Re: What’s in your hangar?
I read your article in GANews and the same thing happened in Vernal, Utah, this summer. The whole thing resulted in a giant conflict with pilots, hangar owners and renters.
The airport manager wanted to search hangars, which he could because the land is owned by the county. However, at Falcon Field there is a 48-hour notice provision but in Vernal they had a 48-second notice. Incidentally, the county owns no hangars, just the land. The FBO owner stated he needed time to get hangar renters there to look. The manager then returned a few days later with six armed deputies and two attack dogs to shape up the pilots and mechanics. It did that: They formed an association and the FBO owner filed a lawsuit.
Everyone may be overlooking an underlying reason and that is to get rid of the FBO and pilots, therefore making it easy for the county to use the airport land, as land sales in Vernal are booming.
Also, all the hangars did contain aircraft. The county attorney also stated for the local newspaper that it is illegal to lock hangars. I think even Homeland Security may get a kick out of that.
JOHN PHILLIPS
Vernal, Utah
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