Page:Aircraft Accident Report for 1972 Sacramento Canadair Sabre accident.pdf/37



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590

Honorable John H. Reed

Chairman, National Transportation Safety Board

Department of Transportation

Washington, D. C. 20591

Dear Mr. Chariman.

This in response to NTSB Safety Recommendations A-72-219 thru 223.

1. A regulatory project is underway to separate exhibition, air racing and amateur-built aircraft from the experimental category and to specify appropriate operating restrictions for each. We expect to issue a Notice of Proposed Rule Making in the near future.

2. We are considering including all high performance military sure plus aircraft in the recently established pilot competency requirements. We expect a policy to be established on this in the near future.

3. Action is underway to update air show guidelines and policy. We fully recognize that every airport environment is not suitable for air shows. This will be given special emphasis.

4. The Airport and Airway Development Act, which is the basic authority for the Airport Development Aid Program (ADAP), provides, among other things, that no airport development project shall be approved unless sponsor submits satisfactory assurances that appropriate action has been or will be taken, to the extent reasonable,to restrict the use of land adjacent to or in the immediate vicinity of the airport to activities and purposes compatible wit h normal airport operations, including the landing and take off of aircraft.

This provision of the Act is implemented by section 152.35 of the FAR which requires the sponsor of an ADAP project to state in its application the action it has taken to restrict the use of land adjacent to or in the immediate vicinity of the airport to activities and purposes compatible with normal airport operations.

Additional guidance on compatible land use is provided for field personnel in Order 5100.18, paragraph 277. This paragraph suggests various means of achieving compatible land use "such as promoting and fostering the development of open air areas, recreational areas, and other uses and activities that do not generate assemblies of people. Federal assistance programs that will preserve open land