​University of Alaska and Ravn Air Group Announce Nation’s First Aviation Degree & Airline Pilot Employment Program
                                        
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA – The University of Alaska, Anchorage (“UAA”) and Ravn Air Group (“Ravn”), Alaska’s largest regional airline, today announced the launch of the country’s first-ever program that allows students to simultaneously complete their aviation degree (by earning final course credits in the air) at the same time they get jobs and are paid to fly as regional airline pilots.  
 
In this innovative new college degree/paid employee job program, local Alaska-based students who are in UAA’s accredited aviation program, and at the point where they are already certified through their college studies and aviation training to fly passengers, can now put those skills into practical use as full-time Ravn second-in-command pilots while earning their final semester of course credits required for graduation. 
 
The innovative program is an unprecedented partnership between a university and airline and is the first and only program in the nation for providing students with paid airline pilot jobs while they complete their undergraduate education.
 
“We are thrilled to work with the University of Alaska to provide a new pathway that can accelerate careers in Alaska commercial aviation,” said Dave Pflieger, Ravn Air Group President & CEO. “A program like this will not only contribute to great, local jobs for Alaskans, it will provide eligible students with an expedited career path into the rewarding and exciting airline industry. Given the current nationwide and world-wide pilot shortage, it’s a win-win for aspiring commercial pilots and our aviation industry here in Alaska.”
 
Another key objective of the UAA-Ravn internship program is to train applicants in “industry best practice” safety processes and procedures with the goal of making aviation safer in Alaska. With its own top priority of aviation safety, Ravn not only has an FAA-approved Safety Management System (“SMS”), it is Alaska’s first regional airline to be accredited by the International Air Transportation Association (IATA), the global standard for airline safety and operations management.
 
“We are extremely excited to partner with Ravn on this ground-breaking new program that benefits our students, our local economy, and our State,” said Denise Runge, Dean of the UAA Community and Technical College. “Having the opportunity to get an education in the classroom coupled with practical industry experience with Alaska’s largest regional airline and one of the largest employers here in the State is invaluable.”
 
Pilots in the new UAA –Ravn paid internship program will be able to move from a classroom and flight school setting to actual commercial pilot flying with the opportunity to fly regularly scheduled flights while being supervised by highly experienced airline pilots, check airmen, and UAA program faculty members.
 
Those who enroll in the UAA/Ravn pilot training program and get simultaneously hired by Ravn will be added to the Ravn pilot seniority list where they will be eligible for salaries starting of $36,000 per year; $15,000 annual retention bonuses; and Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Certification Training Program (CTP) reimbursement. 
 
For information on the ATA A295 and ATA A495 Aviation / Pilot Internship Programs, please visit: https://catalog.uaa.alaska.edu/coursedescriptions/ata/#sthash.QPluplDl.dpuf

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Steve Pavish,  the principal at Northern Horizon Company began his professional experience in Alaskan airports and aviation  after signing on with the former Alaska Division of Aviation in 1973. From 1975 until his retirement from state service in 1999, Steve Pavish supervised the property leasing functions for state airports, including the rural airport system.

From 1985 through retirement, Steve also managed projects to update airport regulations and airport user fees. From retirement until the present time, Steve Pavish operated an aviation consulting firm, providing services to the AACA, air carriers, private pilots, hunting guides, municipalities, Alaska Native corporations, private sector law firms, the Alaska Department of Law, and the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF). My principal areas of expertise are airport property leasing, airport operating regulations, and airport land use planning.

Recently, Mr. Pavish published an Aviation Leasing Tutorial.  This is a must read for anyone leasing property on  State of Alaska,  Rural Airport System property.  

The term “rural airport system” encompasses all state-operated airports, except the international airports at Anchorage and Fairbanks. The latter are operated under a separate set of regulations and are outside the scope of this paper.

Leasing state airport land can be a complicated affair, especially for air carriers based in rural locations where law firms and other professional assistance may not be locally available. Navigating the jungle of rural airport leasing agreements, policies, procedures, forms, and regulations, can be a nightmare for anyone trying to make a living in the flying business. Steve decided to write this tutorial in the hope that he might be able to bring some order out of this apparent chaos and make it a little easier for AACA members to coexist with the state’s rural airport land leasing program.

Let's support our sponsors and spread the word about the 2019 AACA Convention and Trade Show
Feb. 27-28th.
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Don't forget to register!

