AOPA and California pilots are speaking out against a developer’s unsolicited plan to close the Oceano County Airport in Grover Beach so that it could be converted into residential and commercial uses.

King County, Wash., plans to raise land lease rental rates for tenants at Boeing Field. AOPA has emphasized that the increase does not reflect the economic hardships imposed by the recession.

Barrington Irving, who in 2007 became the first African-American to fly around the world, received additional recognition of his achievements in February, which is designated Black History Month.

The White House will nominate Robert A. Harding, a retired major general with 33 years of Army experience, as head of the Transportation Security Administration, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced March 8.

AOPA is urging area pilots and businesses to support Vista Field by attending a March 8 meeting that could decide the facility’s future.

AOPA Foundation President Karen Gebhart traveled the Southeast this week to connect with pilots about helping general aviation serve their communities.

Want a quick way to stay abreast of all that’s happening in general aviation? Aviation eBrief, a daily e-mail newsletter sponsored by AOPA, is a daily collection of 10 articles, compiled from aviation and general news sources around the country.

The Grand Forks, N.D., Air Force Base has drafted a plan to establish restricted airspace for flight by remotely piloted aircraft (commonly known as unmanned aerial vehicles). This new airspace would prevent general aviation aircraft from safely arriving to, or departing from, airports underlying the restricted area.

Bills to protect Oklahoma airports from obstructions and incompatible land use have made it through House and Senate committees. The deadline for the bills to be heard on the House and Senate floor is March 11.

As lawmakers and regulators consider the proper response to the Feb. 18 crash of a Piper Cherokee into an office building in Austin, Texas, a supporter of general aviation in Congress says unnecessary restrictions on GA are not the answer.

Onerous security regulations, insufficient funding, and encroachment: The challenges to general aviation loom large, and three California legislators are asking their colleagues to call on those on Capitol Hill to protect this vital part of the economy and transportation infrastructure.

Wherever your home airport, AOPA is never far away. The association joined the already energized northwest pilot and aviation enthusiast populations at the annual Northwest Aviation Conference Feb. 20 and 21.

When you need to put your airport in the best light, show, don’t tell. Pilots and aviation enthusiasts in and around Grant-Valkaria, Fla. did just that Feb. 21, holding the fourth annual Valkaria Air Fest.

The Three Forks, Mont., planning and zoning board voted Feb. 18 to protect Pogreba Field from the construction of nearby obstacles by limiting the height of future development in the area.

Despite ongoing conflict between Venice, Fla. city council and airport supporters, AOPA met with several policy makers and airport stakeholders on Feb. 17th and 18th.

It’s a familiar story: Facing a severe budget shortfall, the state legislature is considering drawing money from sources such as the aeronautics fund to cover the difference. But the initially proposed $2 million transfer from the aviation fund seems to have not been enough for some South Dakota legislators.

When you need to put your airport in the best light, show, don’t tell. Pilots and aviation enthusiasts in and around Grant-Valkaria, Fla. did just that Feb. 21, holding the fourth annual Valkaria Air Fest.

After two years of temporary funding extensions, a long-term FAA reauthorization bill could pass the Senate before the Easter recess. Senate leaders are planning to bring the FAA reauthorization bill to the floor during this working session, Sen. Byron Dorgan, chairman of the Senate aviation subcommittee, said Feb. 24.

A proposed hike in the excise tax for aircraft in Washington State would hurt pilots, the aviation industry, and ultimately the state economy, AOPA says.

The FAA has released its report about factors that may have led to several in-flight structural failures of the Zodiac CH601XL in the United States and abroad.