ETLB Squawk Forums — Archive

I was told today that I must either get my Tandem flying or vacate the municipal hangar I rent.  I pay my rent 6 months in advance and always pay early.  This threatened eviction is both reasonable and completely unreasonable.  I admit it has been very difficult for me to get my Tandem flying in that  I seriously, no bull, work at least 100 hours a week and I am out of town 6 days a week.  Leaves precious little time to play airplane experimenter huh?

Am I alone?  No.  Almost all renters at our airport let their creations sit unused for 6 to 8 months per year.  It's still 32 degrees today in northwest Iowa.

I have considered chopping the Tandem into pieces and throwing it in the landfill.  I have considered quitting my job and being a full-time airport bum.  I have considered buying a real airplane but I am not allowed to keep two planes in my single hangar even though it is large enough to do so on a lift.  Bottom line.  This is why I hate the government.

The private hangar on a private airport I own in Kansas costs me $200 bucks a year for the real estate taxes (plus of course the opportunity cost of the capital investment) and nobody can kick me out whether it ever gets used or not as long as I pay my taxes.

Scott Walker is my hero!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CR

Rob,   Just consider it new motivation to get it back together.   Or, a good reason to bring it back to PLA and try out the new runway.

I understand them - sort of. At my local municipal airport, they consider not only hangars rented, but numbers of landing/takeoffs and fuel sold as well. So even if all the hangars are rented, if no one is taking off and landing, and no fuel is sold, the airport becomes less economically viable. So if they can get you out and put someone in who actually flies, it looks better on paper.

But its still a crappy way to treat people.

I sympathise with your plight. Its a shame when we grow to fear our own government.

When politicians like Walker cut aid to municipalities and prevent them from raising taxes, this is what you get.

Sorry Bob.  The "aid" comes from the taxpayers.  And in Wisconsin, they're about taxed out.  If raising taxes is their only solution, they'd go on a spending spree - like they have been doing for the past 8 years.  The people elected Walker to clean up the mess.  Only ones bellyaching are the unions.  Time for people to realize if THEY can't spend money they don't have, neither should the gov't.

No argument here, Greg, except that Walker is not so popular if the recall drive is any indication.  When taxes get cut as they have in Wisconsin, government services get cut.  We can't have both smaller government and the government services, like municipal airports, we've come to enjoy.  It seems on the one hand Rob bemoans the loss of his gov't subsidized hangar but argues for privatization.  If all small airports become private, be prepared to pay more for our hobby.

It's obvious that the unions in Wisconsin have the ability to gather enough signatures from their members to satisfy the requirements of a recall but remember ALL of the voters will have the final say. If it were my money going to pay for unreasonable pension cost and salary demands by a union I would vote for the guy who stood up against them. I've been on both sides of the union question (ie: in a union and in management) and know it is a fine line between reasonable benefits and taxpayer revolt. On the other issue when we expect too much from the government then we give up too much of our freedom to the government. If an airport is privately owned their charges are controlled by what the market will bear. When it is owned by local government the prices may be lower but remember they are subsidized by tax monies. Should we expect our non flying neighbors to pay for our hobby ?

P.S.  I think the Wisconsin law requires the Governor has to be in office for a year. By then the recall petition may be void and require the signatures to be gathered again. Time soothes ruffled feathers.

Should we expect our non flying neighbors to pay for our hobby?  Absolutely!  My taxes go to promote all sorts of activities and pursuits I don't directly engage in like hunting, fishing, horse racing, snow mobiling, camping, downhill skiing, performing arts, etc.  Talk about the freedom of choice for leisure activities and one hell of an economic engine!

I fly out of Saratoga County Airport.  My soaring club offers the cheapest way to start flying in the area.  We have several members who are highschool and college age.  Recently, housing developments have sprung up on land around the airport.  Now, residents are complaining about the tow planes.  But they enjoy low property taxes partly because Saratoga hosts a horse track and a performing arts center (both subsidized by the state and county) that bring in millions to the local economy.  Many millions arrive in private jets at the airport during the racing season.  It seems to me, everybody wins and the residents who expected peace and quiet when they moved next door to an airport should shut the frack up.  And of the hundred operations per day average at Saratoga, I bet half are glider ops.

I agree Bob.  There is no free lunch.  People have to realize that these "gifts" they receive from gov't come at a cost - taxes.  Sad thing is that while everyone is expected to "suck it up", the politicians on both sides of the aisle continue to vote themselves pay raises and have their pockets lined by the lobbyists.  Unfortunatly all we can do is go into the booth every 2 years and make an "X" in a box.  That's why Walker is in charge now.  So he better produce or he'll be looking for a new job.

