NASAO Officials Emphasize Your Voice Matters
By Maxine Scheer
State Aviation agencies have an important role in airport development and safety, and the organization that collectively represents them is called the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO). NASAO participates at AirVenture each year to provide updates on state-related initiatives and offers a selection of free state airport directories in the NASAO tent.
At a Forum during AirVenture, Kim Stevens (pictured), NASAO Interim Director, Chris Willenborg, C.M., Administrator of the Aeronautics Division of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and NASAO Chair and Oklahoma's Director of Aeronautics, Victor Bird, provided highlights of their respective state aeronautics programs and NASAO initiatives.
In Massachusetts, the Aeronautics Division is part of the State Department of Transportation (MassDOT). "We worked with the Highway Department and were able to implement a Statewide Airport Signage program, at no cost the aeronautics department, for directing highway motorists to all of the 36 general aviation airports in Massachusetts."
Willenborg also noted the recent completion of Phase I of a pilot project at Nantucket Memorial Airport in partnership with Volpe National Transportation Systems Center to create the first ever U.S. airport with "carbon neutral" ground operations.
Oklahoma was one of the founding states of NASAO with a GA airport system of 107 airports, and operates as an independent state agency with a staff of about 12 people. Oklahoma is home to more than 500 aerospace entities, including the world's largest military aircraft repair facility, Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, which is also the state's largest single-site employer. Bird emphasized the critical importance of education and workforce development. "Our biggest challenge is encouraging youth interest in aviation."
Bird also emphasized the impact that federal legislation has on airports and the state's aeronautics budget. "Your voice matters," said Bird, noting the importance of pilots and other aviation stakeholders in calling state and federal elected officials on issues that impact general aviation, using closure of contract towers as an example.
The state aviation directors were asked a question about the misconceptions that exist about what state aviation entities can and cannot do.
MassPORT's Chris Willenborg raised the misconception about state avgas and aircraft registration fees and how they are used. "State fees are dedicated and used to make airport improvements. When we go to open houses, we try and educate pilots that the improvements they use were state projects funded with these funds." MassDOT estimates capital program needs for the state's GA airports approaches $350 million, with only a fraction of funding available from local, state and federal sources.
Oklahoma's Bird similarly noted, "there is either 'no-perception' or a 'misperception' about how funds are spent on projects.
Bird also emphasized grass roots advocacy. "We understand GA pilots would prefer to be left alone, they want to be prudent. But they need to plug in. It really does matter what you do at the local level. When a senator gets a call, or two or three or four, they know it's important. If you don't get a response, call your state aviation office. Call, write, email, do it, it matters what you think!"
Virginia's Executive Director of Aviation, Randall Burdette sees the most common misconception as, "pilots don't have a voice." Burdette emphasized importance of coordinating with AOPA volunteers. He also emphasized calling with questions. "Sometimes it's just a communications glitch."
"Pilots can be more proactive in asking for state support and even better when the requests are made with advance notice. Sometimes we get calls to come to meetings the morning of, and that makes it difficult."
Kathy Vesely, Minnesota's Assistant Director in the Office of Aeronautics emphasized, "every airport needs a champion. She also agreed on advocacy, "it's hard to get pilots to speak up." Emphasizing the importance of small airports with few based aircraft, Vesely noted, "some of our most important airports in Minnesota are grass strips with six agricultural sprayers."
Educational outreach is another area on the radar of state aviation officials. "We have a $100,000 budget for aviation education in Oklahoma," said Bird, and we encourage education programs to submit requests for funding. In Massachusetts, the State is supporting participation in a number of programs that include the Real World Design Challenge, Western Mass Wright Flight, and airport open houses. They also noted an effort to develop an FAA Certified Aircraft Maintenance program at a High School.
NASAO memorialized the loss of President and CEO, Henry Ogrodzinski (Henry O) during EAA Venture 2014. Kim Stevens writes about AirVenture 'without Henry O.' on NASAO's blog.
NASAO's annual conference is scheduled for September 7-9, 2014 in Providence, Rhode Island and is open to the public.
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