ThomasH wrote in
:

On 05-Nov-07 8:42, Marty Shapiro wrote:
ThomasH wrote in
:

Hi:

my friend from SoCal complained several times that every
each time he lands in SJC to visit us, even if it is for
15min only to make a pickup, as soon he taxis to transient
parking at the Jet Center, they charge him $40. I called
Jet Center, but they decline to give any answer.

I do not fly from SJC anymore. For 6-7 years this was my
home base, I used to land on the old 30R and later on 29
literally hundreds of times, and this kind of news surprises
me. Virtually the entire general aviation, small piton
anyway, has been evicted and pushed away from SJC since,
but there are still some remaining hangars with small
aircraft. Maybe some of you know what is going on with
SJC? Is it true with the $40, or is it merely a Jet Center
rip-off?

Thomas

The $40 is the Jet Center's ramp fee. I haven't looked
currently, but
a few years ago their ramp fee ($40) for a short stop was higher than
Signature's at SFO. There is no landing fee at SJC.

Thanks Marty!

Great, thus we have to discover how to park and avoid the
"ramp fee," for whatever they charge it... I do not want
drive to RHV to pickup my friend when he comes... Maybe
the east parking at ACM would be an option.

No, it is NOT an option. They charege the same $40 as the Jet Center.
ACM Aviation was founded by A. C. Markula, one of the early big shots at
Apple Computer. When the Jet Center was built, he owned a sizeable
percentage of it as well. Eventually, both became part of SJJC Aviation
Services, LLC. In June of this year, SJJC Aviation Services, LLC was
purchased by Macquarie Infrastructure Company, which in April had purchased
the Mercury Air Centers chain of FBOs.


Let me tell a story: One upon a time, as the grass was green
and small aircraft took off every minute from SJC, like in
Van Nuys 16R... :-): On the east side is ACM aviation.
We used to get fuel from them before the 30R got extended.
My flight club was in the old terminal building east or 30L.
Later we moved to the west parking and our runway of
operation was the 29. Fuel service was than switched to
Jet Center, if I recall, and our office was in the same
building, in which they reside. A very nice pilot shop
with a deli was operating at the entrance, turned now into
a deli only and souvenir shop. There are no pilots anymore
at SJC...

I haven't been into the shop in several years. The last time I was,
they still sold charts and a few pilot supplies, but were mainly a deli.

I learned to fly at SJC and even soloed there. This was before the
airspace became alphabet soup and SJC was an ARSA airport. They day I
soloed, I was doing patterns on 29 with my instructor. He had me stop at
the Jet Center to take a break. He sent me into the gift shop to get a
sectional, telling me that I was going to start cross country lessons soon.
When I came out of the gift shop, he told me he had endorsed my medical and
go out and give him three patterns. As I walked out the door, he yelled at
me that his flight bag was in the airplane and I should take care of it.

I was also a member of the flying club you mentioned for several
years. They had been operating at SJC for something like 30 years when the
airport suddenly decided that the club rules were in violation of the
airport rules and kicked them out. These were the same club rules the
aiport approved when the club was first formed and allowed to base at SJC.
The club is now at RHV.

There are pilots at SJC, but they fly biz jets.

The story of destruction of general aviation on this airport
almost got on the One Six Right DVD, and was discussed by
the AOPA a few times. The entire west side of the airport
has been demolished and is destined to be a large jet business
only. Tie down spots are deserted for some 2 years already.
Finally they constructed at least one new hangar on the
wasteland. The east side is for at least 15years a construction
zone, never ending. Now they have finally started the new
terminal building. This airport management is good only in
legal games and keeping their jobs, but they are a horror
with money management, planing, and of course, they forget
that airport is for aircraft, not for parking lots and
for abandoned land. Their concept is that all small craft
will go to the "relieve airport Reid-Hillview," but this
airport is one of the most aggressively contested airports
for a closure, see http://www.reidhillview.com/, and the
vicinity is, to be diplomatic, not high class. I was not
at ease to leave behind by car for an overnighter over there.


When they first opened, the San Jose Jet Center and the airport were
not GA (read non-biz jet) hostile like they are today. Several flying
clubs were based there over the years (Business Aircraft Center, American
Flyers, Squadron Two Flying Club). Long ago, though, both turned hostile
to GA unless it was the biz-jet crowed or air cargo.

The Jet Center has even been hostile to Angel Flight. They did, in
the past (but no longer) hassle some Angel Flight pilots over the ramp fee
and I know of one Angel Flight camp mission for deaf children to Mariposa
which had to move at the last minute from SJC to RHV because the Jet Center
didn't want us there. The RHV airport staff was outstanding that day with
they way they pitched in and assisted both the Angel Flight pilots and all
the kids.

RHV is not going to be closed. That was finally defeated several
years ago and they have been making improvements. The idiots at the county
have finally wised up and are fixing up the second floor of the terminal
building and will have a restaurant there again (after over 20 years). No
one would lease because the county would only give a month-to-month lease.
Now they will give the restaurant a long term lease. They have also
repaved the parking area, redone the gated entrance, and made some other
improvements, using Federal grants, so they won't close it very soon.

The current RHV airport manager is a good guy and straight shooter.

BTW, SJC is owned and managed by the ****ty of San Jose. RHV, along
with PAO and E16, are managed by Santa Clara County. The county owns RHV
and E16, and manages PAO, which is owned by Palo Alto and leased to the
county.

We also have a colossus here, almost dormant, the Moffett
Field. But city of Sunnyvale does not have any pilot
lobby and they to not promote the plan to convert
the still NASA field into a general aviation base for
the south bay!

Its not just nimby's in Scummyvale. It's also the nimby's in Mutton
View which don't want GA at Moffett. But, NASA seems to have other ideas.
The Google 767 files out of Moffett and they do permit some freight
flights. I hope NASA lets in a lot of freight flights, especially in the
big jets which SJC can't easily handle, like the 747F.

Thanks for the diagrams in the other posting, but we do
have all these, don't we?

Thomas



--
Marty Shapiro
Silicon Rallye Inc.

(remove SPAMNOT to email me)