From: guy.byars@ssa.org (Guy Byars) 
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.soaring
Subject: AIRSPACE NOTICE FROM SSA
Date: 31 Dec 92 23:26:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: Soaring Society of America's BBS (513)-871-7720
Reply-To: guy.byars@ssa.org (Guy Byars) 


I am transfering the following notice from the SSA's BBS to r.a.s:

                                                        Guy Ford Byars


The Soaring Society of America, Inc.
Box E, Hobbs, New Mexico 88241-7504  (505) 392-1177

TO:       SSA Commercial Operators and SSA Chapters cc: SSA Governors
          and Directors

FROM:     Jim Short, SSA Government Liaison Board

DATE:     December 22,1992

RE:       YOUR AIRSPACE!

Help! YOUR AIRSPACE IS IN JEOPARDY and you may not find out until it's
too late!

Every   month,  somewhere  in  the  United  States,  airspace  is  being
restricted  or  modified, and in most cases that means airspace  becomes
more  restrictive  for  soaring.  A few years ago,  the  FAA  tried  its
massive  "Airspace  Grab  of 1988 today that  grab  continues,  just  as
surely, one step at a time and you may not always know about it.

Even  when  your local newspaper doesn't report potential changes  being
planned for your airport or airspace, the FAA and local authorities  may
be planning developments several years ahead.  Without regular knowledge
of  what's happening in your locale, soaring's interests (and yours) may
be left out.

An  example?  After  institution of a TCA several  years  ago  near  one
popular soaring area, club members were more recently surprised to  find
that  new  FAA  plans  had been made to modify the TCA,  and  lower  the
ceiling   of   the  airspace  the  club  regularly  used.   Having   not
participated  in  the ongoing planning processes, the interests  of  the
soaring  club had been ignored.  Subsequently, club members had  a  much
more  difficult time fighting the problem than they would have  if  they
had  been  regularly  monitoring local airspace  developments.   On  the
positive side, at least two modifications to TCA's during 1992 came  out
positively for soaring because local operators were vigilant in  finding
out  what  airspace changes were being planned and soaring  people  were
able  to  attend early planning sessions to keep their interests  known.
Being involved actively and early paid off.

The SSA (and its Government Liaison Board) tries to help its members  by
identifying  areas where airspace problems are about  to  occur  and  to
alert  and  advise  members in those areas so they  can  wage  a  timely
campaign  to  save their airspace.  BUT the SSA can't be everywhere  and
the SSA doesn't know the details of how some changes may affect specific
operations.   The  SSA's volunteer organization just  doesn't  have  the
manpower to monitor every development.

WHAT  CAN  YOU DO TO HELP this situation? It's not as difficult  as  its
sounds.   Nominate  one member from your organization (your  site,  your
school,  your  club) to call your nearest FAA Flight Standards  District
Office  and ask how you can regularly be informed about airspace  issues
and  meetings.  Ask if your locale has an Airspace Users Working  Group.
Armed  with this information, attend airspace meetings in your  area  or
even  join the Airspace Users Working Group, if you have one.  Not every
meeting  of  these groups discusses topics germane to  soaring,  but  by
merely  attending  you let others know that soaring is  a  part  of  the
aviation  community and that soaring people care about what is happening
to  their  airspace,  Then,  when  an  issue  is  proposed  which  could
potentially  affect your operations, inform your club or school  so  you
can  address any concerns early on.  If the issue is one which could use
advice  or  action from the SSA, please NOTIFY THE SSA- Call,  write  or
FAX, but let the SSA know what is going on.
.
By so doing, THE SSA CAN HELP YOU.  With timely notification the SSA can
help  you  mount  a campaign while there is still time.  The  Government
Liaison  Board  will  respond to your comments and inquiries,  and  even
though  the  SSA  can't  fight every battle  directly,  it  can  provide
background,  advice,  precedent  and proven  procedures.   By  combining
efforts,  you  and  the  SSA  may be able to save  some  very  important
airspace.

To be effective in saving airspace, the SSA needs you to be its eyes and
ears.  Your help is needed more now than ever.

We  would  appreciate your comments and suggestions, and when  you  have
airspace news to share, please contact us as soon as you can.  Call  the
office in Hobbs or call me (Jim Short) evenings or weekends at (708)
963-9813.

Thanks for your help.  The airspace you save may be your own!