PlasticPilot.net

Aviation is a controversial activity, particularly light aviation which is perceived as a luxury and nuisance. As pilots, we sometimes have to argument and plead for our activity. Do you have a set of facts and proposals ready ? I do.

Support modern planes
All planes don’t have the same characteristics in terms of noise, fuel consumption and pollution. In Switzerland most single engine planes are equipped with silencers. Procedures also take care of noise. Typically, I do reduce power to 25” and 2′500 RPM when passing 400 ft AGL, for noise and consumption purposes. TDI engines are also a great improvement, as they make less noise and consume much less fuel.

Fight against stupid real-estate projects
Airport neighboors are amongst the more active aviation opponents. I never could understand why real-estate projects are allowed so close to airports. This Google Earth snapshot shows houses close to the threshold of Zurich Airport runway 34. To be precise, these houses are 1.23 kilometers away.

Ok, Switzerland is a small country, but what ? Who can beleive that persons living here won’t suffer from noise and possibly fuel smells ?

The way out is clearly to not allow such real-estate projects anymore, and find a deal to fit existing houses with the best possible noise insulation techniques. Yes it will cost a lot, but this will be a one-shot investment, and it will make lifes of those house’s inhabitants better, and good neighborhood relations are important.

Promote professional flight schools
Flight schools are a key element of the air-transport industry. Airlines do train pilots, but most of them start via a flight school. A serious lack of pilots is forseen for the upcoming years, and this could lead to more pressre on flight crew - not exactly desirable.

Once trained, pilots seldomly change career, and earn a mid-range salary. Sponsoring them is not such a bad opportunity for banks, but nowadays getting a credit is not an easy job… Given how needed pilots will be, helping future pilots can be a good deal.

Develop regional and well equipped (IFR) airports
Integration of light aviation with airlines operation is not an easy task, and makes controllers and pilots lifes complex. Why do pilots in training fly in such airports ? Because it’s sometimes the only place where it is possible !

Small airfields are usually not equipped for instrument approaches. This is however not true in all countries. France is a really good counter-example ! There are many IFR airports with long runways, a control tower, and low traffic. They are very good for training, and help reduce traffic on larger airports. I trained for my IFR rating out of Geneva, but most of my training destinations were in France, because of lack of affordable swiss airports.

Financially speaking, these airports are often not beneficial, but they play an important role for the whole air-transport industry, by hosting maintenance companies, and business travellers use them a lot, helping to sustain regional economy.

Continue innovation
Aviation is still progressing. FADECs, TDI engines and glass cockpits are the most recent examples. Satellite navigation started to change the way approaches are designed (particularly in the US…). Each new plane generation has better performance and less environmental impact.

Teleportation’s development is in progress, but until it gets completed, aviation remains the best way to move around. Even when teleportation will work fine, flying will be fun, and we’ll continue to fly !

Be careful and show you are
This is probably the best thing you can do as pilot to change how general aviation is perceived. Don’t simply turn opponents around. Listen to them, understant their concern, and tell them what you do to make their life better ! I volunteered for a club open day last year, and several neighboors visited. They were positive about the lower noise of the DA40 compared to other light singles, and when I said the club planned to replace all the older planes with DA40, there were glad.

Looking like an “elite” or “privilegied” group of people is not the best way to have good relations with the rest of the world. Make aviation open, friendly, and many other things will become easier !