An Airstrip in Pa.

[EDGEFLY]

I have asked for some help on this subject in the past and received some from the Forum. Not exactly groundbreaking stuff (pun intended) but nonetheless useful. As it stands at the moment, I will be filing a Form 7480 for the FAA and enclosing a copy of it with the forms and data required by the State for them to use in their evaluation of my application. It will be $50 just to file the application with the state and that charge may be imposed additional times if their evaluation indicates a need for site visits or such. If the application need to be substantially revised or "materially altered " another application fee will be charged. This is not to be a JFK or LAX kind of facility but rather a turf covered runway located in a former corn field behind my house. Usage will be limited to day VFR and fits under Pennsylvania rules an Individual Airport. There are terms of definition for this ,of course, but the main conceptual thing seems to be that it will not be a public airport and no commercial operations are allowed.

I am posting this because I decided it will pay off in terms of cooperation with both the FAA and the State in the long run. As the paper work is completed, I will post the required forms and other data so everyone has an idea of what is involved. These will be blanks because I don't want to put the agency people individually on the spot for whatever they approve.(If you really want to know, just call NSA) I came to this decision after reviewing a half dozen airport projects about half of them being cases where the individual just started using the new airstrip. My biggest concern tonight is that the tax assessor may decide to reevaluate my property valuation based on the word "airport". If any one has recent experience with establishing an Airstriip in Pennsylvia, I would very much like to learn from your experience.


CAVU

Dale

[Paul Agaliotis]

Dale,
I wish you luck in obtaining your airport. I would never consider doing the same here in CA. I would keep my neighbors informed and my operations low.
If I could get past the endless permits and EPA studies some greenie would find a three pecker salamander and shut down the project. Or an unknown Native American tribe would find the spot sacred. Out here they want you to own and pay the tax on the property, but don't you dare do anything with it.
Paul

[MikeB]

Good morning,
Our situation may be a little different but let me weigh in anyway and maybe it will spark some information from others on this forum. In our case the flying club owns the airport (3wn9) a 2100' grass runway. Many years ago, someone orginally bought it, donated it to the village who in turn donated it to the local recreation area. They didn't want the 'liability and insurance premiums' so they basically forced the flying club to buy it for $1.00...which was done several years ago. The airport was defunct for several years until a number of us decided to resurrect it. As club president I contacted the FAA about getting it back on the map as 'restricted/private' as they had considered it abandoned several years ago. I filed the necessary paperwork with the FAA and also (if I remember correctly) got the blessing of the village and town board with no problem. After a couple of emails from various FAA folks the paperwork went through and we were back on the map as an active restricted airport. The flying club operates as a limited corporation with a board of directors and we have now have about 30 members. Like anyone else I'd like to have an airport in my back yard but this is about the best we can do and we have very good cooperation and support from the community. I should also mention at one time someone wanted to put a cell tower up in one of our downwinds but we were able to get it changed to another location with the help of the local offcials and FAA support.

Regarding taxes: we pay less than $1000 per year on our 11 acres of land. However each hangar owner is responsible for their own personal property taxes. I have about a 1300 sq. ft pole type hangar with a cement floor and pay around $175 per year not including the flying club assessment of .12 per square foot which amounts to another $150 per year. As a club we operate in the black and have changed the assessments according to expenses over the years. I'm not sure under what catagory the airport is taxed but I'm pretty sure it's not agricultural.

Good luck on getting your private strip completed.

Mike

[rkittine]

Island Bob has August Field I think it is NY17 and he might be able to help. That is where our seaplane base is. His strip is 2400 feet of grass on an island in the Hudson River.

Cell 917-288-1496
Field 518-747-8115

Bob

[EDGEFLY]

The first timid steps are underway. This is presumably "according to the book" and already has me looking for lots of data and involves:

-FAA form 7480-1 NOTICE OF LANDING AREA PROPOSAL
&
-PA DEPT. OF TRANSPORTION/BUREAU OF AVIATION FORM AV-4 aPPLICATION FOR NEW AIRPORT/HELIPORT SITE APPROVAL

Both of these are readily available on the internet and I'm not going to try to attach them since I haven't even managed to get photos posted yet. That's just my fault but is a fact. The 7480-1 is to be filed with an office in Jamaica, Ny and the PA form requires a copy of that submission to have been made and a copy enclosed when the AV-4 is filed with the State.

Bob,

Is the island airport a recent installation ?

Dale

[rkittine]

Hey Dale,

It was private until about 3 years ago when New York changed the insurance laws and Island Bob felt save setting up the island as an airport, albeit a private strip.

Ciao Bob

[EDGEFLY]

OK, now I would like to ask forum members for any data sources for aircraft performance data on the 11AC. I am aware that there was never an official POH or Users flight manual published for the 1946 65 hp Chiefs but, I need to submit aircraft performance data with the PA licensing application. I have a sort of performance data write up which the previous owner gave me. It was just "from somewhere". I also have a more standard appearing POH style publication which I found on the Internet when I first started considering Aeroncas. There are small differences in the numerical data between the two, which I have not found to be significant. For the purposes of the application, I would like to provide them with the most professional appearing and complete thing possible. If any of you can suggest something for this purpose, it would be very helpful. Thanks.


Dale

[EDGEFLY]

This P.M. Cleared local zoning (Township) and got a request before the xCounty Engineer for the map data required by the Fed & State application requirements. Still have to clear project through the County Planning commission. There will be a public hearing required by the State because there is an airport within (5) miles of the proposed new strip. Should not (I hope) be a problem since that airstrip is almost never used and has no aircraft of any kind based there.

The list of applicable references is now:

FEDERAL
FAR Part 157
FAA Advisory Circular No. 70-2E
FAA Advisory Circular No. 150/1300-13
FAA Advisory Circular No. 150/5325-4B
Form7480-1 Notice of Landing Area Proposal

PA
PA Form AV-4 APPLICATION FOR NEW AIRPORT SITE APPROVAL
Pa Form AV-6. AIRPORT LICENSE APPLICATION
Dept. of Transportation/Aviation .Regulation, Chapter 471, Title 67, Consolidated Statutes
FAA 150/5300-13(above)
FAR Part 77 & Part 157
FAA Advisory Circulars. 150/5340-1
150/5340-18
150/5340-30
150/5325-4

Aviation Code, Act of October 10, 1984, P.L. 837, No. 64


The beat goes on.....


Dale