MAY 18, 2010, WATSONVILLE AIRPORT ALLIANCE BEATS THE ODDS---by Ed Rosiak, President, California Pilots Assn: “They say that you can’t beat City Hall, but then whoever they are never met these determined groups from Watsonville California.
The Watsonville Pilots Association (WPA), the Friends of Buena Vista - a local airport neighborhood group, some local businesses, and the Sierra Club, along with the California Division of Aeronautics, and the California Pilots Association became allies against a city planning effort that provided more questions than answers."    Read more...

MARCH 25, 2010, AOPA ONLINE APPLAUDS DAN CHAUVET, ET AL, FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS IN MAINTAINING SAFETY ZONES AT KWVI: “Watsonville Pilots Association’s Dan Chauvet has been a one-man army in keeping this issue on track and moving forward,” said Dunn, who has spoken with local pilots about the efforts at Watsonville. Chauvet’s dogged efforts demonstrate how pilots can make a difference by engaging in their communities, Dunn added...
You can see the entire article at http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2010/100325cali.html

SEPTEMBER 2, 2008, WATSONVILLE CITY OWES LEGAL FEES IN BUENA VISTA LAWSUIT: On August 27, 2008, Judge Paul Burdick ordered the City of Watsonville to pay for the attorneys' fees of Friends of Buena Vista (FBV) and the Watsonville Pilots Association (WPA) in the lawsuit they won earlier this year. The two groups - WPA & FBV - argued successfully that the City did not follow proper procedure in its review of the City's General Plan. The pilots, supported by the state's Division of Aeronautics, opposed the redesignation of runways 8-26 and the elimination of safety zones designed to limit development under airports' traffic patterns. **Kudos to the supporters and promoters of the WPA & FBV for this achievement.**

JULY 15, 2008, STATE-WIDE SUPPORT NEEDED FOR AIRPORT PROTECTION:
The Watsonville Pilots Association (WPA), the Friends of Buena Vista (FBV), and the local Sierra Club were successful in litigation against the City of Watsonville, CA. The Superior Court ruled that the City is in violation of State Aeronautics Law and certain California Environmental Qualities Act (CEQA) provisions. Since the City's general plan update was predicated on a council resolution inconsistent with airport land use planning precepts, the court ruled that the general plan and its made-to-fit Environmental Impact Report (EIR) are to be rescinded.

On June 24, 2008, however, the Watsonville city council voted to appeal. A ruling by the appeals court makes this a precedent setting case. The ruling will then be applicable to future state-wide airport land use litigation in California. A ruling supporting State Aeronautics Law would help to protect all airports in California.

The Watsonville Pilots Association once again needs the financial support of the aviation community in California. Fighting the appeal will be backing a case that has already won at the lower court level. The Caltrans Department of Aeronautics is involved in the appeal supporting State Aeronautics Law and associated CEQA law (as relates to noise and safety around airports). The Department of Aeronautics supports the lower court ruling. Attorneys for Watsonville Pilots Association (et. al.) are cautious and conservative, but feel confident that the lower court decision should and will be upheld.

Contributions to the legal fund should be sent to: Watsonville Pilots Association, P.O. Box 2074, Freedom, CA 95019-2074. Please make checks payable to "WPA" and in the check memo section write "legal fund." A favorable ruling at the appeals court will mean protection for not only Watsonville Airport (WVI), but all GA airports in California.

MAY 27, 2010, U.S. OPEN GOLF TOURNAMENT AT PEBBLE BEACH, JUNE 13-21! "Starting the afternoon of June 13, 2010 and continuing through the morning of June 21, 1210, we anticipate that the amount of air traffic arriving and departing Monterey will likely double. During our busiest times, Monterey Tower will be unable to authorize practice approaches. Arrival delays are likely to occur during this timeframe. All VFR aircraft can expect to be held outside Charlie airspace as necessary to accommodate increased IFR volume. IFR departures may expect re-routes as the FAA works to manage the excess traffic in an effort to minimuize delays."    Read more...
---Submitted by Rayvon Williams, from James Babcock, Moneterey Tower, Air Traffic Manager

