Another Sign Of The Times Casts Dark Shadow Over GA

If there was ever any question as to who worked for who in terms of the FAA v The Aviation World, that time seems to have come and gone. In light of recent issues in which the FAA provided extremely short notice to the EAA before demanding extortionate fees and a written contract for services that thay have provided for many decades, we suppose that no one should be surprised that even the smallest of aviation events are already falling at the feet of the FAA's overwhelming thirst for cash... at our expense.

The 47th Annual Father’s Day Fly-In, at Columbia Airport, CA, has been cancelled -- this year only -- due to the cost demanded by the FAA to staff a temporary control tower. While that news was disappointing, the airport community did its best to keep the event from being a total loss by, instead, holding an 'Airport Appreciation Day' that took place over the weekend. The local Boy Scout troop also held their annual Pancake Breakfast.

The aviation community can expect much more of the same... and while many events will be able to 'punt' and do what they need to do without the 'assistance' of the FAA; those events that need Waivers, special permissions or mandatory surveillance are pretty much up the creek if they can't afford what the FAA demands. Exacerbating the situation, the FAA is making it difficult to get data as to how they calculate the needs and costs for the fees they demand and their demonstrating an overt unwillingness to discuss the specifics of the situation has become all the more evident with each request for information.

As always, ANN will present what information becomes available and has instigated legal demands (using FOIA and other avenues) to get the FAA to answer questions that they have, heretofore, refused to discuss.

FMI: www.fathersdayflyin.com