$30 landing fee proposed at Falcon Field, AZ

dans2992

dans2992

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Dans2992
Hi all,

Falcon Field (KFFZ) in Mesa, AZ is proposing a $29.95 landing fee. ($33 for non-based aircraft). This is the minimum fee. If you’re over 6000 lbs, it will be more.

Based aircraft would be given 5 “free” landings per month.

The official reason given is that they see in the future, they’ll need more revenue to be self sufficient, but in reality the neighbors are mad that the flight schools (CAE, etc) do constant touch and goes. Ironically, it was the city that enticed the flight schools to move there…

In any case. If anyone would be willing to sign the petition opposing these, maybe it will help:

c.org

Sign the Petition

Stop landing fees at Falcon Field (FFZ)
c.org c.org
 
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I flew out of FFZ a few times when we wintered in Mesa. Very busy airspace. I signed but since we're no longer there it likely won't carry any weight.
 
rk911 said:
I flew out of FFZ a few times when we wintered in Mesa. Very busy airspace. I signed but since we're no longer there it likely won't carry any weight.
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Don’t worry. I don’t think people based there carry any weight either! If they had, this would never have been proposed.
 
dans2992 said:
...Based aircraft would be given 5 “free” landings per month....
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That would pretty much shut down flight training. A training aircraft could eat up those 5 "free" landings in hours.
 
dans2992 said:
Hi all,

Falcon Field (KFFZ) in Mesa, AZ is proposing a $29.95 landing fee. ($33 for non-based aircraft). This is the minimum fee. If you’re over 6000 lbs, it will be more.

Based aircraft would be given 5 “free” landings per month.

The official reason given is that they see in the future, they’ll need more revenue to be self sufficient, but in reality the neighbors are mad that the flight schools (CAE, etc) do constant touch and goes. Ironically, it was the city that enticed the flight schools to move there…

In any case. If anyone would be willing to sign the petition opposing these, maybe it will help:

c.org

Sign the Petition

Stop landing fees at Falcon Field (FFZ)
c.org c.org
Click to expand...
Wow. Falcon has become my field of choice during my trips to AZ, this would suck.
I can't believe they would bill based aircraft after the 5 "free" landings per month. That's ridiculous!

Edit: In all honesty, I'd pay $30 as a transient because it's leaps and bounds better than the $50 a night ramp fee at KSDL and 9$/gal gas.
But I would think those prices are totally unworkable for someone based there.
 
This is about to happen in Florida.
The problem as told by Airport Management is airport A institute landing fees then all the flight schools go to airport B then a domino effect when Airport B adds fees.
 
I signed it. I get my annuals done there, and I love watching the warbirds and other specialty planes fly around there. Flying in with the departing traffic 10 planes deep is a little odd, but that's what happens when you have 28 flight schools based there. I always wonder if the students are paying by tach time...
 
Domenick said:
That would pretty much shut down flight training. A training aircraft could eat up those 5 "free" landings in hours.
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Shutting down flight training is their (very) thinly veiled goal. The flight schools have hundreds of planes doing non-stop pattern work. Residents are complaining.
 
is it compliant with grant assurances to admit you are charging landing fees for the purpose of reducing traffic?

IMG_2643.jpeg
 
I would appear a a city council meeting and explain why cutting community parks and recreational should occur before charging people with >$150k airplanes a landing fee.
 
bonefishpete said:
This is about to happen in Florida.
The problem as told by Airport Management is airport A institute landing fees then all the flight schools go to airport B then a domino effect when Airport B adds fees.
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The flight schools will just pass the cost on to their students, many/most of whom are there from other countries on either mommy and daddy’s money, or on student loans that won’t be paid off until about their sixth year as captain.
 
ateamer said:
The flight schools will just pass the cost on to their students, many/most of whom are there from other countries on either mommy and daddy’s money, or on student loans that won’t be paid off until about their sixth year as captain.
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I disagree. Flight schools will use airports that don’t charge fees until every airport charges fees.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
$30, omg.

I was just quoted $310.00 unavoidable ramp fee, for all aircraft.
PLUS $868.00 unless you take on 300gals of fuel!
And the fuel is $9.23/gal plus no CAA!!

Unnamed western resort town.
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Why won't you name the resort town? I'm curious!
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
$30, omg.

I was just quoted $310.00 unavoidable ramp fee, for all aircraft.
PLUS $868.00 unless you take on 300gals of fuel!
And the fuel is $9.23/gal plus no CAA!!

Unnamed western resort town.
Click to expand...
I ran into this with Long Beach, hardly a resort town. We scrubbed plans. I'm starting to question the utility of owning a light aircraft.
 
dans2992 said:
is it compliant with grant assurances to admit you are charging landing fees for the purpose of reducing traffic?
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It isn't compliant with grant assurances because it is blatantly discriminatory against flight schools. Every other community in the area should sue against this as well, since it will just shift the noise footprint to other airports who won't benefit from the fuel taxes and on-field businesses that create the noise.
 
