Short Takes Page 5

Supporting Airports, Strengthening Communities”

Aviation Short Takes

Aviation Short Takes is designed as a Comment & News area. The opinions and news about important aviation matters developing today can be read here. 

Do you have relevant comments concerning Airspace Design and/or Aviation Safety that you feel others can benefit from?  For instance, do you have a recommendation for us to link to?  Please let me know!  Use scauwg@earthlink.net and address your input to Ron Berinstein, webmaster. IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: Opinions and views expressed in the following commentary are those of the authors &/or publishers alone; and may or may not reflect SCAUWG.ORG.

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This page (Page 5) was added on 06/05/2026.  To view prior commentary, see "Short Takes Page 4." 

Let's Begin

06/05/2026   Governor Newsom announces expansion of the world’s largest civilian aerial firefighting fleet: deployment of fourth C-130 H airtanker and new helitack base - From Governor's Press Office - "The newest additions to California’s aerial firefighting fleet enter active service as hotter, drier season begins. - SACRAMENTO – Marking a significant advancement in California's wildfire preparedness, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that the state’s fourth C-130 Hercules (C-130H) airtanker has entered active service. Alongside this deployment, the Governor celebrated the launch of California’s 11th Helitack base, which hosts the Sikorsky S70i Fire Hawk helicopter. Both resources will be stationed at the Ramona Airport in San Diego County, strategically integrating them into California’s world-leading aerial fleet. - Get a LOT of Details Here.

06/05/2026   CAL FIRE Aircraft Bases (as of 06/01/2026)

Fire Fighting Recognition Guide - Click on Image

The Complete Guide is available by Clicking Here

06/03/2026   NBAA Signs Onto Industry Coalition Statement Opposing DHS Proposal to Curtail CBP Airport Operations - From NBAA - Dan Hubbard - "Washington, DC, May 29, 2026 – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) today joined a coalition of leading aviation and travel organizations –  representing  airports, airlines, hotels and other business and consumer stakeholders – in urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to avoid actions that would significantly reduce Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations at U.S. airport ports of entry.

The groups warned that disruptions at major international gateway airports would have nationwide consequences, negatively affecting travelers, businesses, supply chains and airport operations across the country.

“Any reduction in Customs and Border Protection operations at major U.S. gateway airports threatens to cause unnecessary chaos throughout the nation’s air transportation system,” the coalition’s statement reads. “International aviation networks are highly interconnected, and operational changes at a small number of gateway airports will quickly ripple across the country, negatively impacting travelers, cargo shipments, supply chains and the communities that depend on those connections. Airports and airlines rely on stable, predictable federal inspection services to keep people and commerce moving safely and efficiently. We urge DHS to avoid actions that would create unnecessary operational and economic consequences for communities nationwide. As the United States prepares for growing international travel demand, DHS should avoid actions that would create unnecessary bottlenecks and economic consequences for communities across the country. Now is the time to strengthen America’s gateway infrastructure, not weaken it.”

Recent news coverage about potential changes to CBP services underscores the value of NBAA customs resources for members, including information about preclearance requirements, waivers and the latest news on customs processes and procedures.

Specifically, the association recently introduced the updated NBAA GA Airport Fact Sheet resource, an authoritative information clearinghouse designed to support international travel planning and customs compliance. This member-only resource has been enhanced so that it provides near-real-time information about CBP facilities that provide business aviation services.

The following is the full list of organizations that have signed on to the statement:

• Airline Passenger Experience Association
• Airlines for America
• Airports Council International – North America
• American Association of Airport Executives
• American Hotel and Lodging Association
• Association of Value Airlines
• Cargo Airline Association
• Global Business Travel Association
• GREAT USA Coalition
• International Air Transport Association
• International Flight Services Association
• National Business Aviation Association
• National Retail Federation
• Regional Airline Association
• Travelers United
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• U.S. Travel Association"          

- Press Release from NBAA

06/02/2026   Some Airports Have Concerns About Electric Aircraft - From FLYING - "Government Accountability Office finds that most facilities are not quite ready for the new entrants. - At least one fixed-base operator (FBO) that is betting on electric air taxis believes the new aircraft will arrive several years after some manufacturers predict.- The Government Accountability Office (GAO) on Wednesday released a new report examining the infrastructure needs of future electric and hybrid-electric aircraft. Among the stakeholders GAO interviewed were two FBOs—Signature Aviation and Atlantic Aviation—that are pursuing a range of electrification projects at hubs nationwide, partnering with electric air taxi manufacturers such as Joby Aviation, Archer Aviation, and Beta Technologies. - At least one fixed-base operator (FBO) that is betting on electric air taxis believes the new aircraft will arrive several years after some manufacturers predict. - The Government Accountability Office (GAO) on Wednesday released..." Continue Reading More Here.

06/01/2026   Delta Pilot Arrested 20 Minutes Before Departure - VIDEO - From 74 Gear - 2019 Incident - Being handcuffed in uniform and walking through the airport is not how he saw this day going."  A lot of INSIDE AIRLINE INFO - See it on YouTube Here.

