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View Full Version : Can public airports/airstrips prohibit Ultralights?



Downs
09-17-2013, 08:46 PM
And I'm not talking about towered airports I understand the procedures for getting access to them I'm talking about non-towered airports and airports that aren't even attended.

I ask because I was looking at places I had flown into back home in Texas. Lake Whitney being one of those places. Out in the middle of nowhere, not even an attended airstrip at a state park. I found this on airnav



Additional Remarks

A96
ULTRALIGHT ACFT PROHIBITED.




http://www.airnav.com/airport/F50

Mike M
09-17-2013, 10:05 PM
http://www.footflyer.com/PPGBibleUpdates/Chapter08/Airports/faa%20103%20precedent-FromScottAdair.gif

rawheels
09-18-2013, 08:18 AM
A96 would be the FAA NFDC code related to ultralights, but that specific remark is missing from their airport info page: https://nfdc.faa.gov/nfdcApps/services/airportLookup/airportDisplay.jsp?airportId=F50

It is listed in the latest A/FD, however: http://aeronav.faa.gov/pdfs/sc_365_22AUG2013.pdf

Sounds like it is time to make a quick call to the local FSDO: (817) 491-5000

Ken Finney
09-18-2013, 09:48 AM
They can, and do. I'm working with an airport to get that restriction lifted.

Tom Downey
09-18-2013, 11:42 AM
103.17 Operations in certain airspace.
No person may operate an ultralight vehicle within Class A, Class B, Class C, or Class D airspace or within the lateral boundaries of the surface area of Class E airspace designated for an airport unless that person has prior authorization from the ATC facility having jurisdiction over that airspace.

Sam Buchanan
09-18-2013, 01:05 PM
103.17 Operations in certain airspace.
No person may operate an ultralight vehicle within Class A, Class B, Class C, or Class D airspace or within the lateral boundaries of the surface area of Class E airspace designated for an airport unless that person has prior authorization from the ATC facility having jurisdiction over that airspace.

Most non-towered airports will be Class G up to 700' AGL. Non-towered airports under lateral boundaries of Class E are not very common in most parts of the country. We have one in our area--it is a holdover from when there was a flight service station on the field years ago.

Bill Berson
09-18-2013, 04:07 PM
If the airport received Federal funds in the past, then ultralights must be allowed.

Downs
09-18-2013, 08:12 PM
Lake Whitney is under no airspace at all

http://skyvector.com/?ll=31.925125067963197,-97.36468506158364&chart=301&zoom=3&plan=A.K4.F50

It's close to some but not quite.

I'm not calling anyone at this moment I'm still stationed in Southern California and won't be going home with my bird for at least another 2 years. I was mainly just curious if they could do that.




103.17 Operations in certain airspace.
No person may operate an ultralight vehicle within Class A, Class B, Class C, or Class D airspace or within the lateral boundaries of the surface area of Class E airspace designated for an airport unless that person has prior authorization from the ATC facility having jurisdiction over that airspace.



As I stated in my original post I understand that section of the FARs.

Mike M
09-18-2013, 08:38 PM
Lake Whitney is under no airspace at all

Yep, it is. Class G. But if you're in San Diego, Texas probably seems like a big empty sky?

Downs
09-18-2013, 09:21 PM
My point was it's not under any airspace that I would be restricted from flying though/over as long as I didn't go east.

Flying around here in SD actually isn't too bad. The airspace I'm under at the home field is high enough and you really don't have to go too far to get out from under it.

Buzz
09-18-2013, 10:44 PM
They can, and do. I'm working with an airport to get that restriction lifted.The USUA has a manual about airport access. In the back is a list of all the airports that are public use [it's been a while since I looked at it but my understanding is they took Federal money]. Early on some thought they had the authority to restrict ultralights but they did not. The local FSDOs were often a big help in getting restrictions lifted and getting some airports squared away on what they can and can't do.

If you are trying to get access to an airport, the manual provides some information about how to do that. Might be worth ordering a copy to see if there is anything you haven't thought of in your efforts.

-Buzz

Ken Finney
09-19-2013, 09:50 AM
The USUA has a manual about airport access. In the back is a list of all the airports that are public use [it's been a while since I looked at it but my understanding is they took Federal money]. Early on some thought they had the authority to restrict ultralights but they did not. The local FSDOs were often a big help in getting restrictions lifted and getting some airports squared away on what they can and can't do.

If you are trying to get access to an airport, the manual provides some information about how to do that. Might be worth ordering a copy to see if there is anything you haven't thought of in your efforts.

-Buzz


This particular airport HAD a unique situation. There was a UL operation only a mile or two away, and the ULers, despite repeated warnings, would take off from the UL field, do touch-and-goes at the public airport (without any attempt to establish themselves in the pattern), and then go back to the UL field. So, this airport established a blanket prohibition against ULs. The UL operation probably went away over 25 years ago, but no one ever thought about getting rid of the prohibition.

Sam Buchanan
09-19-2013, 01:34 PM
This particular airport HAD a unique situation. There was a UL operation only a mile or two away, and the ULers, despite repeated warnings, would take off from the UL field, do touch-and-goes at the public airport (without any attempt to establish themselves in the pattern), and then go back to the UL field. So, this airport established a blanket prohibition against ULs. The UL operation probably went away over 25 years ago, but no one ever thought about getting rid of the prohibition.

That's the kind of airspace abuse that established the bad reputation the UL community is trying to recover from even after 25 years.....

Downs
09-19-2013, 05:39 PM
Just a little bit of self discipline in getting into "the books" and doing some self teaching and always flying with a radio could have prevented lots of headaches over the years it sounds like.