A new organization, ThroughTheFence.org (TTF), has sprung into action in order to fight the FAA's prohibition of hangar homes at publically funded airports.

"The FAA's Airport Compliance Manual (ACM), dated September 30, 2009, clearly labels all hangar homes as incompatible adjacent airport land use" stated Brent Blue, one of the organizers of TTF. "The FAA's reasoning is based on noise," and the noise complaints are based on (anecdotal) information. "They do not have any data," stated Blue, who is submitting a Freedom of Information Act request to secure any data, or lack thereof, the FAA has.

"This stealth directive was released two months after Babbitt stated at EAA AirVenture that these situations would be evaluated on an individual basis and now they come out with a wholesale directive," Blue emphasized.

"It is really frustrating that the FAA did not take any public comment or input on the topic," Blue said -- which addresses hangar homes in Chapter 20 of the ACM. The full Airport Compliance Manual can be accessed at www.faa.gov/airports/resources/publications/orders/compliance_5190_6/ and states what airports must do to receive and keep Airport Improvement Grant monies.

FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt, when asked about this issue at the recent AOPA Summit, only responded that the FAA is waiting to hear from the alphabet groups on their thoughts on the subject.

FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt

"Hangar residences improved airport security by having people around the airport 24/7 plus increases the economic vitality of the airport," Blue remarked. "Why the FAA thinks hangar homes near airports should be considered the same as non aviation related homes near airports is beyond rational thought."

FMI: www.throughthefence.org, www.youtube.com/watch?v=DasruT0Qu7w