Fri, Apr 01, 2005
GA Terminal Welcomes Sport Pilots
04.01.05 Special
Edition: Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn officially
extended access of the General Aviation facility at Los Angeles
International Airport (LAX) to the anticipated influx of sport
pilots who are commuting to work in downtown LA from outlying
airports.
"This is just what many of us have looked forward to," says Kon
Jemmeries, a well-seasoned trike pilot and instructor. "This new
sport pilot license is really opening up the system for us little
guys who have wanted to be treated with respect for many years," he
said.
Because of the huge difference in flying speeds of light sport
aircraft versus the air carriers, FAA has established several new
traffic patterns. According to an unnamed FAA Public Relations
official, "We simply added a couple of half-size, half altitude
pattern for runways 24 left because it is closest to the Sport
Pilot Passenger Center (SPPC)," said an FAA Public Relations
Director.
"These little guys have their own runway threshold marking which
are about two-thirds down the runway and near the high-speed
turn-offs. "We also added several turn-out areas for powered
parachute pilots to collapse their parachute-type wings and store
them for taxi. We (FAA) are confident that these added aviation
activities at LAX can go on without a hitch," he concluded
Los Angeles International is the first major airport to welcome
sport pilots and light sport aircraft. FAA sees it as a
precedent-setting move which will become the model for other
major airports to emulate. Although FAA generally prohibits Sport
Pilot access has required a waiver from FAA which "FAA made easy to
get," said Mayor Hahn. "We believe the additional revenue from
these "instructional" flights will contribute substantially to the
funding for LAX," he added.
"It was great to finally be able to fly above the 405 freeway
congestion instead of being stuck on the ground as I have for 15
years of commuting into work," said Jemmeries. "I just quietly
smiled while sailing over everyone on my way into work. "This is
really gonna catch on," he concluded.
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