05/31/2026    Feds Mull Pulling Customs From New York, LA, Chicago, and Other Airports in ‘Sanctuary Cities’ - From AvBrief.com - "A controversial plan that would effectively ban most international flights at the U.S.’s largest gateway airports seems to be gathering momentum in Washington amid fears it would cause utter chaos as more than five million soccer fans get ready to visit the U.S., Canada, and Mexico for the World Cup. The Homeland Security Secretary has given several interviews in the last few days saying he’s thinking of removing Customs and Border Protection officers from airports in so-called sanctuary cities where local authorities do not assist federal immigration investigations. Among those cities are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco, all major international hubs and key entry points for World Cup tourists. - Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said no decision has been made but his department will be ready if it is. “We are currently—which we’re not initiating yet—but we’re currently drawing ‌up plans,” Mullin told Fox News. No government officials have given any rationale..."  Continue Reading Here.

05/31/2026   A better way to fix air traffic control - From Aviation Across America - "Former airline executive Robert Mann notes that a recent pro-privatization Washington Post editorial fails to address safety and staffing concerns raised over Canada’s privatized model"  - "“The dysfunction in U.S. air traffic control has an ultimate source” was right to press for faster modernization of air traffic control staffing, scheduling and technology. - One near-term fix to air traffic control is to reduce the unnecessary workload pushed onto controllers. Airlines already have tools to optimize day-of-flight trajectories, using modest en route speed adjustments to sequence and time arrivals well before final approach.

Canada’s privatized nonprofit model should not be treated as a cure-all; it does not make the system safer, solve staffing issues, or remove incentives. A 2024 white paper from Canadian pilots and controllers warned that chronic underinvestment had strained staffing, reduced redundancy and weakened the system’s long-term resilience. In testimony before Canada’s Parliament, the head of the Canadian Air Traffic Control Association said that controllers were already short-staffed by 13 percent before covid-19 and that NAV Canada was spending more than 100 million Canadian dollars a year on overtime. Today, NAV Canada remains short about 200 controllers and staffing constraints have contributed to repeated delay events. The International Civil Aviation Organization’s safety-oversight audit data also show Canada scoring below the United States across all audited categories, particularly aircraft operations."  Continue Here.

05/29/2026   GAO Flags Electric Aircraft Hurdles - From AVweb - "Airports cited questions involving power supply, charger standards, future revenue and demand. -  A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released Wednesday detailed a series of issues facing electric aircraft deployment, including limited airport infrastructure, questions over future airport revenue and concerns from manufacturers over FAA staffing and certification standardization.

According to GAO, 47 U.S. airports had identified electric aircraft charging stations on airport layout plans as of December 2025, with 43 of those airports classified as nonhub or smaller facilities. GAO said 34 of the 47 airports were part of BETA Technologies’ charging network, which the company reported had 52 active airport charging stations and another 32 in progress. One airport told GAO the electrification portion alone for a planned vertiport would be in the $2 million range - The report also noted that airports are weighing how electric aircraft could affect revenue currently tied to..."    Continue Here.

05/25/2026   DOT, FAA Launch ATC Modernization Tracker - From AVweb - "Modern Skies site tracks FAA infrastructure work nationwide. -  The U.S. Department of Transportation and FAA have launched a new website showing air traffic control modernization projects under way across the country. The Modern Skies site will be updated monthly and is intended to track more than 10,000 projects tied to upgrades in communications, surveillance, automation, facilities, Alaska airspace and other systems. It includes a national project map, a progress tracker and a search tool that allows users to look up work by city, airport code, ZIP code, state or congressional district."  Continue

05/25/2026   Falcon Field Landing Fees Draw FAA Complaint, Federal Lawsuit - From AVweb.com - "Flight schools are asking the FAA and a federal court to halt Mesa’s landing fee program. -  Two flight schools based at Falcon Field Airport in Mesa, Arizona, have filed a joint FAA Part 13 complaint challenging the city’s planned landing fee program, scheduled to begin collecting landing data for billing purposes Aug. 1. The complaint was filed by CAE Aviation Academy and Thrust Flight and asks the FAA to review whether the fee structure complies with federal airport obligations, grant assurances and safety requirements.

Schools Raise Training Concerns

Thrust Flight CEO Patrick Arnzen said that, in addition to the federal action, the schools are also pursuing a separate local lawsuit.

“We filed the FAA Part 13 complaint because this issue goes way beyond one airport or one fee,” Arnzen said. “Increased costs could eventually fall on the students and that matters. But an equal and potentially even bigger concern is what happens to training quality and long-term safety when airports start discouraging the repetition pilots need to become truly proficient.”   Read More Here.

