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Old September 4th 14, 10:32 PM posted to rec.aviation.piloting
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Default FAA says homebuilders have to build the components of theirprojects off-airport

On Thursday, August 7, 2014 10:54:17 PM UTC-5, Sylvia Else wrote:
On 8/08/2014 1:03 AM, Larry Dighera wrote:

FAA Says Hangars No Place For Homebuilders


http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...t=email#222534


The FAA says most of the work involved in building an airplane is a


"non-aeronautical use" and it has singled out homebuilders in a new proposed


policy statement issued July 22. Policy


https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/07/22/2014-17031/policy-on-the-non-aeronautical-use-of-airport-hangars#h-13


on the Non-Aeronautical Use Of Airport says homebuilders will have to build the


components of their projects elsewhere and can only move to a hangar for final


assembly. Comments are being accepted until Sept. 5 and can be submitted online


citing docket number FAA-2014-0463 http://www.regulations.gov/#!home. The


agency has devoted a separate section in the proposed policy to explaining its


stand. The essence is that the principal role of a hangar is to supply enclosed


storage for aircraft to give ready access to the runway. The FAA's argument is


that bucking rivets on a wing doesn't require a runway so it's not an


aeronautical use. It also says the policy has always been in force. "The FAA is


not proposing any change to existing policy other than to clarify that final


assembly of an aircraft, leading to the completion of the aircraft to a point


where it can be taxied, will be considered an aeronautical use," the proposed


policy says. EAA is aware of the proposed policy and staff are assessing it.




The new policy statement is the result of stepped-up enforcement of the rules


regarding uses of airport hangars. In dozens of audits conducted over the past


two years, the agency has found hangars crammed with just about everything but


airplanes. Household goods, cars, even non-aviation related businesses have


been discovered. The FAA says that because federal funds are used to build and


maintain airports, the use of airport facilities for non-aeronautical uses


amounts to a subsidy for those uses. In some cases the city or county


responsible for the airport was the violator. Auditors found police cars and


other municipal assets tucked safely away in airport hangars. The proposed


policy will also clarify the incidental storage of non-aeronautical items in


hangars, meaning that a couch and a beer fridge will probably be safe from the


feds.






Although of obvious concern to those who are using aircraft hangers to

build their aircraf, the FAA does appear to have a point. Demand for

hanger space for non-Aviation purposes will inevitably push up the cost

of hanger space to those who, because their use is Aviation related,

have no practical alternative.



Sylvia.


How about using the hangers to quarantine arriving Ebola patients, ala Ellis Island ??