November 2023 Flight Lines focuses on critical challenges facing Colorado's general aviation community, particularly airport noise concerns and opposition at Front Range airports like KBJC and KAPA. CPA President Adrian Nye reports on a community listening session organized by airport opponents, attended by 300-400 people and featuring Colorado's Attorney General and state legislators. The newsletter emphasizes the need for better pilot advocacy and preparation for legislative discussions, while noting that aviation groups including CPA and CABA are coordinating a response. The newsletter also reintroduces Flight Lines as an active publication and solicits member feedback on content and engagement.
Key themes include the political and community pressure facing Colorado airports, the importance of effective communication in aviation advocacy, and efforts to find compromise solutions such as addressing late-night flight training noise. The newsletter recognizes that while some pilots did attend the listening session, the anti-aviation sentiment was well-organized and persuasive to politicians who care primarily about votes from growing residential populations near airports.
Key Topics
- Airport noise concerns and anti-aviation advocacy at Front Range airports (KBJC, KAPA)
- Political pressure and potential anti-aviation legislation in Colorado
- Need for better pilot speaker preparation and advocacy messaging
- Possible compromise solutions focusing on late-night flight training restrictions
- Coordination between Colorado aviation groups (CPA, CABA) on legislative affairs
- Flight Lines newsletter engagement and member feedback request
- Proposed new newsletter series: "Rusty Pilot" articles and Foreflight features
- Aviation safety: ANC (Aviate, Navigate, Communicate) principle in emergency procedures
- Rare aircraft spotting: M20D Mooney Master at Cortez airport
Events & Activities
- Superior Community Listening Session organized by Concerned Citizens of the Front Range, held near KBJC, attended by 300-400 people
- Meeting planned between Colorado aviation groups and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser in early November 2023
- Ongoing CPA committee activities and scholarship programs
Member News
- Adrian Nye, CPA President, provided leadership during airport noise crisis and represented general aviation at community listening session
- Gary Tobey, CPA Legislative Affairs Chair, coordinating with other aviation groups on legislative response
- Vince Otto, Flight Lines Editor, relaunched newsletter and seeking member input on content and engagement
- Nelson Wolfmeier, FAASafety Team Program Manager, contributing safety articles on ANC principles
- Don Dixon photographed rare M20D Mooney Master at Cortez airport
- Bob Anderson photographed Burt Rutan's Asymmetrical Boomerang Aircraft at Grand Junction