05/24/2026   LA County Assessor Touts Effort to Capture Taxes from Unassessed Aircraft - From City News Service - "An effort launched in January identified nearly 1,000 previously unassessed aircraft, which represent a combined $3.5 billion in new assessments for the 2026 tax year, Los Angeles County Assessor Jeff Prang announced Monday. - Prang is responsible for valuing all taxable property, both real and personal, which includes commercial aircraft such as those operating at Los Angeles International Airport, as well as privately owned planes used for general aviation that are based or regularly operated in the county. - In recent years, it’s been a challenge to accurately identify taxable aircraft. Additionally, Federal Aviation Administration rules have made it more difficult for local government agencies to identify aircraft activity and ownership, according to Prang’s office."  Read More Here.     Webmaster's Note:  SCAUWG.ORG is aware of at least one aircraft owner whose data contradicts the assessor's data.  It is alleged that the of the Assessor's data gathering sources is ADS-B, and that method might be abused, an invasion of personal rights, and that the data results may possibly be misinterpreted.

Special to SCAUWG.ORG.  "My understanding is that LAC implemented a program late 2025 where ADSB data is purchased from a company that sources ADSB history/location.  LAC is using this tool county wide and expects to round up 2 billion in property tax." - M.H.

05/22/2026   WHAT IS "PAPA" - And What Does it Have to do with PROPERTY TAXES?

The ISSUE: CAN ADS-B used to determine an Airplane's hangared location?

WHAT DOES papa Stand for?

 PAPA generally stands for the Property Appraiser Public Access portal. It is used to look up property values and exemptions, which form the basis for your local tax collection. [1, 2, 3] However, "at the federal level, momentum is building around the Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act (PAPA). The bill would ban the use of ADS-B data for fee collection nationwide. It would also limit the use of ADS-B data to launch noncriminal investigations into pilots." - See Skyfarer Academy.com -   Implication- Can assessor use ADS-B data to assess property taxes an airplane owner owes, and just how fat back into the can that assessor gather personal information regarding the aviator?

Below is a breakdown of how it relates to tax collection:

• Property Valuation: Your local Property Appraiser assesses your home's value and issues a TRIM Notice (Notice of Proposed Property Taxes).
• Public Database: PAPA allows you to search these assessed values, square footage, and property taxes.
• Collection Process: The data produced by the appraiser is sent to your local Tax Collector, who officially bills and collects your property taxes. [1, 2, 3]

To look up your local property assessments or pay your property tax bill, use the official Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser or check your specific local county's government site. [1]

DOES PROPERTY TAX COLLECTION TO THE OWNERSHIP OF AN AIRPLANE?

 Yes, property tax collection directly relates to the ownership of an airplane because aircraft are legally classified as tangible personal property. [1, 2]

Unlike real estate (real property), airplanes are considered "unsecured" personal property. If your state or county levies a personal property tax, owning an aircraft means you will receive an annual property tax bill based on its assessed value. [1, 2, 3]

How the tax collection process interacts with aircraft ownership involves several specific mechanisms:

1. Determining Tax Jurisdiction (Situs)

Your property tax is not collected based on where you fly, but where the aircraft is regularly or habitually situated when not in flight (known as its "tax situs"). [1]

• The Base Airport: Taxes are billed by the local county or city where your hangar or tie-down spot is located.
• Tracking Ownership: Local tax assessors determine ownership and airplane locations by pulling data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) registry, flight tracking logs, airport operator reports, and physical on-site airport audits. [1, 2, 3]

2. Annual Valuation and Assessment

Aircraft are appraised annually by the county assessor to determine their current fair market value. [1, 2]

• The Lien Date: Assessment is locked in on a specific date each year (for example, January 1st in California). If you legally own the plane on that exact date, you are responsible for the entire property tax bill for that upcoming year, even if you sell the aircraft the very next day.
• Valuation Methods: Tax collectors calculate the plane’s value using the initial purchase price, aircraft bluebook valuation guides, and recent sales data of comparable aircraft. [1, 2]

3. Exemption Loopholes to Note

Not every airplane owner pays standard property taxes. Depending on local laws, exemptions may apply:

• Business Inventory: Airplanes owned and held in inventory strictly for sale by a licensed dealer are generally exempt.
• Historical Significance: Many jurisdictions offer full property tax exemptions for aircraft of historical significance if they are properly maintained and displayed to the public.
• Recreational vs. Commercial: Some states (like Texas) only tax aircraft used for business, completely exempting personal, recreational planes. [1, 2, 3]

4. Double-Check Sales and Use Tax

Do not confuse annual property tax with the initial Sales and Use Tax. When you first purchase an airplane, you must pay a one-time sales tax (or use tax if bought out-of-state) based on the total purchase price. The annual property tax is a completely separate bill collected every year thereafter. [1, 2]

If you would like to look up specific tax rates or verify if your aircraft qualifies for an exemption, I can help you investigate further if you share:

• The state and county where your airplane is hangared
• The make, model, and age of the aircraft
• Whether it is used for personal recreation or business

SO, THE QUESTION IS, BEARING IN MIND THAT FAA ADMINISTRATOR BEDFORD has expressed clarity regarding the use of ADS-B with regard to the collection of Landing Fees, Can ADS-B be used by County Tax assessors to determine the hangared locations of individual aircraft?