It will come as no surprise to pilots that General Aviation (GA) airports all around our country are under attack as never before. This disturbing trend threatens to ground the bright future of improved personal transportation offered by very light jets and Technically Advanced Aircraft (TAA). And it also threatens the ability of GA pilots to fly freely and safely.

I have a unique perspective on this situation because I am not only an active GA pilot and flight instructor but I am also a City Councilman in Scottsdale, Arizona which is home to both a busy general aviation airport and an active anti-airport movement. Right after I was elected in May 2002 I was thrown into a fight to protect Scottsdale Airport from a small but vocal group of residents who want to restrict or even close the airport.

The lesson that I have learned is that pilots and aircraft owners, like it or not, have no choice but to be deeply involved in politics if we want to continue flying. In order to help protect not just Scottsdale Airport but all of Arizona's airports I have done just that. In addition to being the Chairman of Scottsdale's Council Subcommittee on Regional Aviation Issues I was also Scottsdale's representative to the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) Regional Aviation System Plan Policy Committee and a member of the Arizona Governor's Advisory Council on Aviation. I was also asked by the City of Phoenix to serve on their Deer Valley Airport Text Amendment Study Group.

I wrote two articles on this subject ("Anti-Airport Activism" and "Pro-Airport Activism") which describe what I have learned about fighting to keep airports open. They have been printed in several aviation publications and pilot's association newsletters in the western U.S. and also on AvWeb. You have my permission to link to them from your web site or reprint them in your newsletter or aviation publication as long as you attribute authorship to me -- I want to spread the word to as many pilots as possible to not take their freedom to fly for granted!

If you are fighting this problem at your airport contact me and I will be happy to do what I can to assist you.