Agency's Decision Cites Points Raised By NBAA, Preserves Access At Airport

The NBAA Wednesday welcomed a recent decision from the FAA denying a proposed ban on nighttime operations at Bob Hope Airport (BUR) in Burbank, California.

NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen (pictured) applauded the decision from the FAA. "Access to our national network of community airports is at the cornerstone of the mobility and efficiency that are at the heart of business aviation," Bolen said. "When businesses aviation access is preserved at airports, it's also a win for nearby communities, which benefit from the jobs, investment and economic activity that are created. We applaud the FAA for this decision and will continue to work to preserve business aviation operations at Burbank and other public-use airports nationwide."

Earlier this year, the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority, owner and operator of the airport, filed an application under Part 161 of the FAA's regulations seeking permission to impose a nighttime curfew on all operations at Bob Hope Airport. Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 161 and the Airport Noise and Capacity Act require that airport proprietors examine the impacts of a proposed noise or access restriction within an "airport noise study area" when determining whether such curfews can be adopted.

Following a careful analysis of the Airport Authority's proposal, the FAA ruled on October 30 that the application fulfilled only two of six statutory requirements that must be met by an applicant in order to obtain the agency's approval for the proposed curfew. The FAA's 42-page document called the authority's proposal "unreasonable," in part because airport authority officials did not demonstrate that aviation activity would create a future noise problem. The ruling also noted that the curfew would hinder commerce and worsen congestion elsewhere in the Los Angeles area.

NBAA submitted an extensive legal filing in opposition to the curfew proposal, and representatives with the Association's Member Companies likewise submitted comments opposing the proposal. The documents were cited by the FAA in support of its decision.

FMI: www.nbaa.org