Here are the minutes from the meeting of the Arizona Flight Training Workgroup held June 8, 2011, at the Flight Standards District Office in Scottsdale, Arizona:
June Bonesteel – DPE
– Has 6 seminars upcoming
- PPL, IR, CFI, FIRC
– Briefing from DPE meeting
- Go-arounds were discussed. During the DPE meeting the issue of go-arounds being grounds for an unsat on check rides was raised. Except for one person, it was unanimously agreed that if an applicant has a good reason for a go-around, they should not be penalized within reason (ex: multiple go-arounds with the same problem, etc.)
Changes to FAA written exam test questions
– FOI, ATP and FE written exams have seen a drastic rise in failures since new questions were implemented in February. AOPA and NAFI have been working with the FAA toward a solution. FAA has recently decided to remove 6 questions and review another 12 from the FOI. If a student had failed the FOI and it was a direct result of incorrectly answering those 6 questions, the student will receive a passing grade if their score is raised above the 70% level and have the failure expunged from his/her record. For more information, visit the AOPA website.
Greg Blunk – Gateway Tower Manager
– The proper use of callsigns has become a recurring problem with the GA community. Controllers are being informed from the FAA during reviews that pilots must read back their full callsign, including their type/N number on initial contact and their callsign with the type/N number followed by the last three digits/letters on subsequent communications with the tower. This has caused too much frequency saturation and your help in addressing this issue with your students and co-workers is appreciated.
- Acceptable initial call up:
- Cherokee 123AB is 10 miles east, inbound for a full stop with ATIS sierra …….
- N 123AB is 10 miles east, inbound for a full stop with ATIS sierra …….
- Acceptable subsequent communications:
- 30C, cleared to land Cherokee 3AB
- 30C, cleared to land N 3AB
- Unacceptable initial call up:
- 123AB is 10 miles east, inbound for a full stop with ATIS sierra …….
- 123AB is 10 miles east, inbound for a full stop with ATIS sierra …….
- Unacceptable subsequent communications:
- 30C, cleared to land 3AB
- 30C, cleared to land 3AB
– New KIWA IFR departure procedures have all aircraft departing off of the 30 runways turning right to a heading 120 degrees and up to 4000 feet due to new MVA’s in the area. This shouldn’t impact the hold over IWA for GA aircraft, but issues may arise and GA pilots are reminded to maintain situational awareness.
– New MVA’s have resulted in the VOR C into KSDL being denied more often. Please contact KIWA tower if you are denied this approach and are still in KIWA’s airspace or before re-entering KIWA’s airspace.
– Helicopters operating Taxiway C (east side of the airport) have reported fixed wing aircraft drifting off the centerline of 30R/12L and overflying Taxiway C while the helicopters are operating in closed traffic. Reemphasis on proper ground track procedures with students and instructors would help with this.
– Class C committee has been formed for KIWA. They haven’t met yet
Kate O’Malley – Scottsdale Airport
– ‘Scottsdale Aviation Days’ is returning for the first time since 2000 on November 5th and 6th. More information available on Scottsdale airport’s website about signing up.
– Noise complaints are up at KSDL. 500 complaints in the first quarter of 2011. Pilots are urged to comply with noise abatement procedures also available on KSDL’s website.
Unpublished approaches
– Pilots that use unpublished approaches are reminded that not all pilots know where they are doing their instrument practice. Most flight schools do not use these approaches and are unaware of the altitudes and location of the fixes that are being used during these approaches. VFR calls are recommended (ex: Bonanza 68L is 5 miles east of the Buckeye VOR at 3000 feet heading eastbound on the VOR approach) to pilots doing these unpublished approaches in order to allow VFR aircraft to identify their general location. Approaches that were mentioned where the unpublished VOR approaches off of the Buckeye VOR and Gila Bend VOR, as well as the Localizer Back Course for Runway 23 into KCGZ and the KCKY NDB approach into P08.
– Recommendations include having a section of the AFTW website for instructors to review these procedures as well as putting the approach paths back on the practice area maps in a different color. Both these recommendations counteract previous discussions and actions within the group, but a workable solution must be sought after and a compromise must be reached in the interest of safety.
Attendance for this months meeting was down from the last meeting and it is requested that everyone tries to make the next meeting on Wednesday, August 3rd at the Scottsdale FSDO at 9:30 am. Attendees are as follows:
June Bonesteel – DPE
Brian Conmy – UND Aerospace
Travis Trenler – Trans Pac
Jeffery Duncan – Trans Pac
Ryan Brown – Trans Pac
Kate O’Malley – Scottsdale Airport
Greg Blunk – Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Tower
David Kitts – Phoenix Helicopter
Jeff Karch – CFI
Jeff Baber – Suncounty