rjciii
July 19th 03, 12:55 AM
The ongoing saga of my glider club's fight with the local airport
board at LaGrange, GA (LGC)continues.
A formal complaint was made by us to the local FAA who pulled both
parties in to a joint meeting in May where the airport board was
explicitly told that "They (the gliders) *will* be allowed to fly out
of this publically funded, uncontrolled airport". The FAA man
chairing the meeting gave both parties until 1 June to get together
and come up with jointly agreeable glider operating procedures. The
LGC airport manager and board ignored all the club's requests to meet,
and the FAA was continually notified of their unwillingness to
cooperate.
Next thing we know some procedures have been unilaterally handed down
from the FAA to include such B.S. as requiring the club to post a
member with a radio at the intersection of the crossing runways to
clear for traffic during glider operations (at this supposedly
*uncontrolled* airport!). I know of no other operator that flies out
of LGC that is required to do this in order to fly--not to mention
even being required to have a radio on board (again I say
*uncontrolled* airport!).
So I ask what happened to the jointly agreed upon operating
procedures? I also ask what exactly does the phrase "fair and
reasonable terms without unjust discrimination" per FAA Order 5190.6A
mean to the local FAA?
Today, Friday, 18 July, two gliders (one club & one private) flew from
LGC. Prior to stageing the airport manager's office was notified that
gliders would be operating in the area (for the sake of airport
advisory broadcasts).
Upon takeoff roll the airport manager came on the unicom freq. and
demanded that the towpilot tell him the name of the glider pilot. As
the towplane and glider lifted off the arpt. mngr. again made a
transmission on unicom demanding the same thing. After the 2nd
transmission, the towpilot (after safely airborne) told the airport
manager that he could ask that question of the glider pilot once the
glider landed. The arpt. mngr. then said (over unicom) that "You are
operating illegally" and that upon landing that he was "going to meet
the towpilot accompanied by the local police". That did not happen.
All of this non-aviation related trash talk on the unicom freq!!!
It is my opinion that these radio transmissions made by the airport
manager were improper, unecessary, in violation of somebody's
regulation(s), and certainly were dangerously distracting and
jeopardized the safety of flight of an aircraft in tow during a
critical phase of flight. And this isn't the first time a glider has
been badgered inflight by improper radio calls from either the airport
manager or members of the airport authority (such as "Glider
thermalling in the patterns say "N" number" [while the glider was
turning base to final!])
Anybody have any suggestions about what we can do about this
intolerable situation, especially concerning the recent dangerous
misuse of unicom? Please cite regs and points-of-contact? FCC, FAA,
FARs, etc? Thanks.
board at LaGrange, GA (LGC)continues.
A formal complaint was made by us to the local FAA who pulled both
parties in to a joint meeting in May where the airport board was
explicitly told that "They (the gliders) *will* be allowed to fly out
of this publically funded, uncontrolled airport". The FAA man
chairing the meeting gave both parties until 1 June to get together
and come up with jointly agreeable glider operating procedures. The
LGC airport manager and board ignored all the club's requests to meet,
and the FAA was continually notified of their unwillingness to
cooperate.
Next thing we know some procedures have been unilaterally handed down
from the FAA to include such B.S. as requiring the club to post a
member with a radio at the intersection of the crossing runways to
clear for traffic during glider operations (at this supposedly
*uncontrolled* airport!). I know of no other operator that flies out
of LGC that is required to do this in order to fly--not to mention
even being required to have a radio on board (again I say
*uncontrolled* airport!).
So I ask what happened to the jointly agreed upon operating
procedures? I also ask what exactly does the phrase "fair and
reasonable terms without unjust discrimination" per FAA Order 5190.6A
mean to the local FAA?
Today, Friday, 18 July, two gliders (one club & one private) flew from
LGC. Prior to stageing the airport manager's office was notified that
gliders would be operating in the area (for the sake of airport
advisory broadcasts).
Upon takeoff roll the airport manager came on the unicom freq. and
demanded that the towpilot tell him the name of the glider pilot. As
the towplane and glider lifted off the arpt. mngr. again made a
transmission on unicom demanding the same thing. After the 2nd
transmission, the towpilot (after safely airborne) told the airport
manager that he could ask that question of the glider pilot once the
glider landed. The arpt. mngr. then said (over unicom) that "You are
operating illegally" and that upon landing that he was "going to meet
the towpilot accompanied by the local police". That did not happen.
All of this non-aviation related trash talk on the unicom freq!!!
It is my opinion that these radio transmissions made by the airport
manager were improper, unecessary, in violation of somebody's
regulation(s), and certainly were dangerously distracting and
jeopardized the safety of flight of an aircraft in tow during a
critical phase of flight. And this isn't the first time a glider has
been badgered inflight by improper radio calls from either the airport
manager or members of the airport authority (such as "Glider
thermalling in the patterns say "N" number" [while the glider was
turning base to final!])
Anybody have any suggestions about what we can do about this
intolerable situation, especially concerning the recent dangerous
misuse of unicom? Please cite regs and points-of-contact? FCC, FAA,
FARs, etc? Thanks.