City trying to close FBO. Claims tainted fuel

ScottM said:
Oh the HUGE MANATEE!!
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thehugemanatee.jpg
 
TMetzinger said:
Without context the photos are meaningless - those wires may be part of an old abandoned circuit for all we know. Or they could be live and just waiting for a chance to arc in a leaky gas environment.
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That would still be sloppy engineering not to dismantle and remove abandoned equipment.
 
Gary F said:
That would still be sloppy engineering not to dismantle and remove abandoned equipment.
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So what? It costs money to dismantle and remove, and most folks won't do it until they HAVE to because the old stuff is in the way of the new stuff.
 
TMetzinger said:
So what? It costs money to dismantle and remove, and most folks won't do it until they HAVE to because the old stuff is in the way of the new stuff.
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I still think that was sloppy, just the opinion of a former electrical engineer who designed industrial power and lighting systems.
 
Gary F said:
I still think that was sloppy, just the opinion of a former electrical engineer who designed industrial power and lighting systems.
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Hey, I'm a current engineer who designs networks of all sizes. I agree with you - it's sloppy. It's also the way most people and organizations work. I've got a client who's "grown" a data center over the past ten years and I have asked at every opportunity to put in a structured cabling system and tear out the rats nest of power, and copper and fiber data cables underneath the raised floor. And every year it's "no". So we cut out the old cables and leave their carcasses in the space, and run new cabling on top. And every so often somebody complains to the client and he comes and says "why's it so messy", and I refer him back to the documentation of all his decisions. And he shuts up, and gives me the same "no" next time I try to solve the problem.

Back to the original topic - short of going and living at this airport for a few weeks, I don't know enough to have an opinion on what's going on there. I'm certainly willing to believe it's possible that a municipality could act in the fashion they've been accused of. I just can't be sure they've done so without a visit, or a trial.
 
Florida Cracker said:
No but we have family nearby and they often talk about their dysfunctional city gov't and I think I remember a conversation talking about the dopey manager and how the city fathers don't like him but he is dug in so deep they're afraid to kick him out.
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When they're dug in deep, just throw a couple more shovelfuls on top and bury 'em where they sit. ;)
 
Good luck, you definitely have some support at the airport!
 
Do you think they'll settle this by Wurstfest time? That sounds like a rockin' good time.
 
July 9 we will be having a BBQ Fundraiser . You can see the new improved city fuel farm. The NB Aero fuel farm and eat some great BBQ in support of our FBO.

The day will start with a pancake breakfast with the BBQ to follow at noon. We are working on getting the FAA to hold a safety seminar also. So make a space on your calander for the BBQ fund Raiser July 9th.

Also, things are about to happen at the airport.

More to follow.
 
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You might want to go directly to the Governor's office, since he is, or seems to be, seriously looking at a run for the White House. A good scandal, including lots of national interest from pilots and the big bad crooked city, against the small business owner, adds up to good works.

It's worth a try.
 
Come join us for a pancake breakfast and afternoon BBQ on July 9, 2011 from 8am to 8pm at the New Braunfels Municipal Airport under the Texaco Star. We will have an auction of aviation items, live music, and other fun stuff. We are raising funds to help pay for the legal expenses (depositions, filing fees etc) being incurred while the FBO tries to keep from being kicked off the field by the City. For more info:www.newbraunfelsairport.com
 
FlyLady said:
Come join us for a pancake breakfast and afternoon BBQ on July 9, 2011 from 8am to 8pm at the New Braunfels Municipal Airport under the Texaco Star.
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Texaco's been dead and gone for many years now. I was happy KAPA still had their star at Denver Jet Center until recently.

BP finally shelled out (pun intended) some cash to put up their hideous green logo and re-decal the fuel trucks. God-awful ugly now.

All you need to know about both Shell and BP is that both companies were so full of themselves, they killed the best branding/marketing ever in the petroleum biz. Everyone still knows the Texaco Star. Even kids born long after the company was no longer.

Cut my teeth in the business world at Texaco, and still have my Texaco cast-iron airplane collection. Great stuff.
 
"Trust your car to the man that wears the star.
The big, bright Texaco star!"
 
That's because Standard Oil was the Big Daddy of all US petro companies, from whence Chevron, Esso, etc. all came, and they understood US marketing in the early days. Most people forget (or never knew) that Shell's parent name is "Royal Dutch Shell", and BP is "British Petroleum".

This was back in the days when single advertisers financed entire tv shows, such as Texaco & Bob Hope. Texaco was not originally part of the Standard Oil, having been created by the discovery of oil at Spindletop, TX (hence the name). Actually, there are still Texaco stations and as a company, go check out texaco.com - alive and well, altho owned by Chevron.

Back in the 1830s an intelligent Governor of Texas (Lamar) made sure that Higher Ed would always be funded and appropriated LOTS of land to benefit the schools. Think Texas is backwards in education? Tired of hearing complaints about lack of funding? Pshaw....Univ of Texas' Endowment Fund is the largest public university fund, and #4 overall (behind Harvard, Yale & Princeton). But then, those schools had a head start on asking for money. And if the state legislature hadn't taken 1/3 of our money and given it to the Aggies, we'd be #2. Of course there hasn't been as insightful a governor in the past many decades...

http://www.texasalmanac.com/topics/business/oil-and-texas-cultural-history

end of soapbox
 
I promise you...you will still find a Texaco Star beaming on the airfield...much to the chagrin of the city. If you like the cast-iron airplane collection...you may even find a few of those being auctioned off at the Pancake-BBQ...remember...fly ....drive...cycle....whatever...but come on July 9th.
 
