EAA-Advocated Policy Keeps Warbirds Flying
Association continues seeking broader privileges for operators of surplus-military experimental exhibition aircraft
EAA government relations staff today announced a forthcoming FAA policy statement resulting from EAA's advocacy that would remedy the growing backlog of applications for conversion of LOAs and LOOAs to airman certificates. The policy statement will allow these aircraft operators, many of whom are EAA Warbirds of America members flying surplus military experimental exhibition aircraft, to continue flying under a valid Letter of Authorization (LOA) or a Letter of Operational Authority (LOOA) for nearly a year.
FAA plans to release the new policy as a Revised Guidance Notice as early as Friday, August 13.
"We worked with FAA on a remedy that will buy some time for the aircraft operator who continues to seek the mandatory conversion of an LOA or LOOA to an airman certificate," said Doug Macnair, EAA's vice president of government relations in Washington, D.C. "A logjam in FAA's processing of these pilots' applications would have left them without flying privileges had we not pushed for this extension." Pilots with a valid LOA or LOOA will be able to continue operating until they convert to the airman certificate or until July 31, 2005, whichever occurs first.
Macnair cautioned members affected by this new policy not to delay in seeking the required conversion of their LOAs and LOOAs to the appropriate airman certificate ratings. "The deadline of July 31, 2005 for the completion of the conversions is inflexible and all LOA and LOOA privileges cease after that date. With the high demand and lengthy processing times to carry out these conversions, Warbirds operators should submit their conversion application packages immediately if they haven't done so already."
According to Macnair, the FAA Notice will include specific instructions for pilots seeking the exchange of an LOA or LOOA to the appropriate airman certificate. EAA's website - www.eaa.org - will provide a link to the FAA Notice and any required supporting material as soon as the FAA makes the policy public.
EAA is also working closely with senior Flight Standards staff at FAA headquarters to develop new policy designed to increase the number of available pilot examiners for Warbirds operators and other experimental exhibition aircraft. That policy is in development and should be completed within the next several months.
Meanwhile, Macnair indicated that EAA's advocacy on behalf of the Warbirds operators will continue. "We're talking to FAA about reexamining some of the operational restrictions on experimental exhibition aircraft. The regulations don't allow these pilots sufficient flexibility to use their airplanes outside of the context of an exhibition or airshow," Macnair said. "With the implementation of the new airman certification process that ensures that the agency knows who is operating experimental exhibition aircraft and how they were trained and evaluated, we believe FAA can expand the operating envelope for these aircraft without compromising safety."
Read the official DOT update on LOA/LOOA program.
