On May 4, 8:47 am, GARY BOGGS wrote:
We are having trouble at our airport. Our airport, here in Oregon,
USA, is owned by The Port of Hood River, and is federally funded.
It’s a small, uncontrolled airport and on a busy day, probably has
about a dozen non glider flights. We generally fly our gliders on the
windy days, and have the airport all to ourselves. The Port thinks
it's against FARs and/or unsafe to use cars to move the gliders up and
down the taxiways and off of the runway. They want us to use the tow
plane to move the gliders around the airport, and they also are
telling us that no persons are allowed past the hold lines, wing
runners included! These procedures were written by a person at the
Port that isn't even a pilot! We have had no problems with any of the
other planes or pilots, but the Port is trying to make it impossible
for us to operate by coming up with a bunch of ridicules rules. They
keep talking about an FAA Obstruction Free Zone that is 400ft from the
centerline of the runway, where no gliders can be, which disallows us
from staging and parking the gliders next to the take off ends of the
runway.

What I am looking for is a list of public airports where gliders and
power traffic coexist, and descriptions of how the gliders are staged
and moved around. I also think it’s time to get the AOPA involved..
All help is greatly appreciated.

Gary Boggswww.nwskysports.com

IMVHO, it sounds like the port may be mis-applying Part 77. See Part
77, subpart C, regarding obstructions. I don't think your vehicle/
glider movements fit the standards. Obstructions have to do with
airspace.

Contact your Region 8 director for starters.

Your FAA Part 77, Airspace Obstruction Analysis, contacts are
Northwest Mountain Region
Idaho, Oregon, Washington: (425) 227-2659

Also review the defined terms here
http://www.faa.gov/airports_airtraff...ubs/PCG/O..HTM
regarding Obstacle Free Zones (different from obstructons). I doubt
if moving vehicles apply, however they may next pull the safety card.
But this is just a small, uncontrolled public airport, without
fences.

From the above link:

OBSTACLE FREE ZONE- The OFZ is a three dimensional volume of airspace
which protects for the transition of aircraft to and from the runway.
The OFZ clearing standard precludes taxiing and parked airplanes and
object penetrations, except for frangible NAVAID locations that are
fixed by function. Additionally, vehicles, equipment, and personnel
may be authorized by air traffic control to enter the area using the
provisions of FAAO JO 7110.65, Para 3-1-5, VEHICLES/EQUIPMENT/
PERSONNEL ON RUNWAYS. The runway OFZ and when applicable, the inner-
approach OFZ, and the inner-transitional OFZ, comprise the OFZ.

a. Runway OFZ. The runway OFZ is a defined volume of airspace centered
above the runway. The runway OFZ is the airspace above a surface whose
elevation at any point is the same as the elevation of the nearest
point on the runway centerline. The runway OFZ extends 200 feet beyond
each end of the runway. The width is as follows:

1. For runways serving large airplanes, the greater of:

(a) 400 feet, or

(b) 180 feet, plus the wingspan of the most demanding airplane, plus
20 feet per 1,000 feet of airport elevation.

2. For runways serving only small airplanes:

(a) 300 feet for precision instrument runways.

(b) 250 feet for other runways serving small airplanes with approach
speeds of 50 knots, or more.

(c) 120 feet for other runways serving small airplanes with approach
speeds of less than 50 knots.

b. Inner-approach OFZ. The inner-approach OFZ is a defined volume of
airspace centered on the approach area. The inner-approach OFZ applies
only to runways with an approach lighting system. The inner-approach
OFZ begins 200 feet from the runway threshold at the same elevation as
the runway threshold and extends 200 feet beyond the last light unit
in the approach lighting system. The width of the inner-approach OFZ
is the same as the runway OFZ and rises at a slope of 50 (horizontal)
to 1 (vertical) from the beginning.

c. Inner-transitional OFZ. The inner transitional surface OFZ is a
defined volume of airspace along the sides of the runway and inner-
approach OFZ and applies only to precision instrument runways. The
inner-transitional surface OFZ slopes 3 (horizontal) to 1 (vertical)
out from the edges of the runway OFZ and inner-approach OFZ to a
height of 150 feet above the established airport elevation.

(Refer to AC 150/5300-13, Chapter 3.)

(Refer to FAAO JO 7110.65, Para 3-1-5, VEHICLES/EQUIPMENT/PERSONNEL ON
RUNWAYS.)

OBSTRUCTION- Any object/obstacle exceeding the obstruction standards
specified by 14 CFR Part 77, Subpart C.

I fail to see how moving gliders by vehicle on the taxiway constitutes
an obstruction under subpart C. Nor can I find any restriction on
vehicle movement on an uncontrolled airport. There are standards for
movement of vehicles/aircraft on controlled airports.

Your airport sells a lot of Jet A? http://www.airnav.com/airport/4S2
Wonder how many of the 39 daily flights were glider flights? Maybe
two for each tow?

Many airport and aviation planners aren't pilots at the local, state,
and federal levels. None of our local airport staff are pilots. I
think some of the local staff fear flying.

Who did you **** off Gary?

Frank Whiteley






The are some FAA terms, Runway Obstacle Free Zone (OFZ), Object Free
Area (OFA), and