SUN VALLEY - HAILEY, IDAHO VFR ALERT !

[[email protected]]

Be aware that the aiport manager at Friedman Airport [SUN] has decided
to close SUN to all VFR traffic on several days in July. The days in
question coincide with the arrival and departure of the "big guys" in
their Lears, Falcons, & G-5's who will be attending the annual Allen
Conference at Sun Valley. The big guys are Gates, Buffet, Greenspan,
et. al. who don't want to be inconvenienced by us VFR'ers.

AOPA is involved, letters have been written to both the FAA & the
airport manager. The airport manager can not arbitrarily make a
decision like this. Per FAA Administration Order 5190.6A "In all cases
the FAA will make the final determination of the reasonableness of the
airport owner's restrictions which denied or restricted use of the
airport".

If you are concerned about this, as I am, because of the precedent it
sets at SUN, I urge you to write [soon, because time is short] to the
FAA official who will make the decision;

Mr. Kelly Moffitt
Salt Lake Air Route Traffic Control Center
Traffic Management Officer
2150 West 700 North
Salt Lake City, Utah 84116

and

Mr. Richard Baird
Friedman Memorial Airport
Airport Manager
P.O. Box 929
Hailey, Idaho 83333

Cheers, and safe flying,
T. Sanders

[Montblack]

wrote)
[snip]
> Be aware that the aiport manager at Friedman Airport [SUN] has decided
> to close SUN to all VFR traffic on several days in July. The days in
> question coincide with the arrival and departure of the "big guys" in
> their Lears, Falcons, & G-5's who will be attending the annual Allen
> Conference at Sun Valley. The big guys are Gates, Buffet, Greenspan,
> et. al. who don't want to be inconvenienced by us VFR'ers.
>
> AOPA is involved, letters have been written to both the FAA & the
> airport manager. The airport manager can not arbitrarily make a
> decision like this. Per FAA Administration Order 5190.6A "In all cases
> the FAA will make the final determination of the reasonableness of the
> airport owner's restrictions which denied or restricted use of the
> airport".


This came up on April 21
Can they do this? Restrict airport to IFR traffic only?
(55 replies)
http://makeashorterlink.com/?V50D2585B
(same as long link at bottom ...wait for it)

<http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?issue_date=04-20-2005&ID=2005102705>
Idaho Mountain Express news story. (4-20-05)

Looks to me like the type of problem an airport would welcome - where do we
put all the jets? Think of it as a one day air show ...bring a couple of
lawn chairs and a cooler. <g>

But yes, I agree with you on not wanting to set a (bad) precedent in this
case.

<http://groups-beta.google.com/group/rec.aviation.piloting/browse_frm/thread/da08440cd5a22e4c/29d973218e060712?tvc=1&q=sun+%2B+vfr&hl=en#29d973218e060712>
(rec.aviation.piloting thread about closing SUN to VFR traffic over The
Fourth. 55 replies)


Montblack

[Michael 182]

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Be aware that the aiport manager at Friedman Airport [SUN] has decided
> to close SUN to all VFR traffic on several days in July. The days in
> question coincide with the arrival and departure of the "big guys" in
> their Lears, Falcons, & G-5's who will be attending the annual Allen
> Conference at Sun Valley. The big guys are Gates, Buffet, Greenspan,
> et. al. who don't want to be inconvenienced by us VFR'ers.

I doubt Gates, Buffet, Greenspan and the other attendees know or care about
VFR traffic. This just sounds like an airport manager who is overstepping
his authority.

Michael

[Orval Fairbairn]

In article >,
"Michael 182" > wrote:

> > wrote in message
> ups.com...
> > Be aware that the aiport manager at Friedman Airport [SUN] has decided
> > to close SUN to all VFR traffic on several days in July. The days in
> > question coincide with the arrival and departure of the "big guys" in
> > their Lears, Falcons, & G-5's who will be attending the annual Allen
> > Conference at Sun Valley. The big guys are Gates, Buffet, Greenspan,
> > et. al. who don't want to be inconvenienced by us VFR'ers.
>
> I doubt Gates, Buffet, Greenspan and the other attendees know or care about
> VFR traffic. This just sounds like an airport manager who is overstepping
> his authority.
>
> Michael

What is the fine for such action?

