Can they do this? Restrict airport to IFR traffic only?

wrote in message ups.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


Instrument conditions prevail? Class B is sorta IFR like...

wrote in message
ups.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

I'm obstinate enough to make a "precautionary landing due to rough engine"
just to tweak these idiots... Too bad I don't make it to Idaho very often.

If someone found the real story, I'd wager that it comes down to the fact
that IFR aircraft, particularly turbines, put a lot more $$ in FBO pockets
than the typical light aircraft that is VFR only. This is probably
another chapter in the ongoing story where FBO's and airport authorities
make life difficult and/or expensive for light aircraft in order to run them
off busy airports in order to increase the number of corporate aircraft
based at the field. We've got at least 2 airfields in the Atlanta area that
are suffering from this plight. The corporate guys don't realize that
having all the light aircraft owners around the field at odd hours and on
weekends is one of the things that reduces or eliminates the need for more
formal and expensive airport security.

KB

On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 20:11:32 -0400, "Kyle Boatright"
wrote in
::


wrote in message
oups.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

I'm obstinate enough to make a "precautionary landing due to rough engine"
just to tweak these idiots... Too bad I don't make it to Idaho very often.

If someone found the real story, I'd wager that it comes down to the fact
that IFR aircraft, particularly turbines, put a lot more $$ in FBO pockets
than the typical light aircraft that is VFR only.


The news article had this to say about the reason for banning VFR
flights:

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.

That's the day when July 4 holiday visitors would be leaving and
corporate jets of media executives attending the annual Allen &
Co. retreat would be arriving. Baird estimates the airport will
rack up 300 to 400 operations in one day.

A similar ban on VFR arrivals will be in place on July 10 between
7 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. because of the departure of corporate jets at
the end of the Allen & Co. conference. 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.


Hoover's had this to say about Allen & Company:


http://www.hoovers.com/allen-&-compa...actsheet.xhtml
For Allen & Company, there's no business like financing show
business. The investment bank serves variously as investor,
underwriter, and broker to some of the biggest names in
entertainment, technology, and information. Viewed as something of
a secret society, the firm has had a quiet hand in such hookups as
Seagram (now part of Vivendi Universal) and Universal Studios,
Hasbro and Galoob Toys, and Disney and Capital Cities/ABC. In
2004, the company participated in the much-ballyhooed initial
public offering of Google. The firm's famous annual retreat in Sun
Valley, Idaho, attracts more moguls than a double-black ski run
(Rupert Murdoch, Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey have attended).


So it would appear that the monied "beautiful-people" are being
accommodated by the airport. Give the manager a call at:
208-788-4956, and see ask him/her why VFR flights are being
discriminated against.

Well, it certainly appears to be discriminitory, and probably could be
challenged. Probably SHOULD be challenged, lest Bill Gates and friends get the
impression they can shut down any airport they choose, just by virtue of their
being there. The whole system is heavily subsidized, and the subsidy is
predicated on equal, unprejudiced access to all legitimate users.

I can understand the predicament of the airport manager, and it includes a
security concern, because a gathering of VIP's like this is almost as much of
a lighnting rod as a gathering of political heavy-hitters. Nevertheless, the
airport should make an effort to accomodate all users - and this includes
asking for volontary limitations from VFR and training activities, rather than
just hanging out the NO VACANCY sign.

G Faris

Everyone is screaming bloody murder about "discrimination" but there are
several public use airports that operate under an traffic management
program on a daily basis. The practical effect is no VFR into there
except in an emergency (La Guardia and JFK).. yea.. you can ask.. but if
they are busy, I don't see them dropping what you are doing to shoehorn
you in during the "push" unless you demand it by saying the E-word. And
by requiring the reservation, they are expecting that you NOT plan to be
in there unless you can get the magic blessing beforehand

This sort of thing happens all the time on a temporary, but recurring
basis: Nascar, Superbowl, NBAA Championship events

http://web.nbaa.org/public/ops/faq.c...urse=1&file=15
http://www.fly.faa.gov/estmp/jsp/main.html

Just because the lay-media doesn't say thats (STMP) whats going on, I
will bet that is what REALLY is going to happen for this event.

Dave


G Farris wrote:

Well, it certainly appears to be discriminitory, and probably could be
challenged. Probably SHOULD be challenged, lest Bill Gates and friends get the
impression they can shut down any airport they choose, just by virtue of their
being there. The whole system is heavily subsidized, and the subsidy is
predicated on equal, unprejudiced access to all legitimate users.

I can understand the predicament of the airport manager, and it includes a
security concern, because a gathering of VIP's like this is almost as much of
a lighnting rod as a gathering of political heavy-hitters. Nevertheless, the
airport should make an effort to accomodate all users - and this includes
asking for volontary limitations from VFR and training activities, rather than
just hanging out the NO VACANCY sign.

G Faris