Digging Out, Getting Out

April 2017 - Whether you are a Canadian snowbird returning from your winter home or someone who stays put and “enjoys” the snow, you are probably ramping up your plans for the new flying season. The SUN ’n FUN report in this month’s issue should fire you up, too.

Discovering a significant drop in subscribership to Bits and Pieces was a distinct shock this month, but very few of the subscribers had actually dropped their subscription knowingly. In a separate article I have gone into some detail, but I’ll repeat the plea here to have your friends check their e-mail addresses with EAA. It seems that the main problem is bouncing e-mail addresses, not people cancelling their subscriptions. If you lead an organization such as a chapter or local pilot group, you might help your friends by forwarding this month’s issue of Bits and Pieces, so they can read this reminder to check the e-mail address that they have on file for Bits and Pieces. More than 700 e-mail addresses are currently suspended because of bouncing!

We received the following update from Tom Charpentier about EAA’s discussions with the FAA about Canadian recreational pilots flying in the United States:

Our meeting in D.C. last month was cut short by the snowstorm that hit the area, and we were unable to have the meeting we were hoping for. We remain in contact with our friends at FAA Flight Standards and plan to re-engage with them now that they are home from SUN ’n FUN next week. I spoke with Kathy Lubitz last week, and she gave me some great background. Long story short, the SFA guidance was written over the course of several decades as new rules came to light and never really updated. So there is a real opportunity for streamlining and clarity.

“Regarding reciprocity with Transport Canada — yes, we’d absolutely like to make this happen, but our experience with TC is limited to an airports issue we worked a few years ago. We’ll likely need to lean on our counterparts north of the border to help in this advocacy process but we’re ready and willing to work. If we can get the FAA to move unilaterally, we would consider that a short-term win since that amounts to half of the battle and would hopefully provide impetus for TC to move in kind.

SUN ’n FUN International Fly-In & Expo marks the end of your editor’s winter trip to Florida. I’m looking forward to getting back to some exciting flying events in Canada. This year it will be the long drive, since I decided to winter my RV-9A in a friend’s hangar.

If you are working on a project that your fellow pilots would be interested in, why not submit an article to me via e-mail. All you need to do is e-mail the body of the text and attach a few photos, ideally with suggested captions, and your EAA membership number, which we like to associate with your name.

Have a safe and happy flying season!