Experimenter is a magazine created by EAA for people who build airplanes. We will report on amateur-built aircraft as well as ultralights and other other light aircraft.
Issue link: http://experimenter.epubxp.com/i/81495
News From HQ President Signs Pilot's Bill of Rights The nation's aviators received expanded due process protection in early August when President Barack Obama signed the Pilot's Bill of Rights (PBOR) text, after it had passed Congress. "We are very pleased for all aviators now that the Pilot's Bill of Rights has been signed into law," EAA President/CEO Rod Hightower said. "The legislation safeguards the rights of those who fl y and improves information availability in a number of areas. We appreciate all the efforts by those in Congress and elsewhere to make this a reality." The measure was sponsored by Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK). EAA and AOPA helped craft the issues that became key provisions of the bill and also gathered bipartisan support on Capitol Hill for the measure. One portion of the PBOR makes signifi cant changes to the enforcement procedures used against pilots by the FAA. Another portion addresses the medical certifi cation process, while the bill also involves improving how the FAA disseminates the information in notices to airmen, or NOTAMs. EAA Receives Van's RV-1 Van's Aircraft Founder Dick VanGrunsven formally handed over the plane that started it all—the RV-1—to Rod Hightower on AirVenture opening day. The aircraft, restored and donated to the EAA AirVenture Museum by the Friends of the RV-1 Inc., helped kick off the Salute to Van's 40th Anniversary. Van's has requested the airplane be kept airworthy. FAA Issues Draft Residential Through-the-Fence Policy The FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 signed into law last February included authorization for GA airports to enter into access agreements with residential property owners adjacent to or near the airport—Residential Through-the-Fence (RTTF). This past week, the FAA published an RTTF revision that complied with the new law and addressed two specifi c sections for which EAA sought clarifi cation from the FAA Airports Division: • (2)(B)(iii) To maintain the property for residential, non-commercial use for the duration of the agreement; and • (2)(B)(v) To prohibit any aircraft refueling from occurring on the property. EAA successfully fought to ensure that RTTF homeowners would continue to have the same rights as on-airport aircraft owners, including self-fueling and self-maintaining their aircraft, and contracting with any repairman, A&P; mechanic, or other aircraft maintenance experts to maintain their aircraft in the safest condition possible. This win for GA airports was the result of a three-year effort by EAA and the RTTF Airport Working Group. The new policy will allow for single- or multifamily dwellings; duplexes; apartments; primary or secondary residences even when colocated with a hangar, aeronautical facility, or business; hangars that incorporate living quarters for permanent or long- term use; and time-share apartments for variable occupancy of any term to have controlled direct access to the airport for fl ying. 8 NO. 1 / SEPTEMBER 2012