Well, we're becoming less and less a democratic country all the time. As you point out, lobbyists select the politicians for whom we get to vote making sure the other party's candidate is equally beholden to them.  Regular people like you, me and Rob will get pushed out of our hangars and off our airports by the deep pockets.  The FBO at Saratoga would like to push the gliders out so the private jets can make Saratoga their private field.  But while we're still a democracy, my share of the airport is equal to the $1M thoroughbred owner's.  And if some people can spend more for a horse than I'll make in 20 years, they can damn well pay more in taxes to keep that airport open.

You made my point Bob. The government has it's nose is everything you named. That is NOT the way our founders meant it to be and the reason the our federal dummies have us $14 trillion in the hole. Not to mention the states that are going bankrupt because they overstep their authority too. When the airports and hangers are owned by the local government (hey! that's us) they get to make the rules while spending our money to do it. Like Greg said VOTE every chance you get. It would seem like if we paid for the airport we should have more say in how it's operated, unfortunately our governing elite don't see it that way. I'm all for the little guy winning but that is usually wishful thinking. I'd love to vote all the b-----d's out. Personally I love the small private grass strips where you can gather with a gaggle of friends and enjoy simple flying without the smell of jet fuel.

Bob : check out Chilhowee Gliderport in Benton TN. Owned by a young lady who caters to the glider crowd in a way you would really enjoy. (no jets, no GA)

Interesting reading Bob/ Thanks for the links. Had an econ prof back in the 70's tell the class that 25% of the people enjoyed life at the expense of the 75% who worked to support them. And he said when people discovered that and the figure went to 50% living off of the labors of the other 50 % we would be in big trouble. Guess where we are now........

Sorry,but I have to be the "Grinch" here.  You are a problem that is messing up my flying.  You are helping turn an airport into a junk yard or warehouse.  Someone is trying to get a business up and operating, with flying activity, gas sales, people out watching the airplanes, having picnics and social activity breaking the doldrums of our current culture.  Airports are closing all over this country with musty neglected airplanes sagging to the ground dragging the airports with them.  One less airport that I can fly into for gas, or for a fly in or just to meet guys with airplanes like mine.  
This airport business is not about you,  it is about us!  We have to keep the airports healthy to keep us flying.
All of that political rant noise tells me that you are whining about issues far removed from your current problem.  Most of us are not happy about bureaucratic  interfence so we either work to eliminate it  (ie., the last election) or we get over it. Not going to stop us from flying, even if we have to go outlaw!  This attitude is the life blood of the ultralite and LSA movement.
When the weather is lousy and I don't get to fly, I get a little brittle,
But that the way I see it!
Let's crank up those engines and get in the air!

RonC

Started the Tandem HKS engine for the first time in over four years today.  Used electric fuel pump to prime lines before starting engine and one of the carbs was shooting fuel out overflow tube so we (Tommy and I) played with carb.  Took fuel bowl off each carb and broke one of the electric carb heater elements.  Those things are daintier than china tea cups!  Finally got engine started and had strange vibration at low rpm but smoothed out with application of choke.  Ran engine for 10 to 15 minutes total over several start stop periods.  Vibration got better as engine ran more but I think a carb rebuild is in order.  Also I think new plugs might not hurt.

It is nice to know engine will start.

CR

Thats great Rob, I hope your able to get her back in the air soon. Spring has finally sprung up here in Maine and I hope to get back to my Minimax on floats soon. I gotta ask my better half to vacate her half of the garage and thats almost as scarey as deleaing with the government. LOL  

That's terrific!!!  If you were closer I would like to come over and fly with you.
There is a neighbor about 2 miles from me who has a registered field and an aeronca in his hanger.  It has not seen the light of day for over 40 years when it was last annualed.  I have been flying the T-Craft and Mini-max around is house and up and down his strip to tease him in to the air again.  

I wish it could be like it was on week ends in the old days.  A bunch of us would show up at the airport and we would all fly off to we didn't care where.

If tomorrow is a good day I am going to hunt up a thermal.  Maybe I'll see you at the top.

RonC  

I finally got the Tandem to idle today (see other post about carb rebuilding) and I started my flying reproficiency training in anticipation of flying the Tandem again.  I flew an hour in a RANS S6 with Tommy today.  I did 5 Take Offs and Landings on the grass at Le Mars and did some coordinated turn practice and side slips.

This plane has only a Rotax 503 engine but was built crazy lite (only instrument is an EIS) and was impressive in its performance with two 180 lb pilots aboard.

CR