FREED0M of Information requests from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) revealed in recent studies there was no detectable lead air pollution in the vacinity of Denver's Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport.
But this information was not revealed while the legislature still considers a 'nakedly anti-aviation bill' that the AOPA opposes, said the group's communique.
Pilots say tests were conducted to establish that piston aircraft are contaminating the area with lead. But the results did not surface until the AOPA received the news under freedom of information requests.
The legislation introduced February 12 seeks to penalise airports that do not adopt a plan to phase out avgas sales by January 1, 2026.
This would restrict the use of 'state aviation grant programme' funds for such airports, and would add two members to the Colorado Aeronautical Board.
New members would 'expressly exclude pilots and require the governor to 'give priority to individuals who are not trained pilots and who reside directly in the predominant flight path of a high-traffic general aviation airport or commercial airport at which there is significant general aviation activity' when appointing the new voting members, said the bill's summary.
'This is not the first manifestation of anti-airport sentiment in Colorado, nor likely the last,' said the AOPA statement.
Homeowners in the vicinity of the same Denver airport filed suit in December seeking the curtailment or elimination of general aviation operations, notwithstanding that local communities have long ignored advice and allowed housing in the vicinity of airports.
The AOPA says this violates the longstanding principle that the Federal Aviation Administration (F) has final authority over aviation.
'Attempts by state and local governments to impose their own regulations, while not new, are doomed to fail in court,' said the AOPA.
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But this information was not revealed while the legislature still considers a 'nakedly anti-aviation bill' that the AOPA opposes, said the group's communique.
Pilots say tests were conducted to establish that piston aircraft are contaminating the area with lead. But the results did not surface until the AOPA received the news under freedom of information requests.
The legislation introduced February 12 seeks to penalise airports that do not adopt a plan to phase out avgas sales by January 1, 2026.
This would restrict the use of 'state aviation grant programme' funds for such airports, and would add two members to the Colorado Aeronautical Board.
New members would 'expressly exclude pilots and require the governor to 'give priority to individuals who are not trained pilots and who reside directly in the predominant flight path of a high-traffic general aviation airport or commercial airport at which there is significant general aviation activity' when appointing the new voting members, said the bill's summary.
'This is not the first manifestation of anti-airport sentiment in Colorado, nor likely the last,' said the AOPA statement.
Homeowners in the vicinity of the same Denver airport filed suit in December seeking the curtailment or elimination of general aviation operations, notwithstanding that local communities have long ignored advice and allowed housing in the vicinity of airports.
The AOPA says this violates the longstanding principle that the Federal Aviation Administration (F) has final authority over aviation.
'Attempts by state and local governments to impose their own regulations, while not new, are doomed to fail in court,' said the AOPA.
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