SALT LAKE CITY DEPARTMENT OF AIRPORTS
GENERAL AVIATION NEWS
VOL. 12, ISSUE 10 OCTOBER 2004
SLCIA EAST SIDE RAMP ASPHALT REHABILITATION ROWS 10-12
Asphalt around General Aviation hangar rows 10-12 has been rehabilitated or replaced.
Rows 21 and 28 are currently under re-construction, which will last until October 3rd.
Corporate Aviation hangars on corporate cove at Salt Lake City International Airport will
have the taxi-lane to their hangars under construction 4-10 October. They will have
limited access to their hangars during that time. Contact Steve Jackson, the General
Aviation Manager (647-5532) for alternate tie-down space.
RUNWAY 17-35 TO TEMPORARILY CLOSE
Runway 17-35 at Salt Lake City International Airport will be closed for interim asphalt
repairs from 2000L Sunday, October 3rd until Sunday the 10th of October. Runway 1432 will remain open for aircraft operations.
ALCOHOL AND AVGAS JUST DON’T MIX
Friends don’t let friends fly drunk, of course. And most pilots don’t let themselves fly drunk.
But there could be pressure from non-pilot friends to cheat on the eight-hour rule just a little.
Alcohol, unfortunately, has been a big contributor to accidents in the medical factors category
over the years. Statistics from the AOPA Air Safety Foundation for the period from 1985
through 1994 prove it. In the early part of that time period there were more then 30 accidents
per year in which alcohol was listed as a cause or factor. In 1994, the yearly number dropped
into the teens, and hopefully the trend has continued: No data is available after 1994 because
of a change in recordkeeping at the National Transportation Safety Board.
The regulation is clear. FAR 91.17 says, “No person may act or attempt to act as a
crewmember of a civil aircraft within eight hours after the consumption of any alcoholic
beverage; while under the influence of alcohol; while using any drug that affects the person’s
faculties in any way contrary to safety; or while having 0.04 percent by weight or more alcohol
in the blood.” If one is still under the influence nine hours after having a few drinks, then one
can’t legally fly.
The regulations also say that pilots can’t fly someone else who is drunk. FAR 91.17 continues
with this admonition: “Except in an emergency, no pilot of a civil aircraft may allow a person
who appears to be intoxicated or who demonstrates by manner or physical indications that the
individual is under the influence of drugs (except a medical patient under proper care) to be
carried in that aircraft.” Again, that regulation may be difficult to explain to one’s non-pilot
friends, assuming they are inclined to overindulge during that evening meal one flew them to.
They want to go home in the airplane… drunk or not. Better to find more understanding
friends, at least for social activities involving flying.
The AIM offers good advice on the use of alcohol that goes beyond what the regulations
require. “As little as one ounce of liquor, one bottle of beer, or four ounces of wine can impair
flying skills, with the alcohol consumed in these drinks being detectable in the breath and blood
for at least three hours, “ the AIM states. And don’t forget the hangover. A person may adhere
to the time requirements for alcohol consumption but still be impaired by the aftereffects. Even
a small amount of alcohol makes one more susceptible to disorientation and hypoxia. Yes, the
regulations say that one can fly eight hours after drinking, but the AIM suggests waiting 12 or
even 24 hours, depending on the amount of alcohol consumed.
HELPFUL POINTS OF CONTACT
For GA operational, facilities maintenance, aviation, airfield and SLC Title 16
questions call: Steve Jackson, General Aviation Manager, 647-5532 or e-mail at
steve.jackson@slcgov.com.
For hangar lease and repair questions call: Johnathan Liddle, Properties
Management Specialist, at 575-2894 or e-mail at jonathan.liddle@slcgov.com.
For aviation security questions call: Connie Proctor at 575-2401.
For gate access problems call: Airport Control Center at 575-2401.
For emergencies call: at SLCIA, 575-2405 at TVY or U42, 911 then 575-2405
For common General Aviation information call the GA Hotline: 575-2443
--SAFETY FIRST-Do NOT Fuel
Or Start Aircraft
Inside of Hangars!
UPCOMING EVENTS
The first Sunday of each month Dave Coats’ Air Center of Salt Lake holds a flyin/drive-in breakfast at Airport II. The company is great and donations are welcome.
The Utah Airport Operators Association (UAOA) fall conference will be held in
Kanab, UT October 7-8. For more information visit the website at www.uaoa.org.