MARCH 31, 2010, LOCAL PILOTS ASKED TO SUBMIT THEIR INPUT TO PROVIDE BETTER SERVICES AT TOWERED AIRPORTS. Monterey is part of the Golden Gate District. The District encompasses 13 towers in the bay area from Santa Rosa to Monterey. The district is gathering information about services pilots receive at these air traffic facilities. It would be a great help in determining where the strengths and weaknesses are if pilots would fill out the simple survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RSSWTXV
---Submitted by Rayvon Williams, request from James Babcock, Moneterey Tower, Air Traffic Manager

MARCH 11, 2010, www.FAASafety.gov IS CHANGING...FOR THE BETTER! The FAA Safety Team is pleased to announce that FAASafety.gov is changing on March 12, 2010. You will see a completely new look and feel. A summary of the changes is found by clicking here: https://www.faasafety.gov/files/notices/2010/Mar/Summary_of_Changes.pdf
Look for more details at the next WPA Safety Seminar. --Submitted by the KWVI FAA Safety Team.

OCTOBER 23, 2009, PILOT AIRSPACE DEVIATIONS CONTINUE TO BE A MAJOR RISK IN THE NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM. The FAASTeam has a requirement in FY'10 to promote pilot deviation awareness at every safety seminar. TO REDUCE THE CHANCE THAT YOU MIGHT BE INVOLVED IN AN AIRSPACE DEVIATION INCIDENT, YOU ARE HIGHLY ENCOURAGED TO TAKE AN ON-LINE LEARNING CENTER COURSE ON FAASafety.gov, OR SEARCH THE LEARNING CENTER LIBRARY FOR ASSOCIATED GUIDANCE ON AIRSPACE INCURSIONS. Remember---safe and prudent airmen have superior situational awareness, and plan to keep it that way!

EFFECTIVE MARCH 1, 2009, AREA OF NONVISIBILITY TO MONTEREY AIRPORT TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER. Due to obstructed vision, Monterey Airport Traffic Control Tower (MRY ATCT) is unable to provide airport traffic control service in the Runway 28L run up area. Tower personnel are unable to determine whether this area is clear of traffic or obstructions. All aircraft use caution entering and leaving this area.

JANUARY 30, 2009, FAA SAFETY SEMINAR "WINGS" HELP!! So you attended the recent Watsonville Pilot's Association (WPA) WINGs seminar and learned a lot. However, you forgot to register on-line at www.FAASafety.gov but you remember signing in before you left the Seminar. How do you get credit?
This has happened to quite a few pilots and to assist you here's a "cheat sheet": Remember it only works if you have a "profile" on www.FAASafety.gov. If you don't have a profile, why not sign up today!

(1) Login to the FAA site at http://www.faasafety.gov/ (you will need your registered email address and password or go to "Register Now"...
(2) After logging in, look for the Events/Seminars link on the left side; select it...
(3) Now on the "Event Search" page enter the airport ID and check the "Only Past Events" box...
(4) Select "Perform Search"...
(5) Look at the bottom of the page (last entry)...
(6) Mouse over the icons to the right (the red pen on paper is "Request Credit")...
(7) You are now on the Validation page; you'll need to "Find a Validator"...
(8) Pull down menu: Find = FAAST Reps; within=50; miles of = 95076...
(9) You are looking for the FAAST Safety Rep who hosted the seminar...
(10) Click submit!!

WPA's REGULAR WEDNESDAY NIGHT MEETING BEGINS AT 7 PM. See the WINGS Seminar Calendar above for valuable seminars and safety presentations scheduled. Meetings are normally held the last Wednesday of each month except no meetings in August, November or December. Regular meeting place: the WAEC Building, 60 Aviation Way, Watsonville Airport. All visitors and guests are welcome. Refreshments will be served.

EAA CHAPTER 119's REGULAR TUESDAY NIGHT MEETING BEGINS AT 7:30 PM. Meetings are normally held the first Tuesday of each month except no meeting during Oshkosh week. Regular meeting place: the WAEC Building, 60 Aviation Way, Watsonville Airport. All visitors and guests are welcome. Refreshments will be served.

MONTEREY BAY 99s REGULAR WEDNESDAY NIGHT MEETING BEGINS AT 7:00 PM. Meetings are normally held the third Wednesday of each month. Regular meeting place: the WAEC Building, 60 Aviation Way, Watsonville Airport. They generally have a guest speaker, a business meeting, some hangar flying and refreshments (not necessarily in that order).