Parked Planes, Fuel Trucks To Block Access To Competitor

There's been a battle a' brewin' lately between competing FBOs at Tulsa's Jones Riverside Airport (RVS), and it's gotten downright ugly.

Yep, that's right. The courts are now involved.

Kent Faith, owner of Roadhouse Aviation, received a six-month deferred sentence Wednesday for violating a temporary restraining order levied against him by the owner of a competing FBO, Christiansen Aviation. The sentence requires Faith to pay back $7,440 in legal fees and court costs -- as well as staying far, far away from Christiansen Aviation property.

The hullabaloo started back in 2002, when Faith first accused Christiansen Aviation owner Bill Christiansen of receiving preferential treatment from airport officials, due to the fact that he is a city councilor.

Faith -- who, according to the Roadhouse website, is a Boeing 757/767 pilot for American Airlines -- even went so far as to file a lawsuit in 2003 alleging as such. That suit was eventually settled, with neither party being declared the winner... although many of Faith's allegations of impropriety were tossed out.

That was just the beginning, though. 

The Tulsa World reports that in December 2004, Christiansen bought a hangar next to two public-access lanes that abut the ramp Roadhouse leases for plane tie-downs. A restraining order was then filed prohibiting Roadhouse from parking any company vehicles on the lanes. Such obstructions would restrict access to Christiansen. 

In February of this year, the Tulsa County district court found Faith guilty of doing exactly that, parking both fuel trucks and aircraft in the area.

Editor's Note: While he may have lost in court, Faith still maintains Christiansen receives preferential treatment. On the Roadhouse Aviation website, Faith has published a 'warning' to transient pilots:

"Please don't be confused by signs at Riverside Airport which state "Transient Terminal." The Tulsa Airport Authority has not designated any areas as official "transient terminals."

"Sign policies, which have been in place at Riverside Airport for the past 40 years, have just recently changed. The Airport Authority grandfathered this sign and allowed it to remain in place on my competitor's buildings. He is a Tulsa City Councilman."

"This sign is meant to confuse transient pilots."

FMI: www.roadhouseaviation.com, www.christiansenaviation.com