Airport Restrictions??? Viva AOPA

Uncle Leon

Junior Member
Joined
May 17, 2006
Messages
118
Location
Tampa FL
Aircraft
Piper Cherokee
I just hangared my gyro at Tampa Exectutive (Previously Vandenberg). There are no airline operations at VDF. Operations are probably 95% single engine aircraft.

Being a 'Newbie", and recognizing my limitations, (can anyone really have enough training?), I went out Tuesday morning to practice a little- blancing on mains, etc. I went early so as to not interfere with other traffic.

About 7 am or so, two guys come out and met me as I cleared the runway. I was informed that Gyros weren't allowed at VDF. HOLD THE PHONE !!! I was so surprised, I didn't really know how to respond.

"But this is a public airport" I questioned. " It receives funding from the Department of Transportation."...."They can't restrict properly registered aircraft." I questioned.

Nevertheless they were adamant that I could not fly from VDF. Later, the line manager ( a very personable guy who was just caught in the middle) came to my hangar to partly apologize for the restriction and confirm that the Airport authority manager did, in fact, restrict gyros from VDF.

I subscribe to AOPA legal service. When I got home, I called them. They confirmed (to me) that I was, in fact entitled to fly from a public airport. They told me to "cool it" for a few days while they address the problem.

This afternoon, I rec'd a call from AOPA confirming that the issue was solved and that I could fly from VDF. They asked me to call the mgr as a courtesy, which I did. She suggested that the whole issue was just miscommunication, etc. etc. I allowed her to "save face". - Why not? I got what I wanted. Maintaining a cordial relationship is always more profitable than creating ill will.

Viva AOPA. :whoo:
 
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Wow ....so tell me more about this keeping cool. It is unfortunately a skill in which I lack.
 
Wow ....so tell me more about this keeping cool. It is unfortunately a skill in which I lack.

I learned this in Dale Carnigie training and practiced it throughout my business career.

It's all about profit. It may feel good to tell someone off, but it just makes an enemy, unnecessarily. It may feel good to say "I told you so", but it just makes you look like a pompous ass.
 
Leon,
You'll probably be under a microscope now so be careful.


Yes, Tim. I believe you're right.

I sent a follow-up "Note of appreciation" to the lady to thank her for her assistance and for her cooperation with my AOPA representative. - Just a minor effort to make it sound as though she and I were on the same "team" in solving a problem, instead of "twisting the knife" by telling here that I beat her in this battle.

I think that because AOPA is having a major convention her this fall, there is a special effort by our county to retain a good relationship.
 
Leon, well done.

The second half of the process will be conducting yourself and your operations at the airport on a standard above what's expected in courtesy and safety. Sounds like you're off to a great start!
 
I learned this in Dale Carnigie training and practiced it throughout my business career.

It's all about profit. It may feel good to tell someone off, but it just makes an enemy, unnecessarily. It may feel good to say "I told you so", but it just makes you look like a pompous ass.

You're a better man than me.

I don't know if I could have kept myself from running into her office and doin' the Chicken Dance in front of her...

:)
 
Well done Leon!!!
 
See now this is probably why I have a big pompous ass and no friends .
I don't handle being told I can't do something when I know damned well can .
Well done Leon .
 
I don't handle being told I can't do something when I know damned well can .
Well done Leon .

No one likes that, Gary. But life isn't always fair or just. That's something I tried to teach my kids when they were young. Sometimes life (and people) just isn't (aren't) fair.

We can rant and rave and cuss and fuss...but in the end, the most profitable action is to make the best of the situation, and go on with life.
 
Interesting thread. I think "your" guy actually came over to my hangar and ask me this question this morning as I was working on my trainer (engine troubles, Mentone in doubt). I told him you had the right and I guess he's the one that did the leg work. My hangar is about 500 feet from their headquarters here in Frederick MD. Good people that help you out when you have a question.
 
No one likes that, Gary. But life isn't always fair or just. That's something I tried to teach my kids when they were young. Sometimes life (and people) just isn't (aren't) fair.

We can rant and rave and cuss and fuss...but in the end, the most profitable action is to make the best of the situation, and go on with life.

Well I'm not known for being smart or diplomatic or for playing politics .
I think I would have refueled and started a nice long day of tuch and go's .
Refuel and tuch and go's , refuel and tuch and go's , refuel urinate on the door handle to his car and tuch and go's .
Did I mention that I was immature ?
Your way probably worked better in the long run .
 
Leon, did you find out who exactly who were the first men that talked to you, and what were their job positions at the airport? I think you handled it very well by keeping your cool.

My first question to these guys when challenged ,would have been to have them show me and give me a copy of something IN WRITING saying that gyros were not allowed/excluded, and offer to leave when shown the document. That normally does not exist, and keeps the conversation very short and friendly. That is what happened to me when I first showed up at my airport. I later found out the airport manager called the FAA to try to see if he could get me excluded (no other gyros were at the airport at that time), and they told him basically to pound sand. He was accommodating from then on. He left 2 years later; and I always stop by the new airport managers office and say hi every few months. Been there 10 years now flying my gyro and try to get along and wave at everyone, and be as friendly as possible. All the airport rats that had been taking bets how long I would live/last have moved on to other issues.

Scott Heger, Laguna Niguel,Ca N86SH
 
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Tracy airport and ultralight aircraft

Tracy airport and ultralight aircraft

When ultralight aircraft came on the scene at Tracy airport in the early 80's it wasn't long before a woman in real estate began to complain to Tracy City Hall urging the city who owned the airport, to get rid of ultralight A/C on the field because she said the ultralights made it difficult to sell houses in the housing developments. Housing had moved within a mile of the airport.

Docko and I had a gyro business on the airport and we had been there since about 1972. We went to an airport advisory committee meeting where the issue of ultralights on the field was discussed and the airport manager asked how he could get them off the airport. Had Docko and I not been there they would likely have included gyros in the discussion but we were there.

I suggested that the advisory committee members invite the FAA to the next meeting and tell them that the city would like to get rid of the ultralights on the field. I even supplied them with the FAA's phone number...the number I gave them was that of the FAA Funding office.

Next meeting the FAA funding office rep attended the meeting and when he was asked how the city could put the ultralight A/C off the field, he replied that they could kick anyone they chose off the airport" BUT, when they do", he said, "the city of Tracy will have to give back all the millions of dollars of grant money which they have been receiving for the airport".

One of the conditions of accepting grants is that discrimination against any type of aircraft is prohibited.

There was no more talk of putting ultralights off Tracy airport.
Marion
 
Under current rules, ultralights can only operate in controlled airspace with the prior approval of air traffic control:

103.17 - No person may operate an ultralight vehicle within Class A, Class B, Class C, or Class D airspace or within the lateral boundaries of the surface area of Class E airspace designated for an airport unless that person has prior authorization from the ATC facility having jurisdiction over that airspace.

At one time, airport management was given wide discretion to ban ultralights if, in the manager's judgement, such operations represented a hazard to aircraft operations. I can't find that one, so maybe it's been rescinded.

If you have an N-number, that's a whole different deal.
 
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