A Starting Guide for General Aviation (GA) Impacted Communities

prepared by Groton Ayer Buzz, 2/7/2024.
General aviation is non-commercial flight per the ICAO. This includes personal flight, flight training, aerobatics, private jets, helicopter flight, gliders, etc.. See detailed definition here. FAA’s airport categories can be found here.

Identify planes - airport information - pilot information

To identify aircraft flight tracking sites such as ADS-B exchange.
Get your own ADS-B station to track aircraft: https://flightaware.store/products/1090mhz-piaware-ads-b-kit
Look up aircraft at: https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/search/nnumberinquiry
Look up aircraft FAA tower counts (towered airports): https://aspm.faa.gov/opsnet/sys/airport.asp
Look up airmen: https://amsrvs.registry.faa.gov/airmeninquiry/
Look up FAA grants paid to airports: https://aspm.faa.gov/opsnet/sys/airport.asp
FAA’s LADD program that allows pilots to block tracking: https://www.faa.gov/pilots/ladd
FAA’s PIS program for ADS-B privacy: https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/technology/equipadsb/privacy
File a FOIA with FAA: https://www.faa.gov/foia
Airport Data: https://airnav.com/,
Waypoints for navigation – used by visual and instrument flyers: https://opennav.com/
File noise complaints automatically (ask to see if your airport is eligible): airnoise.io
Aviation database: https://aviationdb.net/aviationdb/AircraftDetailPage

Aircraft Ownership

Flight tracking apps and Airnoise buttons can only ID the aircraft’s N-number, make and model, registration, and owner. The owner is not necessarily the same person as the pilot. When the plane is owned by a corporation or LLC, it gets harder to narrow down who the pilot might be. Some aircraft owners lease their aircraft to flight schools for a discounted storage rate at the airport, or other mutually beneficial arrangement. Some flight schools lease aircraft from large institutional aircraft lease companies such a Christiansen Aviation.

FAA FARs (federal air regulations) related to flight training and recreational flying:

Minimum safe altitudes FAR 91.119. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-F/part-91/subpart-B/subject-group-ECFRe4c59b5f5506932/section-91.119
Aerobatic flight - FAR 91.303: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-F/part-91/subpart-D/section-91.303
Reckless Endangerment: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-F/part-91/subpart-A/section-91.13
https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2022/july/pilot/for-the-record-is-it-necessary

Responsibility and authority of the pilot in command

14 CFR 91.3
(a) The pilot in command of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of that aircraft.
(b) In an in-flight emergency requiring immediate action, the pilot in command may deviate from any rule of this part to the extent required to meet that emergency.
(c) Each pilot in command who deviates from a rule under paragraph (b) of this section shall, upon the request of the Administrator, send a written report of that deviation to the Administrator.

QC Close-Up: Communities in Colorado working to reduce noise and pollution from flight training

13 Tips for Successful Advocacy

From Counter Supervisor Joe Simitian (see more here)

Develop a relationship with the person (1 hour, 1 year, lifetime, etc.)
Understand what motivates your audience (e.g., member of his or her staff, friend;) and tell them why they care --
Understand what is possible and what is not possible
Find a floor manager (a person who will stay on this issue no matter what)
Joe Jackson Principle. “Tell them what you want.”
Bring them solutions, not problems (interest group agreement)
Describe the elements of a solution
Do not chastise, insult or threaten the Member or his/her staff
Sometimes less is more
Layer your campaign via different sources – not additive, expoential promotion
Woody Allen Corollary (persistence pays off).
Make it easy to say “yes”
The value of a “thank you.” – The Power of a Thank You Note