Local pilot questions safety of airport due to misuse
Federal Aviation safety requirements are violated at the Mineral County Airport: it is not a safe place to fly an aircraft.
The problem has to do with ‘trespass and endangerment’ (FAA term) related to model flying. It is a safety violation, for obvious reasons, to allow anything, other than an aircraft, in the air above or in the vicinity of an airport.
The FAA does, however, give permission for ‘occasional, non-aeronautical’, use of an airport, provided proper safeguards are in place. These safeguards were presented in a letter to Tom Seliga (local model flyer) and to Judy Stang (Mineral County Commissioner) on July 18, 2008. They are quite restrictive and require some understanding and effort on the part of the people involved, but could go a good way to keep models from endangering aircraft:
Rules for flying model airplanes:
1. The temporary use is conducted in an area of the airport which is not required for the normal operation of aircraft and where the event would not interfere with the airport’s normal use; or in a limited operational area of an airport having a relatively small traffic volume and where it has been determined that the event can be conducted in the area without interference with aeronautical use of the airport.
2. Adequate facilities for the landing and takeoff of aircraft will remain open to air traffic and satisfactory arrangements are made by the owner to ensure the safe use of the facilities remaining open.
3. Proper NOTAMS are issued in advance and that the users maintain radio contact on the airport Unicom/CTAF for approaching or departing aircraft.
4. Necessary steps are taken to ensure the proper marking of the portion of the airport to be temporarily closed to aeronautical use as applicable.
5. Remove all markings and repair all damage, if any, within 24 hours after the termination of the use, or issue such additional NOTAMS as may be appropriate.
6. No obstructions determined by FAA to be hazards, such as roads, timing poles, or barricades, will be constructed for the remaining operational area of the airport.
The letter goes on to provide further airport owner responsibilities, including coordination with local users of the airport prior to the temporary event. A copy of the complete letter should be available from the county. The Federal Aviation contact person is Gary M. Gates, (406) 449-5230.
This summer, both the model flyers (Tom Seliga) and the Mineral County Commissioners ignored this very specific FAA directive and models were flown on the airport. No attempt was made to inform local airport users of each event ahead of time or to warn incoming aircraft by use of a NOTAM (notice to airmen) for each event. A model flyer involved in this activity claimed to have permission from commissioner, Clark Conrow.
Safety at the Mineral County Airport, has pretty much hit the skids. Pilots are uninformed and have no way to avoid the danger other than not flying.
When aircraft are endangered, people die, perhaps not today, but sooner or later. In fact, all FAA safety and runway clearance requirements were developed because people died. This is not kiddie’s day at the fair! This airport needs professional management.
The model flyers are a nebulous group and are difficult to hold accountable, but the Mineral County Commissioners are accountable and need to explain their role in this safety issue in this public forum. If Clark Conrow’s role exceeded that of a commissioner, he needs to explain it and as an individual.