In an April 8 letter, the agency detailed a long list of areas it would be looking at on the fields, including signage and runway markings, areas of pavement undermined by ground squirrels, and weed issues on the edge of various paved areas.

The agency said it has been discussing the issues for years with the county but hasn’t seen much action. Reid-Hillview especially has been under neighbor pressure for years, and the county has said it wants to close the facility and build affordable housing on the site. The county has also banned the sale of leaded fuel at the airport to prevent exposure to neighboring residents.

• READ MORE: FAA Investigates Alleged Safety and Grant Violations at Reid-Hillview Airport

Reid-Hillview is a relatively busy regional airport with about 350 based aircraft and more than 500 movements a day on average, so the FAA said it needs to be properly maintained. It’s aksi a federally obligated airport in that it has received a total of $11.6 million from the government for various projects over the years, the most recent being a $46,692 grant for taxiway work in 2011. San Martin, which is much less busy, got $600,000 in 2021.

Taking the money requires the county “to maintain and operate its airport facilities safely and efficiently and in accordance with specified conditions,” the agency said. 

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

The post FAA Investigating Santa Clara County for Airport Maintenance Issues appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

This year marks the first time GA has a seat at the table as the committee has announced its intention to include a general aviation section in the bill.

Leaders from several GA organizations including the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), and National Air Transportation Association (NATA), testified before the committee during the March 9 hearing.

FAA Reauthorization comes up every four or five years, setting the stage for the FAA and aviation for the coming years. The bill includes all programs and policies by the FAA including airports, airlines, general aviation, business aviation, manufacturers, air traffic controllers, and autonomous vehicles.

• READ MORE: FAA Safety, Aircraft Certification Focus of Senate Hearing

A number of topics including the transition to unleaded fuels, workforce development, staffing shortages, airport funding, and aviation safety were discussed in Thursday’s testimony.

Much of the hearing focused on the overwhelming support of the Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) initiative—a major priority for the sector. During the testimony, concerns were raised about the rushed ban of 100 low lead (100LL) fuel before a universal alternative is widely available—as was the case at Santa Clara County. Delays in the availability of the currently promoted alternative fuels have created a gap between the supply and demand for those fuels.

• READ MORE: FAA Halts Investigation of Santa Clara County Fuel Ban

During his questioning, Rep. Scott Perry (R-Penn.) took issue with Santa Clara County’s decision to ban 100LL while accepting federal funds, calling it “offensive.” He argued that any airport taking federal funds should provide necessary services for pilots and shouldn’t compromise safety for what he described as “woke ideology.”

When asked what Congress can do to ensure more instances like Santa Clara County aren’t part of a wider trend, AOPA’s president Mark Baker insisted Congress can make sure airports don’t lose the availability of 100LL until there is a suitable, affordable replacement. He also encouraged Congress to allocate funds for supplemental type certificate (STC) holders in order to get fuel in the market faster. Baker also noted that the industry is on track to meet its goal to safely eliminate the use of leaded aviation fuel by the end of 2030.

Thursday’s testimony also addressed staffing shortages, most notably affecting the FAA, which has caused backlogs for things like aircraft certification, medicals, rulemaking, and designated pilot examiner (DPE) availability—a major setback in issuing new pilot certificates.

In his testimony, EAA CEO Jack Pelton called the DPE shortage a “crisis that needs to be addressed” and suggested Congress implement the DPE Reforms working group’s recommendation that DPE’s go to national oversight level rather than at the local flight standards district office level.

Another major takeaway from Thursday’s hearing was the aviation industry’s workforce challenges and how to recruit both qualified and underrepresented groups. Baker took the opportunity to tout the success of AOPA’s high school aviation STEM curriculum which is currently being utilized by 400 schools across the country and consists of 50 percent people of color and 25 percent females. Additionally, Baker noted that 70 percent of the first graduates of the program are actively pursuing an aviation career.

EAA has also been successful with its own Young Eagles program which has flown more than 2.3 million young people—introducing them to their first flights in general aviation.

Additionally, the National Center for the Advancement of Aviation (NCAA) bill was brought up during the hearing which would be instrumental in addressing workforce challenges. The NCAA would help shape a generation of new pilots, maintenance technicians, and aerospace engineers to promote aviation within the United States.

The House and Senate have until September 30 to draft a comprehensive new FAA Reauthorization bill.

The post Transition Away From Leaded AvGas on Track, GA Stakeholders Tell Congress appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Under the memorandum of understanding, the FAA agreed to halt its investigation of alleged grant assurance violations at Santa Clara County Airports for six months. Meanwhile, the county and its two airports—Reid Hillview Airport and San Martin Airport—will participate in a nationwide study to find best practices for an unleaded future. According to the memorandum, the county has 60 days to develop an action plan to address the common goal of operating the airports in a safe condition.

The new agreement comes more than a year after Santa Clara County became the first in the nation to ban leaded aviation fuel at its two airports—a move which drew backlash from several GA associations. Many argued that premature phasing out of 100LL would be a danger to pilots accidentally misfuelling their aircraft and have a significant impact on safety.

