Bob Noel wrote:

: I don't know what they did at 1B9, but you probably still won't like
: KBED with its airport badge program (with background checks).
: It's $75 for the first badge, and they *think* it'll be $35 to
: renew every two years. The good news is that we can finally drive
: to our airplanes again. The bad news is that Massport is still
: crying budget crisis even after almost doubling the hangar rents.

Hi Bob, we've got the badges also. Allegedly $50 for the first, then $25/year
after that. We got a fancy new motorized gate that's already broken (don'tcha
love the lowest bidders?), and guess where the funds come from to fix it:
badge renewals! This compares unfavorably with Plymouth, Taunton, Marshfield,
etc. I don't even think Fitchburg has a fence, and we've got a 10-footer
with rolls of razor wire and motorized surveilance cameras. Looks like
Bridgewater State Prison now.
Now we've gotten a long letter about our "responsibilities" as tennants,
we're supposed to read, agree to, and sign. My lawyer says it's junk.
This is a classic case of the airport commission trying to get rid of
the airport by making it so hard to use that people go elsewhere.
Management is marching in lock-step with the commission. Our fuel is now
more expensive than at Nantuckett or the Vineyard ($2.78).

Sadly, I think the hangar waiting list is about to go down by one. One of
my friends wrecked his plane in a landing accident last week, and he's
probably going to hang it up after 40+ years.

Regards,
--
Aaron Coolidge (N9376J)