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The Global Positioning System Directorate has released a Federal Register Notice announcing plans to execute a test in February 2019 to investigate legacy receiver week roll-over behavior and analyze any off-nominal behavior exhibited.
The Global Positioning System (GPS) week number rollover occurs in the GPS legacy navigation (LNAV) message every 1024 weeks due to the GPS week number being represented by only 10 bits within the LNAV message. The next GPS week number roll over will occur 18 seconds prior to the 0000Z boundary (Coordinated Universal Time) between April 6/7 2019. In most cases, any negative response from a GPS receiver caused by a problem accounting for the 10-bit week number roll over would likely affect the calendar conversion from GPS time to UTC date/time and could result in the GPS receiver thinking it had jumped backward in time by 1024 weeks to 21/22 August 1999.
If you wish to participate in this test, please submit the answers to the questions in the Federal Register Notice to the SMC/GPE mailbox by February 4, 2019. After the submission of the questionnaire, the team will schedule individual meetings with interested civil vendors to further discuss their participation in the test in more detail.
You will find the full text of the Federal Register Notice and the list of nine questions at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/01/25/2019-00111/2017-public-interface-control-working-group-and-forum-for-the-navstar-gps-public-documents

​
Rick Hamilton
CGSIC Executive Secretariat
GPS Information Analysis Team Lead
U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center
703-313-5930

More than 2,000 FAA inspectors and engineers furloughed due to the partial government shutdown that began on Dec. 22 have been recalled to work, according to an FAA statement made on Tuesday. The latest revision of the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) plan for operations during the shutdown now categorizes a total of 3,113 Aviation Safety positions as necessary for life and safety and therefore excepted from furlough.

 Read more

K​ate O'Connor  AvWebFlash

“Antarctica was the final continent on our checklist,” says Lynden Air Cargo President Rick Zerkel. “Now we can cross it off.” Lynden Air Cargo has joined a short list of operators that serve all seven continents by starting a new project in support of an Italian Antarctic expedition team doing research on the icy land mass.
The month-long mission lasted from October 30 through November 30 and involved carrying supplies from Christchurch, New Zealand to Italian base Mario Zucchelli Station and Phoenix Field at McMurdo Station, the US base in Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica. According to Lynden Air Cargo Captain Pat Madland, Terra Nova Bay is about 2,000 miles and seven hours from Christchurch, and Phoenix Field is 300 miles further south and about eight hours flying time. “This was accomplished with an augmented crew to allow for rest,” Pat explains. “We also carry a loadmaster and mechanic.” The whole operation requires nine people on the ground in Christchurch.


“This high-profile project illustrates Lynden Air Cargo’s capabilities in remote locations,” says Adam Murray, Director of Business Development and Marketing. “With 98 percent of the continent covered in ice, there are no cities or villages. This is another addition to our capabilities and we hope to provide this service next year and on an ongoing basis if possible.”


The flight crew includes Captains Pat Madland and Thomas Lindberg, First Officer Josh Havel, Flight Engineers Bill Spencer, Clint Swanson and John Worley, Loadmaster Leonel Lopez and Aircraft Mechanics Travis Blaszak and Dan Spears.
​

“The cargo on the first two trips to Terra Nova Bay consisted mostly of helicopters. We carried two Squirrel helicopters on each trip. Since then, the cargo has been scientific equipment and food,” Pat says. “Although it’s exciting to go to Antarctica, Lynden Air Cargo crews are used to flying to remote locations in challenging conditions. Antarctica closely resembles Greenland with its mountainous terrain covered with an ice cap. Much of the continent is around 10,000 feet high although we landed on sea ice runways at sea level. Most of our Lynden crews have been to six continents and it’s nice to add the seventh.”

Due to a lapse in Federal Government funding, the Fairbanks FAA Safety Team cancelled the following seminars and events:

• Wednesday, January 23 – CFI Meeting; Fairbanks FSDO
• Friday, January 25 – IA Seminar; UAF Wood Center and ALL broadcasted locations
• Saturday, January 26 – Mini Expo; UAF Hangar
• Saturday, March 2 – Super Cub Seminar; UAF Wood Center

After our status changes and we are able to schedule new events, we will post them on www.faasafety.gov.  Meanwhile, we will not attempt to reschedule any of the above seminars.  For IA renewals, those individuals will need to satisfy the requirement through another method for their March renewal.
Thank you for your support!
Regards,
 
Lisa Asplin
FAA SafetyTeam Program Manager
4419 Airport Way, Fairbanks, Alaska  99709
(907) 457-9241
lisa.asplin@faa.gov
​

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​A fledgling California airline says it is canceling flights until further notice because of a shortage of pilots. California Pacific Airlines began service to and from its base in Carlsbad, California, in November with four 50-seat ERJ145s and was plagued with delays and cancellations shortly after it launched. In one case, a plane was damaged when it was hit by a backhoe on a ramp in Pierre, South Dakota, but other cancellations were blamed on mechanical issues. In late December the airline announced it was canceling all flights until it could get more pilots hired and trained.
The airline’s reservation website shows no availability through the end of February. Airline officials told the NBC San Diego affiliate that the company hoped to resume service in February. Those who have booked flights in January will get refunds. The airline lists its destinations as Las Vegas, Phoenix, Reno and San Jose with one-way fares starting at about $100. From AV Web.

