"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 13:34:33 -0500, "Gig 601XL Builder"
wr.giacona@coxDOTnet wrote in ZmS9e.2916$Xg.336@okepread02::


"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
. ..

wrote in message
egroups.com...
Can they close an airport to all VFR traffic? This is what they're
doing at Friedman Memorial Airport at Hailey, Idaho [HLE].

Link to the article:
http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?...&ID=2005102705


On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 10:00:04 -0500, "Gig 601XL Builder"
wr.giacona@coxDOTnet wrote in TdP9e.2910$Xg.714@okepread02::

Sure they can. They close/open airports to only specific traffic all the
time.


I thought it was a condition for receipt of AIP funds, that ALL
categories and types of aviation be served by the airport.



Well Larry that's true but have you ever been to an air show? Was the
airport closed to traffic while the show was going on?

Yes; during air show operations, the airport was closed to non air
show operations. This was doubtless done in the name of safety, and
it is obviously required for an air show to take place, unlike what is
occurring in Idaho.

Neither what I alluded to in my post or the original post was talking
about
a ongoing and forever ban on any type of traffic. Only a ban for a
specific
type of traffic for a specific period of time.

This is the reason for the ban on VFR operations given in the Idaho
Mountain Express article:

Because an unprecedented crunch of arriving and departing aircraft
at the end of the July 4 holiday weekend, Friedman Memorial
Airport officials have decided to restrict operations during some
hours only to aircraft on instrument flight plans.

Rick Baird, airport manager, said the field would be closed
Tuesday, July 5, to all VFR (Visual Flight Rules) arriving traffic
between noon and 8:30 p.m. Only aircraft on IFR (Instrument Flight
Rules) flight plans would be allowed during those hours.

In the OP it was non-IFR traffic on the dates and times mentioned in the
story. In my post it was non-airhow participants during airshows.


As you can readily discern, the cause of the closure is apparently
economically based (as opposed to safety based) due to limited
aircraft parking facilities available on the airport. My question is,
why should VFR operations be banned in favor of IFR operations if
discrimination is forbidden under AIP agreement contract terms?

If Friedman Memorial Airport has not received any AIP funding within
the last 20 years, my question is moot, but that's unlikely. The
prime qualification for employment as an airport manager is the
ability to successfully write AIP grant proposals.


While the article does mention the parking problem that isn't the reason for
the IFR only period. The article also says..." IFR aircraft under radar
control of Salt Lake Air Route Traffic Control Center can be sequenced to
land at Friedman at closer intervals to keep traffic moving. "

So, the reason is they feel they can get more aircraft into the airport
during the time period. So the lack of ramp space issue will acctully be
made worse by the IFR rule if they really can get more aircraft on the
ground.

The point of my post was, while I'm not an expert on AIP funding, I doubt
that a short term ban on certain flights in the name of getting more planes
into the airport in a safe manner would put the funding in jepordy.