Years ago my mom worked in the accounting office for the City of Lynchburg, VA. She was amazed that the city bought practically anything you can think of. She also followed local politics and was sometimes amused at how idiotic politicians can be. One time the city council attempted to raise revenue by increasing taxes on cigarettes. The counties outside the city did not, so the revenue from the sale of cigarettes dropped by 90%! The tax didn't last very long after that.

A $30 landing fee is burden enough to I put a flight school out of business. Is that what they want?

The airport should know that if they abuse their customers they will respond and fight back. It is the American way. SIC Semper Tyranis is the Virginia state motto. We are not the only ones who believe it.
 
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Our local airport OKH has problems, landing fee and with the locals, they put up signs at the end of the runway in protest in hopes of blocking/ensnaring/damaging aircraft landing and taking off from our grass runways. Oak.jpg
 
William Pete Hodges said:
A $30 landing fee is burden enough to I put a flight school out of business. Is that what they want?

The airport should know that if they abuse their customers they will respond and fight back. It is the American way. SIC Semper Tyranis is the Virginia state motto. We are not the only ones who believe it.
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Yes, that is what they want.

They want to shut down flight training, lose that revenue plus fuel revenue, then in a year or so scream the airport is a serious financial burden for the city, and sell the property to developers.
 
brien23 said:
Our local airport OKH has problems, landing fee and with the locals, they put up signs at the end of the runway in protest in hopes of blocking/ensnaring/damaging aircraft landing and taking off from our grass runways. View attachment 148068
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how much is steel going for at the scrap yard?
 
Domenick said:
Yes, that is what they want.

They want to shut down flight training, lose that revenue plus fuel revenue, then in a year or so scream the airport is a serious financial burden for the city, and sell the property to developers.
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That is my belief when they make these insane landing fees. Basically laying the foundation for new houses. And nothing can be done. The decisions have been made and payoffs have been paid.
 
dans2992 said:
Shutting down flight training is their (very) thinly veiled goal. The flight schools have hundreds of planes doing non-stop pattern work. Residents are complaining.
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I wish we could deport these idiots back to California; undoubtedly that's where they're from. CA license plates galore in AZ these days.

No offense to the handful of decent folks from CA residing in AZ. Unfortunately, their cohort is exceedingly small.

Petition signed, for what good that'll do.
 
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TommyG said:
That is my belief when they make these insane landing fees. Basically laying the foundation for new houses. And nothing can be done. The decisions have been made and payoffs have been paid.
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They accepted FAA Grant dollars. Can't decommission items paid for with AIP dollars for 10 years from the last grant draw down, typically. Their CIP shows they intend to do a lot more repairs with AIP dollars every year, so yeah, something can be done as far as closing it down; they will have to repay all FAA grants taken within the last 10 year in order to do that, which would be extremely expensive. Not saying they can't do it if they got a big enough offer for the land, but it'd be a lot.

Besides, even shutting down Falcon Field isn't going to stop aircraft noise. Boeing builds the Apache helicopter right next door, and is angling for a next gen aircraft for that plant, too. They've got a LOT of money invested in that campus; they aren't going anywhere anytime soon, so birds are still going to be flying right there whether Falcon Field exists or not.
 
So 90% of their funding comes from my federal tax dollars and they still charge like it’s a private transaction, sounds like a scam

Pay all the federal money back to each tax payer and I’ll entertain $30 to land there

And even then, it’s Mesa AZ…uhh no
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
$30, omg.

I was just quoted $310.00 unavoidable ramp fee, for all aircraft.
PLUS $868.00 unless you take on 300gals of fuel!
And the fuel is $9.23/gal plus no CAA!!

Unnamed western resort town.
Click to expand...
dans2992 said:
Jackson, based on matching the exact fuel price.
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KJAC was exactly my first thought too. I paid over $500 in fees for less than a week there in a piston single in 2018. Needless to say, I haven't gone back.

brien23 said:
Our local airport OKH has problems, landing fee and with the locals, they put up signs at the end of the runway in protest in hopes of blocking/ensnaring/damaging aircraft landing and taking off from our grass runways. View attachment 148068
Click to expand...
I mean, the paved runway at OKH is going to do a lot more damage to planes than those signs are. :rofl: That's another place I likely won't return. It's unfortunate, because Whidbey Island has a cool vibe and I've got good friends who live there, and it's a bit of a pain to get to via ground-based means if you're not used to it. The island needs more/better airports, not less.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
I mean, the paved runway at OKH is going to do a lot more damage to planes than those signs are. :rofl: That's another place I likely won't return. It's unfortunate, because Whidbey Island has a cool vibe and I've got good friends who live there, and it's a bit of a pain to get to via ground-based means if you're not used to it. The island needs more/better airports, not less.
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:confused2: I thought OKH got repaved. The Skyvector entry for the field claims that the asphalt is in excellent condition.

 
time to do a lot of low approaches at 1 to 3 in the morning. start with the T-6 guys.......
 
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