Author	Thread
Andy Durbin	Reply: posted - 12 March 2010 6:29 At the ASA general meeting I offered to provide Luke with our turnpoints that lie within the SATR. It was suggested they could be marked on the radar screens and used as references for glider position reports. I followed up by email with the same offer. Luke has now responded asking for that information. I propose to send them the names and coordinates of turnpoints and landables that are within the SATR or close enough to it to be useful. I propose to extract that data from the ASA 2010 database. If anyone has any objection to that proposal please let me know. For it to be useful all pilots contacting Luke RAPCON will need to use the point names in that database and some may be different from the names we are used to using. (e.g. Circle City is now correctly called Thunder Ridge). My Luke contact also has advised me that they are in the process of drafting a letter of agreement relating to glider operations in the SATR. It is likely that agreement will most impact non radio equipped gliders of Turf Soaring, but I plan to keep in the loop to ensure the interests of ASA XC pilots are represented. I have not seen that draft yet but will keep ASA informed when I do. Andy
Bob Thompson	Reply: posted - 11 March 2010 19:14 Flying at Turf yesterday, I watched a pair of F-16s up close at my altitude as they came by Turf. I was comfortable with that. Saw them coming for several miles, and I'd suspect they saw / were watching me, too. I was a couple hundred yards south of the runway and at 4000' circling in weak lift. They came from the SW (in future SATR area) and then pealed east after they had exited the northeast boundary of the SATR. See and be seen is the name of the game in or out of the SATR. Listening in on 118.15 indicates lots of aircraft of all sorts in the area. I was more comfortable with them than the two twins at 6000' over the NE end of Lake Pleasant that seemed to be wandering about. Both had the blue paint of one of the training places at DV, which I interpret that they are more interested in learning how to fly something new than looking out for gliders. LOTS of GA aircraft (piston and biz jet) funnelling thru the area now. Watched seveal dozen fly past in a couple hours yesterday. In the SATR EVERY aircraft is referred to as "targets" by the Rapcon folks. Outside of it, we're still targets. Keep your head out of the cockpit and prevent a bulls eye from being painted on your bird. As for the SATR, when it is implemented, I'm comfortable with it. (As it is a rule, we need to learn to live with it anyway). I always fly with a spare hand held radio, and monitor another frequency / can talk / listen in on 2 freqs at all times in my Ventus already. I do this in Colorado all the time when anywhere near the incoming / departing routes for the city airport. For those glider pilots not used to the fast talk of controllers / GA pilots / military folks, it would be handy for them to listen in on 118.15 a lot in coming months while in the Turf area to get used to what they may be hearing / be told what to do when the SATR is active.
Tuno	Reply: posted - 11 March 2010 17:29 Temporary SUA file available here: http://www.justsoar.com/public/luke_satr/luke_satr_201003.sua Target practice begins in May! 2NO
Bob Thompson	Reply: posted - 10 January 2010 19:35 There was a meeting at Turf with a few FAA and USAF folks back on Feb. 18, 2009 that dealt with the topic. I remember chatting with, and later that day, trying to get an e-mail dialog going with, a Major Ernesto Vergert at ernesto.verger@luke.af.mil, but I never heard back from him. In the meeting I never did hear anyone ever refer to a "Pleasant Valley Soaring Association."
Andy Durbin	Reply: posted - 8 January 2010 8:22 The full text of the rule, and discussion of the comments on the NPRM can be seen at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2009-12-31/pdf/E9-30938.pdf There is a section dedicated to the discussion of glider operations. It includes the following "The USAF met with the Pleasant Valley Sailplane Association (PVSA) personnel to discuss the glider community concerns. The USAF and the PVSA agreed to enter into an LOA covering glider operation to allow glider operations to continue." I have never heard of this organization. Can anyone tell me who it is intended to represent and what its membership is? The good news for glider cross country operations is that the area should be inactive most weekends and there is no requirement for transponders. Andy
Randy	Start of thread: posted - 8 January 2010 7:15 I'm not sure of the area involved. One concern in the article is pushing VFR aircraft towards Turf. http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2010/100107luke.html?WT.mc_id=100108epilot&WT.mc_sect=gan Randy Acree "AV8"