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03/17/03 - FAA STILL FINALIZING RULE
March 17, 2003—FAA is still finalizing the sport pilot/light-sport aircraft proposal and has not yet released the final rule to the Department of Transportation (DOT) or the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review.
However, FAA officials continue to assure EAA that the rule change remains a top priority within the agency, with the full support of FAA Administrator Marion Blakey. Peggy Gilligan, deputy associate administrator for regulation and certification, told EAA Executive Vice President Bob Warner on March 12 that FAA’s goal of having a final rule by late summer is still intact.
EAA is in near daily contact with FAA to monitor the rule’s progress and stress its importance to the community. After recent discussions with Administrator Blakey’s office and the Office of Regulation and Certification, EAA President Tom Poberezny wrote to industry leaders stating, “I have been presented with strong statements of support by those respective offices that the rule remains a top priority for the agency. Weekly progress meetings are being held with the SP/LSA team responsible for completing the final rule. This is good news, but EAA will not rest until the rule is finalized.”
In his conversations with FAA officials, Poberezny also stressed the negative effects that delays are having on the industry. He stated that the ramifications of continuing delays are enormous. “Enthusiasts who have been waiting for the rule to become final are losing confidence, and additional delays will have detrimental effects across the board in the aviation community, especially in the light aircraft industry.”
Poberezny, EAA Washington, D.C., Office Director Doug Macnair, and EAA’s Government and Industry Relations staff continue to press for movement of the rulemaking package.
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