The FAA is amending Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 by modifying Class E airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface at Nuiqsut Airport, Nuiqsut, AK; Oooguruk Island Heliport, Nuiqsut, AK; Pioneer Heliport, Nuiqsut, AK; Perryville Airport, Perryville, AK; Pilot Point Airport, Pilot Point, AK; and Point Lay Airport, Point Lay, AK.

​This action adds language to the legal descriptions of these airports that reads ‘‘excluding that airspace that extends beyond 12 miles from the shoreline.’’ Also, this action removes the airport name from the airspace designation for Oooguruk Island Heliport and Pioneer Heliport, to conform with recent change to FAA Order 7400.2L, Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters. 

 FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) Personnel Summary Staff at Work

Some essential services include air traffic control (including contract towers) as well as TSA and Customs operations. The collection of aviation taxes will also continue and the FAA’s aircraft registration activities will operate normally, however, activities including the issuance of airmen certificates and facility security inspections will stop. 

In addition to the shuttering of the Department of Transportation, other departments affected by the partial government shutdown include Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science, Homeland Security, Financial Services-General Government, Interior-Environment, and State. 

• Life and Safety excepted positions : (Air Traffic Organization – 23,856;
Office of Aviation Safety – 216;
Office of Security and Hazardous 24,208 Materials – 61; and Other – 75)
• Staff necessary to the discharge the President's constitutional duties and powers: 62
• Positions funded by multi-year appropriations, indefinite appropriations, or contract authority:  786 
Airport Improvement Program (AIP) – 566;
Research Engineering & Development – 218;
Aviation Insurance – 2
• Positions funded by franchise funds 1,511
• Positions supporting lawful continuation of other functions (e.g., support for Life and Safety positions): 571 Total Positions at Work 27,138


Summary of Suspended Activities
• Development of new air traffic control specialists not certified to work a position;
• Issuance of airmen certificates;
• Approval of exemptions for unmanned aerial systems operations;
• Aviation rulemaking;
• Random drug testing of the non-Controller workforce;
• Facility security inspections, evaluations, audits and inspections;
• Routine personnel security background investigations and PIV card services;
• Continuity of Operations Planning;
• Development, operational testing, and evaluation of NextGen technologies;
• Development of NextGen safety standards;
• Air traffic performance analysis;
• Capital planning for FAA facilities and equipment;
• Investment planning and financial analysis;
• Dispute resolution;
• Audit and evaluation;
• Financial operations, controls, reporting and accountability;
• Most budgeting functions (except those necessary to provide necessary services to support excepted functions);
• Law enforcement assistance support; 
• Most administrative support functions not required for support of life and safety “excepted” positions; and • Congressional liaison services.

Publication:  NATA -Department of Transportation December 2018 

The FAA is amending Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 by modifying Class E airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface at Nuiqsut Airport; Oooguruk Island Heliport; Pioneer Heliport; Perryville Airport; Pilot Point Airport; and Point Lay Airport.

​This action adds language to the legal descriptions of these airports that reads ‘‘excluding that airspace that extends beyond 12 miles from the shoreline.’’ Also, this action removes the airport name from the airspace designation for Oooguruk Island Heliport and Pioneer Heliport, to conform with recent change to FAA Order 7400.2L, Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters. 
 

The IA seminar will be held in Fairbanks at the UAF Campus, Wood Center, on Friday, January 25, 2019 and will be broadcast to Anchorage, Kenai, Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan, Bethel, Dillingham and Nome.  The seminar schedule is attached. 
 
For additional information on specific locations, the following individuals can be contacted:
                Fairbanks, Nome:  Doug Lowry (304) 826-0532
                Anchorage, Bethel, Dillingham:  Kyle Weinzirl (907) 271-7019
                Juneau, Kenai, Sitka, Ketchikan:  Charles Wisner (907) 790-7378

2019_ia_seminar_schedule.pdf
 
Register on www.faasafety.gov for AMT credits!
 
Regards,
 
Lisa Asplin
FAA SafetyTeam Program Manager
4419 Airport Way, Fairbanks, Alaska  99709
(907) 457-9241
lisa.asplin@faa.gov

Mary Siroky Appointed Acting Deputy Commissioner of DOT&PF
Siroky brings extensive legislative, budget and management experience to the department.
Mary Siroky, DOT&PF Acting Deputy Commissioner(JUNEAU, Alaska) – Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) Commissioner John MacKinnon has appointed Mary Siroky acting deputy commissioner.
“Mary’s experience and knowledge of the department, and of state government, is essential as we work through the budget process,” said Commissioner MacKinnon. “Her leadership will be a considerable asset.”
Siroky’s extensive legislative, budget, and management experience is rooted in her 30 years of state service. Before retiring in 2016, Siroky served as DOT&PF administrative services director where she was responsible for planning, development and execution of department operating and capital budgets; federal reporting; and management of the department’s administrative functions.