www.EAA.org
AirVenture Oshkosh Arrival Procedures Cited as Key to
Improving Hudson Corridor Safety
During hearings before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s aviation subcommittee, AirVenture Oshkosh was referenced several times by
FAA and other panel members to illustrate how large numbers of aircraft can operate safely and efficiently in a congested airspace. By using published procedures, charted reporting points, and see-and-avoid traffic separation, visual
flight rules (VFR) procedures recommended by the FAA for
the Hudson River exclusion zone mirror many of the procedures used for years to manage traffic flow to and from
Wittman Regional Airport during AirVenture Oshkosh.
EAA has been active on the Hill working with the House
General Aviation Caucus and committee staff to educate
members to prevent knee-jerk political reactions in the
wake of the Hudson River corridor midair collision that
claimed the lives of nine people in early August. Some
elected officials in New York/New Jersey have called for a
variety of radical changes to the airspace, including limiting the number of flights over the Hudson or shutting
down the airspace completely.
The FAA’s safety enhancements would create a special flight rules area codifying current best practices:
maintaining indicated airspeed not to exceed 140 knots;
turning on lights; and self-announcing position on the
appropriate radio frequency. New rules would also re-
structure the airspace, create a new entry point into the
Hudson River airspace from Teterboro, standardize New
York area charts, and develop new training for pilots, air
traffic controllers, and businesses that operate helicopters and aircraft in the area.
“EAA is working hard to communicate with key decision makers on the Hill and help them understand why
the recommendations proposed by the airspace working
group and subsequently adopted by the FAA are the right
way to go to improve safety in the airspace above the Hudson River and elsewhere around Manhattan,” said Doug
Macnair, EAA vice president of government relations.
“The recommendations are not based on ulterior motives
such as business considerations, noise issues, or any other
politically motivated matters, but rather, go straight to the
heart of operational safety considerations involving airspace design, air traffic and communications procedures,
pilot education, operating rules, and charting.”
The FAA expects to complete and publish any changes
in time to have them in effect by November 19, so that
they can be incorporated on new, standardized aeronautical charts. Those new charts will highlight the Class B VFR
corridor, encouraging more pilots to exercise the option to
fly over the Hudson River under air traffic control, instead
of entering the congested exclusionary zone.
Airport Users Rescue Airfield
Through Unique Partnership
In 2008, Sky Manor Airport (N40) in Pittstown, New Jer- sey, was in serious financial trouble, and foreclosure on the property was looming. So pilots, including members of EAA Chapter 64, decided to do something about it.
They bought the airport.
“This was a unique adventure where we bought our hangars, put up the capital that way, and took over the bank
mortgage,” said Chapter President Dave Harmon.
On Saturday, September 19, the chapter held its 4th annual fly-in at Sky Manor, celebrating the rebirth of their
airport, which it calls, “The best little airport in the east.”
After purchasing the property, the new owner group, under the name Sky Manor Partners LLC, set about making
a number of capital improvements, like renovating the
restaurant, tearing down some buildings, expanding parking areas, and landscaping. “We’re operating in the black,
and we’re doing a lot of improvements on the airport.”
Harmon said.
EAA President/Chairman Tom Poberezny, his wife, Sharon, and EAA Directors Alan Ritchie and Rich Beebe visited
Sky Manor during the fly-in and met with the six princi-
Tom and Sharon Poberezny with Jack Elliott, a longtime aviation
columnist with the New Jersey Star-Ledger. His column about the
world of flying ran for 38 years.
pal investors. Poberezny said the event was very successful.
“EAA looks forward to sharing [this investor model] with
all members, as it could be helpful in saving other airports
in danger of closing,” he said.
