Unauthorized Take Off Or Landing In The City Could Result In A Fine

The Ocean City, MD City Council has given initial approval to an ordinance that would prevent helicopters from taking off or landing within the city limits without specific authorization from the city or a property owner.

OC Today reports that the change in the ordinance was sparked by a landing that took place in July that took several people by surprise. The aircraft, owned by Charm City Helicopters in Baltimore, landed in the parking lot of St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church, and dropped off the two people who had chartered the aircraft.

Police were called to the church, but they discovered that the landing had been pre-arranged with the property owner, though the local airport had not been informed, so there was no violation with which to charge the charter passengers or the pilot. The city contacted the FAA, but was told that the pilot had permission and the agency considered it to be an "incidental landing per FAA regulations," according to city manager Doug Miller.

Apparently somebody said "there ought to be a law," and a change to the city's relevant code was drafted to prevent such a landing in the future. According to the revised code a helicopter could only take of or land within the city limit in cale of an emergency, or:

• At a location which the Mayor and Council of Ocean City by resolution, shall designate as an authorized location for the landing or launching of an aircraft.
• At a location, time and date authorized by the receipt of a special event permit issued by the Mayor and City Council of Ocean City at its sole discretion.

The new portion of the code is not intended to apply to aircraft owned or operated by a federal or state governmental agency, according to the ordinance text.

A violation of the code is punishable by a $1,000 for each landing and $1,000 for each takeoff. The pilot would also be "subject of a formal Complaint to the Baltimore Flight Standards District Office of the Federal Aviation Administration."

The ordinance will be up for final approval at the council's next regular meeting September 4.

(Image posted to Facebook by Aviation Digest)

FMI: Source report, OCCC Agenda (see page 84)