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NO FREE LUNCH

By General Aviation News Staff · November 23, 2007 ·

Any discussion regarding user fees would appear to require an alternative for those types of airport owners who provide community access but find it impossible to recover costs of airport operation.

The type of airport, which my surveys have shown to be at risk of closing, is the smallest type community sole proprietorship. This type is simultaneously most difficult to expand and often most desired due to the unmeasurable number of suitable locations that provide Earth to air, and return, at minimum upkeep costs.

When all other airport owner revenues fail, the airport owner does have an “out” and has been exercising it for some time. He, she or they sell the airport.

Both airport owners and users can balance their equities with appropriate user fees.

My wife and I did not achieve a perfect equity balance while creating/operating Meadow-Aire (92D) and did not have any of the screaming and bellyaching attached to current user fee discussions.

Quoting “Tricky Dickey”: “There ain’t no free lunch!”

DOUG NICHOLS
LaGrange, Ohio 

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