The PP Written Challenges Blakey

ANN 04.01.07 SPECIAL EDITION: Recent ANN requests for data under the Freedom of Information Act have revealed that the GA Industry's criticism of FAA Administrator Marion Blakey is apparently having an effect -- at least about her lack of a Pilot's license. The Administrator, God Bless Her, has been attempting to take and pass her Private Pilot written exam. Unfortunately, ANN has documented at least four attempts on her part to pass the exam... all of which failed to achieve a passing grade.

Blakey has been taking the highly regarded King School License Prep courses but constant interruptions (all those visits from her airline pals, doncha know...) during her attempts to view the course materials have apparently created a no-win situation in her quest for a passing grade. One aide reported her exasperation with her failures by disclosing some of her complaints about the process. The Administrator is rumored to have remarked, "Good grief, ask me how much it costs us to support all those Skyhawk pilots though airspace that rightfully belongs to the airlines and I can tell you right down to the penny... but what the hell is Carb Heat? Spatial Disorientation? Special VFR? I never found VFR to be that special to begin with, especially since we'll be able to charge GA out the butt for IFR flight plans as soon as I get my budget proposal passed... Yeeesh. Hey, is the Sport Pilot written any easier? Its gotta be easier... right?"

In the meantime, Ms. Blakey has called the infamous Flight Training Duo of John and Martha King for some personal tutelage before attempting her fifth shot at the exam... while TFRs for airspace restrictions near a local training airport are being prepared for the start of her upcoming flight training in the FAA's last available GA trainer -- a 12,400 hour Skyhawk, dubbed "User-Fee One." ANN, as always, will keep you informed as to how that goes.

FMI: www.Hey-FAA--Pass-THIS!.com