Iowa Winter 2001-2002 Aviation Bulletin The Airport Support Network program Bob Dickens AOPA Midwest Regional Representative In October 1997 the Aircraft Owners One of the objectives of the ASN master plans and issues of compatible land and Pilots Association (AOPA) an- program is not only to place a monitor on- use. Support includes expert counsel on nounced the launching of the Airport site to report problems, but also to work strategy and tactics to handle airport Support Network (ASN) volunteer locally to detect and deal with potentially issues, and informational materials to program. At that juncture, general troublesome issues before they get out of build public understanding and acceptance aviation airports were closing at the rate control and threaten the airport’s exist- of community airports. of nearly one per week across the country. ence. AOPA members rank the defense and That rate has been slowed somewhat, but AOPA’s greatest strength is the vast preservation of general aviation airports as we continue to experience closures of number of pilots who band together under one of the most important jobs of the general aviation airports at an unaccept- the AOPA banner for a common purpose. Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. able rate. Airports are crucial to general Under the ASN concept, that strength will For complete information on the aviation’s continued viability and future be mobilized to expand our watch over the Airport Support Network refer to the growth. nation’s general aviation airports. AOPA Web site or contact your AOPA Often, the general aviation community Appointments to the AOPA’s ASN regional representative. is totally unaware of what is going on program are for a period of one year and behind the scenes concerning its airport – renewable by the association. until it is too late to turn the tide. Know- To be appointed as an ASN volunteer, ing what is happening in the political the nominee must meet the following environment surrounding a local airport is criteria: of the utmost importance if we are going • have Internet and electronic mail Bulletin update to preserve our general aviation infrastruc- access; In the Fall Bulletin we ran a ture in the foreseeable future. The more • be nominated via the electronic story about AirLifeLineMidwest time available in which to counter nomination form found on the AOPA and the Iowa pilots who volunteer. negatives about a local airport, the higher web site (www.aopa.org); We also stated that pilots were the possibility of preserving the airport or • provide at least two letters of refer- needed for western Iowa. We avoiding restrictions. The AOPA Airport ence; received word that, as we knew Support Network provides the vehicle for • be a current AOPA member; and you would, you responded. WAY AOPA members to work in concert with • agree to the Conditions of Appoint- TO GO IOWA PILOTS! AOPA to establish that early warning ment (written agreement). system. The Airport Support Network reports In the same article, we wrote The goal of the ASN program is to to AOPA Regional Affairs and its Airport about Peter Teahan, a funeral have an ASN volunteer at every public- Department. A substantial portion of director from Cedar Rapids. It use airport working with the association. AOPA’s entire Government and Technical seems that flying volunteer AOPA will appoint one member who will Affairs Division is devoted to airport missions for AirLifeLineMidwest act as a volunteer and be the “eyes and issues. is not enough for Peter. We have ears” at every public-use airport across the The network of ASN volunteers learned that he also volunteered his United States. complements the 13 AOPA regional services for three weeks in New representatives around the nation who York following the Sept. 11 represent AOPA in their multi-state areas. tragedy. Peter, you make us AOPA will provide each network proud. participant with information and support for airport problems ranging from closure, curfews and airport noise issues to airport Director’s Both Senator Tom Harkin and Congressman Leonard Boswell Corner held town meetings in Iowa to address the concerns being voiced by the aviation community, specifically the general aviation Since the events of Sept. 11, every aspect of our lives has community. The general aviation community really rallied changed to some degree. As professionals in aviation, our work together, and for the first time, I felt a greater cohesiveness within life has changed drastically. We have gone from being proactive that group. marketers of our products and services to reacting to the latest The Office of Aviation implemented an e-mail “hot news” events and striving to maintain what we had. Security issues have distribution list to keep the aviation community informed. This become a daily aspect of our work. Advocacy of federal legisla- seems to be a