--
Remove _'s from email address to talk to me.

[Seth Masia]

Friedman is an uncontrolled field. How do they propose to close it to VFR
traffic? Park fuel trucks on the runway until a jet appears? Lock the
hangar doors on locally-based non-IFR aircraft?

What's he going to do to me if I land there without management permission?

"Orval Fairbairn" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Michael 182" > wrote:
>
>> > wrote in message
>> ups.com...
>> > Be aware that the aiport manager at Friedman Airport [SUN] has decided
>> > to close SUN to all VFR traffic on several days in July. The days in
>> > question coincide with the arrival and departure of the "big guys" in
>> > their Lears, Falcons, & G-5's who will be attending the annual Allen
>> > Conference at Sun Valley. The big guys are Gates, Buffet, Greenspan,
>> > et. al. who don't want to be inconvenienced by us VFR'ers.
>>
>> I doubt Gates, Buffet, Greenspan and the other attendees know or care
>> about
>> VFR traffic. This just sounds like an airport manager who is overstepping
>> his authority.
>>
>> Michael
>
> What is the fine for such action?
>
> --
> Remove _'s from email address to talk to me.

[John Galban]

Seth Masia wrote:
> Friedman is an uncontrolled field. How do they propose to close it to VFR
> traffic? Park fuel trucks on the runway until a jet appears? Lock the
> hangar doors on locally-based non-IFR aircraft?

How about closing it to VFR traffic via NOTAM?
>
> What's he going to do to me if I land there without management permission?

He could report you to the FAA. Landing at a field that is closed to
you by NOTAM might indicate a deficiency in your preflight planning (or
worse).

John Galban=====>N4BQ (PA28-180)

[Michael 182]

"John Galban" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
>
> Seth Masia wrote:
>> Friedman is an uncontrolled field. How do they propose to close it to
>> VFR
>> traffic? Park fuel trucks on the runway until a jet appears? Lock the
>> hangar doors on locally-based non-IFR aircraft?
>
> How about closing it to VFR traffic via NOTAM?
>>
>> What's he going to do to me if I land there without management
>> permission?
>
> He could report you to the FAA. Landing at a field that is closed to
> you by NOTAM might indicate a deficiency in your preflight planning (or
> worse).
>
> John Galban=====>N4BQ (PA28-180)

How does a NOTAM like that come about - does the airport manager have to get
permission from the FAA?

Michael

>

[George Patterson]

wrote:
> Be aware that the aiport manager at Friedman Airport [SUN] has decided
> to close SUN to all VFR traffic on several days in July.

AOPA ran this by the FAA. The FAA has decided to restrict both IFR and VFR
aircraft to "slotted" arrivals. From the AOPA web site --

VFR restriction lifted at Sun Valley

AOPA stood up for the rights of the "little guys" at Friedman Memorial Airport
(SUN) in Hailey, Idaho — and won. Hailey is home to the famous Sun Valley
resort, which hosts one of the biggest and most exclusive corporate retreats.
Investment banker Allen & Company attracts major business interests and a bevy
of corporate aircraft to its annual bash in July. Such folks don't appreciate
much delay or inconvenience.

So the airport manager wanted to close SUN to VFR traffic July 5 and 10, arrival
and departure days for the bigwigs. And in fairness, he has a challenge. The
airport is in a narrow canyon; it has a one-way runway, only one full-length
parallel taxiway, and a very small ramp. So if one aircraft is taxiing out, none
can taxi in.

But you can't close an airport to one class of users for the exclusive use of
another class. And AOPA told him so.

"AOPA is seriously concerned that such operational restrictions are being
implemented solely to discriminate against VFR operations and to provide IFR
operations exclusive use of the airport," AOPA said. "All aircraft should have
equal and nondiscriminatory access to the airport during this time frame."

So they will. The FAA will implement a Special Traffic Management Program (STMP)
for SUN. IFR traffic will need a "slot reservation" for arrivals July 1 through
10. VFR arrivals need a reservation for arrivals on July 5 and July 10. Slot
reservations can be obtained through the FAA's e-STMP Web site or by calling
800/875-9755. Reservations can be made no earlier than 72 hours in advance of
the requested arrival time.

