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Meet The Boss Session Highlights Day Six
Garvey Cites AVweb’s Influence On FAA’s Ticketing Program Decision
Saturday, FAA administrator Jane F. Garvey held
her "Meet The Boss" session at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. She obviously came
prepared and the first topic of significance in her opening remarks was the ticketing
program. which she addressed, saying, "I know a number of you have been very
concerned about that...did I hear a yes?" She continued "...we’ve heard a
lot from people...that have given us pause. We had a wonderful...I thought, a very good
meeting last week where industry came in...and identified both concerns they had with the
programs and suggestions to get at the two issues that were raised in terms of
streamlining and in terms of capturing the right information."
Garvey then noted, "All of the comments were in by last Friday, the
31st...we’re going to be looking at those over the next couple of weeks, and I can
promise you we’re taking those issues very, very seriously. We’re looking at
what actions we should take either to modify the program or just to re-think it."
Garvey then singled out the ticketing program editorial, "Why The Big Fuss Over FAA
Ticketing?",
written by AVweb editor-in-chief Mike Busch for special mention. "I want to
point out one item...I read in AVweb, Mike Busch I think wrote a terrific...that
was a great column, a great couple of pages on both the perspective of what the ticket
program...both why we were trying to do it and then some real concerns, and (taking note
of Mike Busch in the audience) I thought what was terrific about that article is that you
had some very specific suggestions for improvement, so I really appreciate that." She
said her staff would be examining those suggestions and others over the next ten days or
two weeks. "I heard you...we heard you...and I promise you we’ll take those
issues very, very seriously and thank you again for getting all of that in."
Garvey Surprisingly Well-Received in "Meet The Boss" Session
Besides the contentious issue
of the ticketing program, Garvey also responded in a positive fashion on a number of other
issues that were raised, generally receiving high marks for her performance. With the loud
support of those in the hall to back him up, Bill Bainbridge challenged her to make the
FAA deliver on its promise of a letter exonerating him of alleged misdeeds in his ongoing
battle with the FAA over his B&C alternators that are uncertified and installed via
the field approval process. In an emotional speech, Bainbridge asked for the FAA to
withdraw its enforcement action against him, and Garvey publicly instructed the FAA's
Deputy Chief Counsel, James Whitlow to take care of it, then went further, meeting with
Bainbridge and Whitlow afterwards in an attempt to put the matter to rest. Unfortunately,
her best efforts backfired when it turned out that the letter
prepared by FAA counsel concluded with an obvious threat, instead of a much-needed
apology. Bainbridge's saga continues, but there is no question now that it has attention
at the highest levels.
NOTE: AVweb includes additional details of the Bill
Bainbridge story and photos of Bainbridge and Garvey.
Listen to Bainbridge and Garvey as if you had been there via AVweb's
RealAudio feed.
Get the FREE RealAudio
player.
Pilot Database Issues Raised
Another
issue of significance that was raised at the session was the privacy question and access
to the pilot database. AVweb's Mike Busch and then King School's Martha King both
raised the issue of the FAA’s sudden decision to start withholding airman address
information after making that information available to industry for decades. Many have
accused the FAA of a knee-jerk reaction and of throwing out the baby with the bath water.
We’ve had two categories of comments on that...those folks who say ‘this is a
mistake, you’ve always done it, keep doing it.’ We’ve also had a group of
folks saying ‘you know, we’re not really comfortable with our names going
out’ and so forth, so it’s been mixed. There’s been a suggestion made —
and this by the way is in legislation now before congress — that we set up some sort of a
voluntary process. We’re watching that legislation and very well aware of it, and
will continue to watch it. We’d have to do a lot of administrative work to handle
something like that, but certainly if that’s our direction, that’s certainly how
we will go."
Lots More from "Meet the Boss"
After brief introductory
remarks, Garvey fielded questions for a good 45 minutes. AVweb includes a complete report on the entire session, from start to
finish and it includes all significant questions asked and answered.
Listen to the "Meet The
Boss" session as if you had been there via AVweb's RealAudio feed.
Get the FREE RealAudio
player.
