The News
AzAA Urges for Long Term FAA Reauthorization
| 12 August 2011
In a letter to Arizona's congressional delegation, AzAA President Jennifer Maples encourages our elected Senators and Representatives to engage their peers in Congress and resolve their differences over a long term FAA reauthorization bill. In addition, President Maples and Immediate Past President Casey Denny met with Representative David Schweikert's staff to explain the history of the four year stalemate and its impact on local jobs and airport planning. Another meeting is scheduled with Congressman Flake on Monday, August 15. AzAA members are encouraged to contact their representatives and urge them to keep working an a long term solution.Maricopa County Taxation of Airport Properties - Update
| 12 August 2011
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport recently received a letter from the Maricopa County Assessor’s office. If you recall, several airports received notifications last year of the county's intent to tax airport tenants who had developed hangars on their airports. We objected on the basis that such hangars have significant lease restrictions and revert to the airport sponsor upon lease termination. In addition, we felt it was contrary to case law on the topic.
In summary, we were successful in getting the County to research the issue further. While there is still room for interpretation, the County will not be pursing this issue during this valuation cycle. They will notify individual airports that may be subject to future taxes, but indicate a willingness to seek a legislative remedy in the upcoming session. A special thanks to Lynn Kusy and Craig Herget for appealing the notice that was sent to airports located in Maricopa County last year.
This item is being placed on our legislative committee agenda so that we can ensure any future state legislation allows for the current practice (no property taxes) to continue.
Casey Denny - AzAA 2011-12 Legislative Committee Chair
Only a drill
17 December 2010
Marines use local airport for evacuation exercise
By NEIL YOUNG/The Daily News
There are several Marine Expeditionary units scattered around the world, ready to deploy at a moment’s notice in cases of civil unrest, war or natural disasters.
In September, Marines boarded and took control of a German-owned commercial vessel that had been captured by pirates, along the east coast of Africa.
“Marine Expeditionary Units are capable of various amphibious and tactical operations, as required by the needs of the mission,” said 1st Lt. Roy Crockett, there to ensure the safety and smooth operation of the exercise. “This is a continuation of a bigger exercise that’s been going on from the beginning of this month to train in other operations, in addition to non-combatant evacuations,” Crockett said.
To assist in the exercise, 38 members of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Training and Experimentation Group arrived Tuesday night from Camp Pendleton in San Diego County. They slept on the floor of the airport’s terminal. The Marines awoke Wednesday, ready to play their roles as non-combatants, until bad weather intervened. The rescue team was unable to take off from Miramar Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego, requiring the exercise to be postponed until Thursday.
The exercise took just over two hours, beginning with the landing of Marine’s C-130 military transport and ending with its departure.
Evacuees played different roles, including mothers with infants, and a sight-impaired man with a service dog. The babies were dolls, and a stuffed toy served as a stand-in for a real canine. Babies, dogs and some unruly civilians provided a simulation of what the rescue team could encounter in a real-life situation. Other “glitches:” Two of the evacuees had no ID, which required verification, and one of the evacuees was unaccounted for. A sweep of the terminal revealed he was sleeping in a back room.
David Gaines, airport director, said the exercise benefitted his security unit. “Part of our ongoing training includes responding to different real-world scenarios and this exercise gives us an opportunity to go over some of the ground rules that we need apply to situations that are unusual from a security standpoint.”
The exercise was scheduled during the airport’s holiday down time. Currently, its commercial flights consist solely of guests flown in to vacation at Laughlin resorts.
AzAA Objects to Non-Aeronautical Use of Aviation Fund
| 11 June 2010
On June 2, 2010, AzAA President Casey Denny sent a letter to ADOT Director John Halikowski objecting to a pending $6.5 million fund transfer from the State Aviation Fund. While acknowledging the difficult postion ADOT and the rest of state government is in, President Denny reiterated AzAA's position that aviation funds should be reserved, as per Arizona state law, for aviation purposes.Arizona Best Practices Guide
| 17 October 2009
The AzAA is please announce the availability of the Arizona Best Practice Guide. This Guide was created through a cooperative effort between the FAA - Western Pacific Region, ADOT - Aeronautics, and the AZAA.