WESTMINSTER TO HOST NIFA COMPETITION AT SL AIRPORT II
Westminster College will host a western region National Intercollegiate Flying
Association (NIFA) competition at Salt Lake Airport II October 17-22. Student flying
teams from five schools will compete against each other in flight, navigation, aircraft
preflight, and flight planning events. The flying event competition will take place on
Wednesday October 20th and Friday October 22nd. Operations at Airport II will not
be significantly impacted.
Precision landing chalk or lime “tick marks” will be applied at intervals to both ends
of runway 16-34 for practice and competition as early as October 4th.
A NOTAM will be issued advising pilots of the flying competition activities.
CHECK WITH THE PERSON IN THE MIRROR BEFORE THE FLIGHT
You don’t need a crystal ball to make the determination about whether you are
medically fit to fly. Just look in the mirror. If you see bleary eyes or detect distress
developing in your intestinal region, issue your own medical “grounding slip” and
delay or cancel your flight.
The FAA’s recent sport pilot rule highlights the responsibility of pilots to assess their
own medical status prior to every flight. The rule allows pilots to operate lowperformance airplanes, such as Piper J-3 Cubs or Aeronca Champs, with only a
valid driver’s license in lieu of a medical certificate “as long as there hasn’t been a
denial of a medical certificate or a withdrawal of a special-issuance authorization.”
But there’s a catch. FAR 61.53 says that all pilots, regardless of medical certification
requirements, are solely responsible for determining whether a medical condition
could compromise the safety of any individual flight. “While there’s not a reporting
requirement… any required reporting is done at the time of the next scheduled
medical renewal… it is still the responsibility of the pilot to self-ground if necessary,”
According to FAR 61.53, a pilot who “knows or has reason to know” of a medical
condition that could risk safety, cannot act as pilot in command or required flight
crewmember. FAR Part 67 offers guidance in the form of 15 mandatory
disqualifying conditions but individual pilots make the final decision.
Just as pilots assess weather conditions before every flight so too should they
assess their own medical conditions to weigh any potential risk. Side effects of
medication, the flu, a bout of depression, any of these conditions and many others
warrant reconsidering the flight.
Look in the mirror prior to each flight and do the safe thing.
VFR APPROACHES TO UNFAMILIAR AIRPORTS
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Prior to flight into an unfamiliar airport, obtain the runway layout from the
airport/facility directory, AOPA’s Airport Directory, or airport diagrams posted
on AOPA Online (www.aopa.org/members/airports).
Lay out a sectional chart to look at how the traffic patterns sit in relation to
surrounding terrain, nearby VORs or other navaids, and your direction of
arrival. Draw your planned arrival on the chart if it helps you visualize the
flow. Establish a key entry point for each traffic pattern.
Obtain the AWOS or ATIS weather information, or call for an airport advisory
as far out as possible when approaching the airport to determine the wind
direction and runway in use.
Maneuver to the key point for the runway in use. Ensure that you have
contacted the tower prior to entering Class D airspace.
If flying into a Class B or C primary airport, expect vectors or requests to
position yourself over a given checkpoint (usually printed on the sectional
chart) prior to making your approach to the airport.
AND AT NON-TOWERED AIRPORTS
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Select the correct CTAF.
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State the identification of the UNICOM station; i.e., the airport, which you’re
using. This could be the most important part of the transmission when you
have several airports in an area on the same UNICOM frequency. Other
pilots need to know precisely which airport you intend to use. Suggested
practice is to begin and end each announcement with the airport’s name.
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Speak distinctly. AC 90-42F also says to speak “slowly,” but don’t
misinterpret that, because other people are waiting to use the frequency.
Speak slowly enough that your words are not slurred together but quickly
enough that others won’t be agitated over the time you’re taking. A good
cadence will come with practice and from listening to others.
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When inbound, call on UNICOM or on MULTICOM about 10 miles from the
airport, report your altitude, aircraft type, tail number, location relative to the
airport, and whether you’re landing or over flying. Request wind information
and runway in use. Monitor the AWOS if available. When departing an
airport, request wind and runway information or monitor AWOS before
beginning your taxi-out. UNICOM operators from the airport will usually say
“local traffic in the pattern” when they respond to either an inbound or
outbound announcement, but if you don’t hear that, you can always ask how
many are in the pattern, bearing in mind that this can and probably will
change any minute.
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When inbound, report when you enter downwind, base, and final.
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Report when you are off the active runway after landing, indicating to others
in the pattern that the runway is available for use. When outbound, announce
that you are taking off on the runway in use and indicate whether you’re
remaining in the pattern or departing the area.
FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
HOTLINES
Report All Suspicious
Aviation Activities:
1-866-AIR-BUST
or
1-866-GA-SECUR