valuable tool to the aviation community and we will tion has switched from protecting the current funding levels in continue to send e-mails as needed. If you are not on the distribu- AIR-21 to requesting new legislation to provide relief or support tion list, and wish to be, please e-mail Danielle at for the new demands on our operations and businesses. [email protected] with your name, e-mail address, I am proud of how quickly our airports were able to respond. title, and name of business, and she will add you to the “hot news” All commercial service airports were certified by the FAA to distribution list. resume operations within hours after the skies were opened to The Iowa Aviation Conference was a huge success! The Iowa commercial activity. The general aviation airports were quick to Public Airport Association took the lead on the conference this point out the effects of the continued closure to general aviation year and did an excellent job of broadening the scope of topics activity and began an immediate Congressional lobbying cam- covered. A special thank you to Mike Salamone, conference paign to open the skies again. manager, for all the work and time he put into making this The federal government has reacted quickly, and it seems conference a record-breaker in attendance. (See the pictures of there is a new bill introduced every hour to address the issues we the conference elsewhere in the Bulletin.) are facing with aviation, business, tourism and the economy. We have attempted to highlight some of the more relevant bills for your review in our legislative update column. Airport art to help others In July, Monticello Airport Manager Paul Elmegreen commis- sioned local artist Laura Larabee to create a painting for him. He wanted a painting of a huge eagle flying high in the sky. Laura’s target date for completion was Sept. 11. The coincidental timing has not been lost on anyone and it has made the painting even more special. Entitled “Clouds on the Horizon,” the painting has taken on special meaning for Laura, Paul and the community. Laura is selling 100 prints (12 inches by 16 inches) of the painting for $50 plus tax. The proceeds are going to the Red Cross. Photo courtesy of Angela Owen, editor, Monticello Express. 2 WINTER 2001-2002 IOWA AVIATION BULLETIN Annual Aviation Conference This year’s annual aviation conference was a huge success. Registrants totaled 209 for the two-day event and 21 exhibitors took the opportunity to meet with aviation representatives. Mike Salamone, IPAA secretary, was the conference manager. Mike received tremendous assistance from several associations and aviation supporters. Success is what happens when we all work together. These photos give you a glimpse of some of the happenings. Office of Aviation engineer Alan Beddow (center) explains some of the DOT’s programs. Mike Salamone (right) presents a door prize (Office of Aviation shirt) to a lucky attendee. (Clockwise from top left) Regional AOPA Representative Bob Dickens delivers Wednesday’s keynote address. Bill Rathert, of the Kiehl Hendrickson Group, stresses the importance of community education. KCCI-TV’S John McLaughlin discusses building good media relations. Panel from left: Wesley Olson (IAPGI/AECI), Dick Blum (Howard R. Green Co.), Scott Smith (IAPGI/AECI), Karen Connell (Independence Airport), Bill Flannery (Des Moines Airport), Bob Boleyn (Dubuque Airport), Michelle McEnany (Office Of Aviation), Bill Kyle (Charles City Airport), and Mike Salamone (IPAA). IOWA AVIATION BULLETIN WINTER 2001-2002 3 Aviation Association Update Iowa Space Grant Consortium The public is invited to attend the secretary/treasurer. Elected as new “The International presentation free of charge, although directors were Maurey Topf, John Space Station: An reservations are requested for the lun- Behrens of Oskaloosa, and Harry Miller Orbiting Outpost for cheon. For additional information on the of Des Moines. World Research and conference, visit the ISGC Evaluations turned in at the end of the Cooperation” will be the Web site at: Aviation Conference all pointed to a very topic of the invited www.public.iastate.edu/~isgc/. successful event. The conference had a address at the 11th Annual record 209 in attendance and many Iowa Space Grant Iowa Aviation Promotion Group participants felt that programs dealing Conference Friday, Dec. 7, at the Iowa The IAPGI with current issues, such as aviation Valley Community College District in had a significant security, were particularly valuable. Marshalltown. Craig P. Schafer of role in the very The IAPGI Board will meet again Science Applications International Corp. successful Iowa Nov. 9 at the Pella Municipal Airport to (SAIC) will deliver the address at 12:15 Aviation Conference held Oct. 10-11 at consider prospective host cities bidding to p.m. in Dejardin Hall. the Gateway Center in Ames. Chuck hold FLY IOWA 2003.