When you fly in for the event, make sure to buy fuel out of town and e-mail Mayor Gale Pospisil and let her know you are intentionally avoiding bringing any tax dollars to New Braunfels as long as the city manager's office is such a sewer of corruption.

mayor@nbtexas.org

Nothing hurts like lost tax dollars.
 
Florida Cracker said:
When you fly in for the event, make sure to buy fuel out of town and e-mail Mayor Gale Pospisil and let her know you are intentionally avoiding bringing any tax dollars to New Braunfels as long as the city manager's office is such a sewer of corruption.

mayor@nbtexas.org

Nothing hurts like lost tax dollars.
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The city doesn't levy tax on fuel sales.
 
The city does get money from a fuel flow age fee and a built in airport tax
 
Doggtyred said:
The city doesn't levy tax on fuel sales.
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Instead of fuel taxes think of other, revenue opportunities, if you will, that go along with any trip to an out of town airport.

Let the city leaders know you are denying them revenue and watch them turn red.
 
Dave,
Yes there is an airport tax. On everything! You are mistaken. Just try not paying it.

Fuel flowage fee: .07 gal.

Airport tax: 1.05% fuel, food, all services.

We bring our own food to cafe. City gets nothing.
 
A big part of moving any elected official off an idiotic position is to make them think the coffers are losing out on potential revenue, which is their god.
 
Todays events. dropped off 3 more FOIA requests to the city. Sent 1 to FAA for citys response to the letter from FAA concerning AIG violations. We'll see if we can find out what lies they told the FAA.:yesnod:

A secret meeting was requested by the city at an undisclosed location. Will post results as they become available.

To see a picture of our airport dictator look up alpha aircraft services of america on facebook. Look in their photo album. About photo 109. You'd think he works there. In fact he is their most valuable employee getting them all of that taxpayer loot to upgrade their building. And the lease is so cheap. About $5000 per month less than the previous tenant payed and with all those improvements. And all those improvements weren't even required in the lease. The city just paid for them because they are so nice. I need a deal like that.

Should we tell him that Wally World is hiring. In CHINA :yikes: :no:


Link to fun places to fly http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42568
 
AdamZ said:
Don't they have sunshine laws down there in the Lone Star State?
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If more than 50% of the council would be there, they have to conduct it as an official meeting with all necessary notifications provided.

We had a local politician giving a speech to a group of high schoolers. When a few of the council members stopped by to listen, they had to ask one to leave to prevent their being to many and having to comply with open meeting laws.
 
Traket92X said:
If more than 50% of the council would be there, they have to conduct it as an official meeting with all necessary notifications provided.

We had a local politician giving a speech to a group of high schoolers. When a few of the council members stopped by to listen, they had to ask one to leave to prevent their being to many and having to comply with open meeting laws.
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50% may or may not be the determinant. The charter of the governmental body calls out how many constitute a quorum, which is the minimum needed to be present to convene and conduct business.

I suspect that an appointee ( airport manager) and legal counsel don't meet that threshold. If the city council itself was meeting with the FAA I'd be surprised.

I'd also expect this secret meeting's conduct to be withheld from FOIA requests under some legal maneuvering, causing the State Atty Gen to have to rule on it's release.

That's a win-win, because either the info is released or the AG gets involved and may dig deeper.
 
Wednesday the FAA and TxDOT met with the city. No news of its outcome as there was mention of lawyers when I asked for a copy of the city response. :mad:

They (FAA & TxDOT) then met with some pilots (us) and the FBO folks after being invited by us (ME). That wasn't their (FAA & TxDOT) plan but they (FAA & TxDOT) sure learned a lot about the city's antics. :wink2:

I think the city manager and airport director are going down with the ship.:yikes:

More later. Working on open records to get city response to FAA letter dated 20 MAY posted a few pages back.
 
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ultrasonix said:
They then met with some pilots and the FBO folks after being invited by us. That wasn't their plan but they sure learned a lot about the city's antics.
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Too many pronouns, not enough antecedents. Do "They", "their" and "they" above mean "FAA and TxDot"?
 
Got it. Corrections made. Any Questions? :wink2:

We also had an engine stolen from a C-150 Saturday. City security gates were broken. Worn out & Stuck open. Might have contributed to theft. City says gates are special order but they were replaced the next day.

Thief caught yesterday. Spotted by tenant who called police.
 
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ultrasonix said:
Got it. Corrections made. Any Questions? :wink2:

We also had an engine stolen from a C-150 Saturday. City security gates were broken. Worn out & Stuck open. Might have contributed to theft. City says gates are special order but they were replaced the next day.

Thief caught yesterday. Spotted by tenant who called police.
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Thats great news on catching the thief.... Any details ? was he a pilot ? airboat guy ? Any reason on why he wanted the motor off a 150 ? :dunno::dunno:
 
Here is how to get your T shirt or donate money.

I've been asked how to order T shirts and make donations. There are several ways.
1. Go to the website http://www.newbraunfelsairport.com/index.php There will be a page there to place your order under the yellow airplane on right.



2. Call 830 606-6666 and place your order using your Credit Card.




3.Send a donation to :



New Braunfels Aero Service
1772 Entrance Drive
New Braunfels Airport
New Braunfels, Texas 78131



Come to the Pancake breakfast and BBQ July 9 8am -8pm !
 
I think you should find Jay's instructions for his Mighty Grape (or whatever he called it) auto-gas fuel truck. From what I recall, it was an old pickup with a 49 gallon takn in/on the back that he used to fill his plane with autogas.

Loan that out as a courtesy car and let the pilots drive down the road, pick up a load of autogas, and fill their plane.

Pilots are happy, city is deprived the sale, and the FBO isn't 'selling' gas, so is out of the loop.
 
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