Private airport insurance?

Anyone know home much it would cost to insure a private airport? I know
some people with private fields on the sectional "No landings without prior
permission of owner" and they will tell you that it's open to all their
friends, but they don't have any insurance. I'm thinking that they are
really leaving themselves open to lawsuits if someone gets hurt due to a
rough landing (or worse). I also notice that more than a few private fields
are for sale, and I'm wondering if this is one of the reasons why.

"Ken Finney" wrote in message
...
Anyone know home much it would cost to insure a private airport? I know
some people with private fields on the sectional "No landings without
prior permission of owner" and they will tell you that it's open to all
their friends, but they don't have any insurance. I'm thinking that they
are really leaving themselves open to lawsuits if someone gets hurt due to
a rough landing (or worse). I also notice that more than a few private
fields are for sale, and I'm wondering if this is one of the reasons why.



What is sad is that having a private field SHOULDN'T leave you open to any
liability (short of advertising an airfield and digging a ditch down the
middle to intentionally cause accidents). Short of something that nuts, why
would you as a property owner be liable if I can't control my airplane?
Lawyers suck.

"Jeff" jfranks1971 minus wrote in message
news



What is sad is that having a private field SHOULDN'T leave you open to any
liability (short of advertising an airfield and digging a ditch down the
middle to intentionally cause accidents). Short of something that nuts,
why would you as a property owner be liable if I can't control my
airplane? Lawyers suck.


The same reason that my neighbor can sue my homeowners insurance because she
was clumsy and fell down my porch steps and broke her foot. And they
weren't even icy...

--
Doug Semler, MCPD
a.a. #705, BAAWA. EAC Guardian of the Horn of the IPU (pbuhh).
The answer is 42; DNRC o-
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erpbtavmrf fvzcyr guvatf yvxr ebg13 nalzber. Fnq, vfa'g vg?

On Aug 27, 5:59 pm, "Ken Finney" wrote:
Anyone know home much it would cost to insure a private airport? I know
some people with private fields on the sectional "No landings without prior
permission of owner" and they will tell you that it's open to all their
friends, but they don't have any insurance. I'm thinking that they are
really leaving themselves open to lawsuits if someone gets hurt due to a
rough landing (or worse). I also notice that more than a few private fields
are for sale, and I'm wondering if this is one of the reasons why.

I know of at least one state that has put a law on the books that
basically limits the owners liability if they open the airport to the
public. As I understand it this has really helped with insurance
premiums for public airports. Perhaps other states have simlar rules

Brian.

Jeff wrote:


What is sad is that having a private field SHOULDN'T leave you open to any
liability (short of advertising an airfield and digging a ditch down the
middle to intentionally cause accidents). Short of something that nuts, why
would you as a property owner be liable if I can't control my airplane?
Lawyers suck.


Here in Montana the legislature this year ammended an existing law that
now says an owner of a private airport cannot be sued if a pilot crashes
on this private airport. As long as it is a non commercial aircraft
operation the airport owner is untouchable. Now the airport owner no
longer has to have you sign a release in advance to protect himself.

"Ken Finney" wrote in message
...
I'm thinking that they are really leaving themselves open to lawsuits if
someone gets hurt due to a rough landing (or worse).

Someone I know owns a bar. She told me she doesn't carry liability
insurance.

They formed a corporation and lease the space and liquor license to the
corp, but the corp operates the bar. When someone decides to sue, they form
a new corp ready to take over as soon as the 'victim' acquires the assets of
the corp (which is nothing). The old corp goes bankrupt, and the owners
lease the bar to the new corp.

Notice: IANAL, and have only written my understanding of the process. I'm
sure there are many who will tell me I am wrong, and that it must be done
differently.

If you're thinking of opening an airfield, ask your lawyer if something like
this may work.

"Newps" wrote in message
...


Jeff wrote:


What is sad is that having a private field SHOULDN'T leave you open to
any liability (short of advertising an airfield and digging a ditch down
the middle to intentionally cause accidents). Short of something that
nuts, why would you as a property owner be liable if I can't control my
airplane? Lawyers suck.


Here in Montana the legislature this year ammended an existing law that
now says an owner of a private airport cannot be sued if a pilot crashes
on this private airport. As long as it is a non commercial aircraft
operation the airport owner is untouchable. Now the airport owner no
longer has to have you sign a release in advance to protect himself.

Thanks, I was wondering if some State had done something like this. I'll
have to search the net and see if Washington State has done something
similar.

On a similar note: Washington State did pass a law several years ago that
says that horse-riding is an inherently dangerous activity, and the horse
owner can't be held liable if someone falls off the person's horse (or words
to that effect). I know this because a friend of mine had a horse for sale,
a woman came out to "test drive" it, fell off, was seriously hurt and sued
him (just after the law took effect). It turns out the woman had made a
career off of doing this, and didn't know about the new law. However, this
time (unlike the previous times) she was seriously hurt (partial paralysis,
IIRC) and couldn't collect. My friend's insurance company did pay her $10K
just to go away, but she suffered BIG TIME. There is a God! ;^)

On Aug 28, 5:24 am, "El Maximo" wrote:
"Ken Finney" wrote in message

...

I'm thinking that they are really leaving themselves open to lawsuits if
someone gets hurt due to a rough landing (or worse).

Someone I know owns a bar. She told me she doesn't carry liability
insurance.

They formed a corporation and lease the space and liquor license to the
corp, but the corp operates the bar. When someone decides to sue, they form
a new corp ready to take over as soon as the 'victim' acquires the assets of
the corp (which is nothing). The old corp goes bankrupt, and the owners
lease the bar to the new corp.

At least in California this does not work. This topic was brought up
in torts class. Someone tried the same thing with his explosives
company and the courts pierced the corporation and the person lost
their personal assets. Basically a corporation cannot be a shell. The
main test is that if a corporation does not have enough insurance and
or assets to cover expected liabilities, it will likely not be
honored.

-Robert

"Newps" wrote in message
...


Jeff wrote:


What is sad is that having a private field SHOULDN'T leave you open to
any liability (short of advertising an airfield and digging a ditch down
the middle to intentionally cause accidents). Short of something that
nuts, why would you as a property owner be liable if I can't control my
airplane? Lawyers suck.


Here in Montana the legislature this year ammended an existing law that
now says an owner of a private airport cannot be sued if a pilot crashes
on this private airport. As long as it is a non commercial aircraft
operation the airport owner is untouchable. Now the airport owner no
longer has to have you sign a release in advance to protect himself.

I tried Yahoo and Google and couldn't find the law you mention. Any change
you know the name or number of it?

Ken Finney wrote:


On a similar note: Washington State did pass a law several years ago that
says that horse-riding is an inherently dangerous activity, and the horse
owner can't be held liable if someone falls off the person's horse (or words
to that effect).

CT has a GREAT landowner liability law that protects landowners from
many lawsuits from hikers, mountain bikers, trail riding equestrians,
fisherman, or any other potentially dangerous activity that the
landowner allows by strangers. It is limited to non-motorized
activities, and the protection dissappears if the landowner charges a
fee for access.

You'd think something similar would be useful to privately owned airports.