 Just
because there hasn’t been a major grounding of planes since
September 11, 2001, doesn’t mean that things are running
perfect. As pilots, we sometime become complacent. This is not
the time to let our guard down. We have moved on from 9/11 and
we will continue to move forward. There are occurrences that
could shake the entire General Aviation community. The
terrorists have set the stage and now all flying has changed for
the foreseeable future.There are Temporary Flight Restricted
(TFR) areas that must be respected by all pilots, if not, the
FAA will come down on us like a ton of bricks. Some pilots fail
to call a Flight Service Station for NOTAMS and TFR locations
before launching on that cross country flight (I am assuming a
pilot is well aware of any local TFR’s before he flies). Then
the pilot manages to bust into a TFR and then ringggggg… that
unwelcome call from FSDO. There is no excuse for stupidity. We
are being watched and graded.
A couple of areas in the country are just now becoming
available for flight. So it is not all back to normal, just yet.
You and I may be lucky that our sky is free; some Americans are
not as lucky. If sloppy flying continues, our freedom may
diminish. It is just another reason to STAY INFORMED. Contacting
your Congressman is sure not out of the question. He needs to
know your feelings and those of General Aviation pilots. Go to
the AOPA & EAA websites for updates. The Aero-News Network is an
excellent up to date source of aviation news. All of the sites
are on www.fly-low.com
as links give them a try.
My concern is mostly to protect my free sky. By doing so, I
hope you protect your free sky. If we do our job, we all win.
From the staff at Fly-Low Publications, we hope your 2003 the
best year ever.
|