If You're Fueling This Malibu,
You Don't Want The Gas Blue
Owners of Piper Malibus and
Mirages had something to consider this morning. Wait a few years of the New turboprop
Piper Meridian or consider converting their existing plane to a turboprop. JetProp LLC of
Spokane, Wash. announced received their STC for the JetProp DLX engine conversion for the
PA-46 series. It was brought to the show on the Administrator's jet and presented to
JetProp at their booth.
The combination of the Malibu/Mirage airframe and the Pratt & Whitney PT-6A-34
turbine creates one of the faster singles on the market. The claimed speeds put the
airplane in the class with the Aerospatiale TBM 700 and Pilatus PC-12 at about a fourth of
the cost. Reported performance numbers are impressive. Rate of climb goes from 1220 fpm in
the piston model to 2200 fpm with the conversion, cruise speed goes from 225 knots to 270
knots, while stall speeds dirty and clean remain the same.
Darwin Conrad, President and CEO of JetProp LLC, said the STC process took four years
and cost almost $1million. "We already have a significant amount of orders for the
conversion" he said, but declined to proved any numbers. JetProp expects the
conversion, priced at $589,000, to take about 12 weeks. Rocket Engineering, also in
Spokane and also led by Conrad, performs the conversions.
Now Your Katana Can Take 3 Pax Into The Clouds
Katana announced
today that they plan to deliver their long-awaited four-place IFR single in the first
quarter of 2000. The DA40 is based on the DA20's familiar all composite, T-tail design,
but the trademark bubble canopy has been shortened to a smaller canopy that feathers into
wrap-around windows for the rear seats. Front passengers board through the canopy, while
rear passengers board through a separate door located on the left side. Behind that is a
baggage compartment. The airplane will be offered with standard VFR and IFR packages,
electric flaps and a 21 gallon fuel tank in each wing.
Diamond is planning on offering a Continental IO-360, but they're still gathering input
from customers about how much horsepower it should develop. No price can be set until an
engine decision is made. If you're interested and you'd like to comment, Diamond can be
reached at their
web site.
Warbird Jet Crash Kills One
Shortly after 0900 Sunday morning a CASA Saeta jet trainer crashed in a
residential area of Oshkosh one-half mile northeast of Steve Wittman Field. A female
passenger in the two-seat warbird was killed when the airplane, piloted by Edward Snyder
of Lafayette, Ind., made a forced landing while on approach to runway 27. Snyder was taken
to Mercy Hospital where he is reported in serious condition with burns. The passenger
remained unidentified at press time.
Eric Tesch, age 13, was watching from his house on Doty Street when he saw the airplane
come down. "It looked like it was trying to land," he said, "Then it hit a
telephone pole and came down and hit the neighbor's yard, then it hit our yard and slid
down the street. There was a big explosion and a burst of flames all over."
The right wing separated from
the fuselage and debris was strewn half a city block south of the wreckage. Although the
telephone pole was on the west curb, indicating the airplane was still to the west on
initial impact with the obstacle, the pilot managed to maneuver the airplane to the center
of the narrow street. There were no ground casualties or damage to any of the nearby
houses in the densely populated residential area. The airplane spun around approximately
135 degrees counter-clockwise and came to rest in an intersection before bursting into
flames.
Residents rushed out to spray the wreckage with household fire extinguishers and garden
hoses. "They were using baseball bats to try to get the lady out," said Tesch.
"The neighbors responded immediately, before rescue personnel could arrive,"
AirVenture Chairman Tom Poberezny noted. "They should be given recognition for
that." Poberezny also commended the pilot for his actions in steering the airplane
away from houses. "The reports of witnesses have the common thread that validates
(the pilot's skill). It's also validated by reality in that there was a very confined
damage pattern that can only be accomplished with direction. Someone used the term 'hero'
earlier today. It's a term that can be misused and abused but is appropriate in this
case."
 AVweb's OSH '98 communications radios
provided courtesy of ICOM America. |
Brent Blue, M.D. visits with Dr. John Jordan, who as Federal Air Surgeon holds the
medical Sword of Damocles over every airman. Jordan has overseen major changes in medical
certification which went into effect in September, 1996. He also appointed the first new
Director of the Civil Aviation Medical Institute (CAMI) in over two decades. Brent asks
some of the questions you’ve wanted to and gets some unexpected answers.
We're still snapping photos with our
digital cameras and we've another few dozen shots from
around EAA AirVenture for your enjoyment, along with our acclaimed captions to
accompany them.
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