President’s view on Japanese general aviation 2004

 

Mr. Issei Imahashi

President, AOPA-Japan

 

     Welcome to our web site.  I’d like to review our past and talk about the future.  In 1968 when AOPA-Japan group was born, there were more than 1,000 small airplanes flying in Japan.  In 2004, the number has diminished down to less than 700, around 650 as the best estimate; it’s a 40% reduction in 36 years.  However, pilot certificate holders are growing in number.  There are more than 30,000 certified pilots in Japan.  Good number of youngsters spend so much money on their flight training.  They begin ambitiously in learning to fly, then find it hard to secure an airplane for themselves.  Sooner they no longer renew their medical and start loitering somewhere else.  Our economy after the WWII is now next only to US.  In other leisure activities people enjoy in every imaginable way; aviation is probably the only exception.  Not many praise flying.  So much bureaucracy surrounds airplanes.  Is this the dead end?

 

Japan-future row is AOPA-J’s goal.     ref)  http://media.aopa.org/iaopa/

 

     Our goal is to harmonize Japanese aircraft regulations with others, and let Japanese people understand that flyers’ duties and rights are the same among free countries.  We, as AOPA-Japan will try to collect background evidence for this target.  We would like to show Japanese authorities that general aviation could be useful to the public as well as for individual’s pastime.  AOPA-Japan will conduct domestic and international fly-in’s and emergency drills for demonstration.

 

     Safety.  We fly over others.  Safety is no accident.  Flight skill and safety seminar is of our top priority.  We set up three new committees, Flight Education, Legal Liaison, and Insurance.  Specialist volunteers will answer member questions.  Flight Education is on IFR certificate training; Legal Liaison is for flight regulations; Insurance is on airplane insurance.  Members can have instant consultation.

(PC simulators are used for Safety Seminar)

     International flights.  Every owner pilot in Japan think of this.  But.  Flying south means such an expensive handling fee.  Flight to north means crossing the Russian border, which now means Russian navigator onboard (thus their fee) is mandatory.  It’s not practical for recreational flyers. 

We are trying to develop a Russian flight procedure to fly VFR economically.  We are looking forward to coordinating with the Alaska Airmen's Association for Russian VFR route.  Once in Alaska, it’s feasible to fly out to lower US and Europe.  In the figure, Hokkaido to Yuzhno – Sakhalinsk (UHSS) was flown VFR by AOPA-J members in the spring of 2002.  From the other way, the Alaskans flew VFR from Nome (PAOM) to Provideniya (UHMD).  Working both ways, we’ll be commuting between US and Japan by our planes.  The bridge route was already flown VFR by a motorglider in 2001.

              

     Our goal.  To substantially enhance Japanese general aviation.  There is nobody else actually working toward this.  If we succeed in having 3,000 registered airplanes, cost of owning an airplane will be less than half of that today.  Members, please contribute in volunteer chores, financing, and most importantly inviting new members.  Thanks for visiting and tuning in with us.