Hi Bob

Sorry to hear you are being harassed.

Visited your club in 2003 with Kolie. Did not get to fly, although we met you
and played nicely with the toys. What I saw was very safe , and certainly not
inconveniencing the power pilots.Not sure what the airport manager's leeway is
in the USA, but it sounds too much like a dictatorship for me. (or at least a
case of extreme over regulation with deficient oversight of the operational
application of regulations)

With this kind of attitude it is no wonder that the news groups are full of the
decline of soaring , inconvenience and cost of soaring.

We are fortunate to have very little "control" over our recreational airfields,
pilots are expected to know the regulations and act sensibly. Funny part is they
generally do. Air traffic control, and the airport management is helpful
whenever possible. They seem to have the strange view that they are there to
provide a service to the community, rather than that the community is there to
pay their salary, be abused and satisfy their whims. Given the location + Camp
David airspace restrictions, I assume FDK is not a great candidate as a regional
hub. The GA ramp did not look that active that the airport would want to lose
70-80 aircraft, and all their related activity.

For what it is worth - the operations I am familiar with, where there are
parallel turf and tar, differentiate on distance between centerline from the tar
runway. If the verge of the turf is over 40m from the centerline of the tar it
is a separate runway (e.g. 31L and 31R) if less they are regarded as one strip,
with pilots exercising their judgment as to what part of the surface is
appropriate for their use. If the tar runway has boundary lights, then the turf
strip must be 40m separation.

My recollection of MASA is of a well organised operation that any GA airfield in
my part of the world would work hard to attract and retain. Apparently your
airport manger is less ambitious, or too limited to appreciate that.

One thought, gliding in the USA is regulated very closely by the FAA. That means
you work under a fairly different regime from us in South Africa. However, to
the best of my knowledge a glider is given the same rights and responsibilities
as a power aircraft, if you choose to operate as an aircraft. I am sure you
could arrange enough people to file flight plans to fly circuits from the tar.
If you had the pawnee doing a planned departure and landing once every ten
minutes, on the main runway, all day, THAT could be inconvenient. Would be an
excellent way to get everyone current after winter, and would certainly generate
some workload. As a last resort you could use the rules to exercise your
privileges.