Pilots should be prepared to provide their departure airport, estimated UTC time
of arrival, UTC date, call sign, and type of aircraft. Upon completion of a slot
reservation, you will receive a reservation confirmation number. The slot
reservation confirmation number must be included in the "remarks" section of the
flight plan.

Upon making radio contact with SUN tower, pilots may be asked if they have a
reservation code, and pilots should be prepared to provide that code to the SUN
tower controllers. This reservation does not ensure overnight parking or ramp space.

Aircraft must arrive within 15 minutes of the assigned reservation time or they
will lose their reservation and will be denied clearance to land. Also, if this
window cannot be complied with, pilots may obtain a new slot reservation number
through e-STMP or by telephone. If a reservation requires change or
cancellation, please do so as early as possible in order to release the slot for
another flight.

George Patterson
Why do men's hearts beat faster, knees get weak, throats become dry,
and they think irrationally when a woman wears leather clothing?
Because she smells like a new truck.

[Larry Dighera]

On Thu, 30 Jun 2005 16:57:26 GMT, George Patterson
> wrote in <WvVwe.7757$GP6.2379@trndny03>::

>The FAA will implement a Special Traffic Management Program (STMP)
>for SUN. IFR traffic will need a "slot reservation" for arrivals July 1 through
>10. VFR arrivals need a reservation for arrivals on July 5 and July 10. Slot
>reservations can be obtained through the FAA's e-STMP Web site or by calling
>800/875-9755. Reservations can be made no earlier than 72 hours in advance of
>the requested arrival time.


Given the quote above, is it correct to believe that VFR arrivals will
not require a slot reservation from July 1 through July 4 nor July 6
through July 9? Or are VFR arrivals restricted from the airport
during those dates?

[George Patterson]

Larry Dighera wrote:
> On Thu, 30 Jun 2005 16:57:26 GMT, George Patterson
> > wrote in <WvVwe.7757$GP6.2379@trndny03>::
>
>>The FAA will implement a Special Traffic Management Program (STMP)
>>for SUN. IFR traffic will need a "slot reservation" for arrivals July 1 through
>>10. VFR arrivals need a reservation for arrivals on July 5 and July 10. Slot
>>reservations can be obtained through the FAA's e-STMP Web site or by calling
>>800/875-9755. Reservations can be made no earlier than 72 hours in advance of
>>the requested arrival time.
>
> Given the quote above, is it correct to believe that VFR arrivals will
> not require a slot reservation from July 1 through July 4 nor July 6
> through July 9?

That's the way I read it.

> Or are VFR arrivals restricted from the airport
> during those dates?

Given another line in the article "But you can't close an airport to one class
of users for the exclusive use of another class", I would say not. It's
possible, I suppose, that AOPA was ineffective in this case and doesn't know it.

George Patterson
Why do men's hearts beat faster, knees get weak, throats become dry,
and they think irrationally when a woman wears leather clothing?
Because she smells like a new truck.

[John]

Seth Masia wrote:

> Friedman is an uncontrolled field.

What do you consider to be an "uncontrolled field?" SUN certainly DOES have an
operating control tower from 0700-2300. As charted, Class D airspace is in
effect when the (non-federal) control tower is open.

> How do they propose to close it to VFR
> traffic? Park fuel trucks on the runway until a jet appears?

VFR has to do with flight rules. What does the type of engine do with anything
under discussion?


> Lock the hangar doors on locally-based non-IFR aircraft?

Issuing a NOTAM would take care of it.

>
>
> What's he going to do to me if I land there without management permission?

It's a non issue because VFR traffic WILL be permitted, if you have an active
slot reservation. However if you violate a rule for that airport, you could be
subject to penalties. If an airport is closed to aircraft above 12,500 lbs and
you show up in something heavier than that, sorry for you.

A jet recently sailed off a runway at Bader and splashed into the bay. That
airport prohibits jet powered aircraft operations. Should be interesting to see
what happens as a result of that infraction alone, although it was a foreign
crew and foreign aircraft so who knows.