suffering non-life-threatening injuries in the process.

Air Force officials allowed F-15Es to resume active duty assignements in Iraq and Afghanistan November 14; older models were allowed to resume flying November 21... but now, officials say the ongoing investigation into what brought the Missouri ANG Eagle down has revealed a potential problem through the F-15 fleet.

Investigators are concerned with longerons -- or metal rails -- that hold the F-15 fuselage together. Those parts were flagged by investigators early on, as officials ordered the entire fleet of F-15s inspected for possible air frame fatigue damage.

The latest grounding applies to 452 older F-15s -- more than 60 percent of the USAF Eagle fleet -- until each is inspected, and possibly repairedWell, that didn't last long. One week after the US Air Force lifted its grounding of the oldest F-15 Eagle fighters in its fleet, on Wednesday the jets were grounded once again -- due to what officials termed "possible fleet-wide airworthiness problems."

3. Aircraft Accidents in Arizona during the month of October, 2007

Preliminary	Green Valley, AZ	Cessna 172N	N6291D Nonfatal
Preliminary	Strawberry, AZ	Cessna 150D	N4570U Nonfatal
Preliminary	Prescott, AZ	Cessna 172L	N9897G Nonfatal
Factual	Glendale, AZ	Cessna 172R	N9914F Nonfatal
Factual	Mesa, AZ	Maule M-5-235-C	N5644N Nonfatal
Preliminary	Phoenix, AZ	Piper PA-28-181	N309PA Nonfatal

4. ADS-B Comment Period Extended (Broadcast Automatic Dependent Surveillance)
http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/service_units/enroute/surveillance_broadcast/

The transition from radar to ADS-B is expected to take more than 13 years and may cost you, personally, close to $9,000. The FAA is now giving you an extra 60-days to add your thoughts on its Notice of Proposed Rule Making -- the comment deadline is now March 3. Currently, some forecasts expect the transition to cost the average aircraft owner about $9,000 in necessary equipment upgrades should ADS-B compliance become mandatory, as planned by 2020.

All aircraft flying within Class B and C airspace and above 10,000 feet would need to carry the equipment. On the whole, the FAA predicts that the industry faces a projected investment of between $1.27 billion and $7.46 billion.

With those costs in mind, AOPA petitioned the FAA to add a 60-day extension to the comment period so that more research may be employed regarding the financial feasibility and impact of a mandatory equipment upgrade and effective long-term oversight of a contracted ADS-B program. For more information, click here (PDF document)

5. EAA'S PUSH FOR NEW HOMEBUILT RULES

The Experimental Aviation Association is seeking to expand channels that would allow aircraft enthusiasts to build and fly their own airplane while participating less in that aircraft's construction process. The organization's latest push "supports the revision of the existing experimental 'Primary Kit Built' category to make this certification category readily available to consumers that desire to build their own personal aircraft without a restriction on the amount of commercial assistance they receive." The FAA has indicated that a new policy statement regarding amateur-built rules may be forthcoming in the new year. Note that EAA's board of directors last week voted to preserve existing amateur-building in support of "the 51-percent rule," which very appropriately allows certification in the experimental category for any aircraft built at least 51 percent by its owner. EAA says its new drive is simply pushing for FAA approval of alternatives for kit manufacturers and their customers. More...

6. Four Killed in Minnesota SR22 Crash

A Cirrus SR22 was on its second try to land at the Faribault airport in southern Minnesota on Sunday afternoon when it flipped over and burst into flames by the side of the runway. All four on board were killed. The pilot, Dr. Chester W. P. Mayo, 51, was a descendant of one of the founders of the famed Mayo Clinic. The others on board were his 17-year-old son and two of his friends, who were on their way back to school after the holiday. Winds were gusting at up to 20 knots, but officials weren't speculating as to whether that was a factor in the crash, and also didn't say why the pilot had aborted his first landing attempt. The airplane had departed from Aberdeen, .D. "There's very little left [of the airplane]," Faribault Police Chief Dan Collins told the Associated Press on Sunday

7. Another quiz on Ramp Checks by the FAA
http://www.avweb.com/cgi-bin/programs/quiz.cgi/brain/quiz0127.html

8. LOTT RESIGNS; IMPACT ON FAA FUNDING ISSUE UNCLEAR
Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.), the ranking member of the Senate aviation subcommittee, announced his retirement on Nov. 26. And the first question to pop into some pilots' minds was: What does this mean for the user fee fight? That's because Lott and Sen. John D. Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), aviation subcommittee chairman, are co-authors of S.1300, the Senate FAA funding bill that includes a $25 per flight user fee. "At this point, we don't expect that the Senate will act on FAA funding before the end of the year," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "And before any action on the bill, the Republican leadership will likely appoint a new ranking member to replace Lott on the aviation subcommittee. We don't know whom that will be yet, and it leaves open the question of whether Rockefeller will have the strong Republican support for user fees that he had with Lott." Read more on AOPA Online

9. AOPA Close to Home ~
AOPA VISITS PHOENIX TO DISCUSS SUPER BOWL PREPARATIONS
It will soon be Super Bowl time in Glendale, Ariz., but AOPA is working to make sure local airports around Phoenix don't ignore based pilots just to cash in on the big event. AOPA Manager of State Legislative Affairs Joey Colleran and AOPA Western Regional Representative Stacy Howard visited Glendale Municipal Airport this week to encourage airport officials to accommodate local pilots during the anticipated influx of Super Bowl air traffic. AOPA previously pointed out that the airport has accepted federal funding and must remain open and accessible to pilots who operate at the airport for business and pleasure. Although more remains to be done, airport officials have made efforts to work with tenants in order to accommodate visitors during the Super Bowl.

10. SKYCATCHER TO BE BUILT OVERSEAS
Cessna Aircraft has signed a deal to build its light sport Cessna 162 SkyCatcher at Shenyang Aircraft Corp. in Shenyang, China. The 56-year-old commercial and military fighter aircraft company has 16,000 employees. The company, located some 500 miles northeast of Beijing, will assemble the SkyCatcher while Cessna will design it, assure it meets the light sport aircraft standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials, and provide on-site personnel to oversee manufacturing, quality assurance, and technical design. Read more on AOPA Online.

11. Airports within 200 NM of CHD There are 122 of them.