Regulation Run Amok

Operation Migration In Action (Source).

As long time readers are aware, I like the outdoors. And I love wildlife of all sorts, birds among them. That's why this story, drives me nuts:

The 2011 ultralight-led Whooping crane migration is currently on hold in Alabama while the Federal Aviation Administration sorts out a regulatory issue involving OM’s pilots and aircraft.

The FAA is working with OM to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. In the meantime, this year’s cohort is safely penned in Franklin County, Alabama, watched over daily by OM personnel.

The issue in question is whether or not OM’s pilots are flying “for hire,” or, for the furtherance of a non-profit. OM aircraft are licensed as Light Sport Aircraft (LSAs) which came into effect in 2008. FAA regulations prohibit flying LSAs for hire or as part of business activities. The FAA has begun the process of evaluating a waiver to OM, exempting its pilots and aircraft from that rule.

If you haven't heard of Operation Migration, it's a group of private pilots who take ultra-light aircraft and guide whooping cranes on their migration south during the winter. Lest you think it's a crazy stunt, consider:

It is believed that approximately 1,400 whooping cranes existed in 1860. Their population declined because of hunting and habitat loss until 1941 when the last migrating flock dwindled to an all-time low of 15 birds. The wild flock has slowly increased to over 180 in late 1999. This flock winters in and around Aransas National Wildlife Refuge on the Gulf coast of Texas. In spring, they migrate north, nesting in Wood Buffalo National Park, which straddles the border of Alberta and Northwest Territories in Canada. This flock of whooping cranes is the only naturally occurring wild population in the world. Scientists have long recognized the risk of having all of the wild whooping cranes using one wintering and breeding location. With all the wild birds concentrated in one small area, the population could be wiped out by disease, bad weather, or human impacts. Whooping crane survival depends on additional, separated populations.

Why, oh why, can't the Federal government just get out of the way, when people are doing good things at no cost to the taxpayer? After all, it's not as though they've not looked into this. They investigated last year and found no problem! Was there any evidence thing had changed? Were the whooping cranes paying them?

Good grief.

R. Sherman

(H/T Instapundit)