• READ MORE: 100LL Ban Takes Effect in Santa Clara County

According to Santa Clara County, “Despite the unavailability of leaded avgas for sale at the airports since January 2022, the number of general aviation operations and aircraft based at the airports has remained constant. The county is unaware of any safety incidents caused by the unavailability of leaded avgas for purchase since the transition.”

However, the county’s statement contradicts reports of at least one misfuelling and one accident related to the fuel ban—something that was brought up during a recent congressional hearing before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. 

Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pennsylvania) grilled Acting FAA Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety Dave Boulter on what the agency is doing about the ban and the safety issues bound to occur. “If you’re going to have a public airport you’ve got to provide the fuel and other services. Yet the FAA is allowing airports to ban the fuel for political reasons; it has nothing to do with science. What’s the FAA going to do about it?” Perry questioned.  

• READ MORE: Aviation Community Livid With Santa Clara County Over Looming 100LL Ban

The compromise between the FAA and Santa Clara County is a step forward in advancing the industry’s goal to achieve a lead-free future by 2030. According to the FAA, the demonstration project is set to begin later this year and will collect data and develop best practices as the country’s fleet of 200,000 piston aircraft transition to unleaded fuel.

 A small number of other GA airports will also participate in the demonstration project. The FAA also stated the county “will address airfield safety and land-use issues” at the two airports.

“The County and the FAA both want the County’s airports operating in the safest and most efficient manner, which includes eliminating the threat of lead exposure,” said Santa Clara County Counsel James R. Williams. “We look forward to working towards these shared goals with the FAA in a more collaborative fashion.”

The post FAA Halts Investigation of Santa Clara County Fuel Ban appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The county is the airport sponsor. The fuel ban is one on a laundry list of potential safety issues and alleged violations at the airport.

How this happened

On December 22, the FAA sent a letter to Eric Peterson, director of Santa Clara County Airports. The letter listed the complaints being investigated that allegedly rose from actions taken by the County—notably the decision to ban 100LL at both Reid-Hillview in San Jose and San Martin Airport (E16) in Morgan Hill. 

Read more: Aviation Community Livid With Santa Clara County Over Looming 100LL Ban

The ban was enacted last summer by a county resolution to “expeditiously eliminate lead exposures from operations at Reid-Hillview Airport (KRHV) in San Jose, and [pursue] any and all available paths to early closure prior to 2031.” The federal grant assurances state the airport is obligated to remain open until at least 2031.

The decision to ban 100LL was triggered by a study into blood lead levels (BLL) of local children. Supporters of the study maintain the airport is largely responsible for elevated levels. Others argue that the area is filled with older homes and businesses—and a water system—that were built at a time when lead was a common component in their construction.

The FAA expressed concern that the county has indicated that it will become the sole 94UL fuel provider at the airport, although the FAA has no proof that the county has the staff who have been trained in fueling practices.

The FAA also stipulates that the banning of 100LL will force about 40 percent of the aircraft that use the fuel to refuel elsewhere or possibly be refueled incorrectly—potentially resulting in an  uncommanded loss of engine power and subsequent accident.

In addition, the FAA maintains that the county’s refusal to allow the sale of 100LL violates the commerce clause in the U.S. Constitution.

Leases and signage challenges

The FAA also alleges the county is violating grant assurances by not offering long-term leases to four tenants at the airport with leases that expire soon. Instead, these businesses have been offered month-to-month leases, while another five businesses are not being allowed to renew their leases that expire at the end of the year. Some tenants and local pilots have described the county’s behavior as a “de facto means” of closing the airport by economically choking their operations.

Read more: Reid-Hillview Airport Battles Misconceptions

Federal authorities will also look into allegations of non-standard signage, overgrown vegetation, and wildlife issues that potentially create safety hazards at the airport.

What the county says

The county has a different view of events, noting that the Part 13 investigation is the latest shot fired in an ongoing skirmish between the FAA and the county of Santa Clara that goes back several years and can often be traced to remarks made during the public comment session of the board meetings.

For example, during a meeting on December 4, 2018, a suggestion was allegedly made that the airport be closed and the 180-acre site be redeveloped into housing. The FAA learned of this and sent a letter to the county reminding them of grant assurances that require the airport remain open until 2031, therefore the decision to close the airport for redevelopment was not going to be allowed to stand. The letter also remarked on potential safety issues created by “non-standard exit signs located at the southeast end of Runway 13L/31R.”

The county replied with a letter dated January 16, 2020, stating that the board did not decide to close the airport. The letter went on to state that some of the FAA’s concerns about signage had to do with signs that were approved by the FAA for installation.

Stay tuned

Local pilots, airport business owners, and county officials note these issues are ongoing. Normally, an airport sponsor has 30 days to respond to a Part 13 investigation, but given the seriousness of the allegations, the FAA has reduced the county’s response time to just 20 days, beginning on December 22.

The post FAA Investigates Alleged Safety and Grant Violations at Reid-Hillview Airport appeared first on FLYING Magazine.