Rumored Shuttle/747 Fly-By At Lakeland Fly-In Cancelled As A Result

ANN APRIL 1st "SPECIAL" EDITION: With increasing pressure on Florida's department of revenue over providing tax revenues for the state, the FDOR has turned to a most unlikely target for future revenue shortfalls -- NASA's Space Shuttles. "ANN, AOPA, FATA, EAA, NATA... and thousands of people were all breathing down our necks over the FL Use Tax on GA airplanes... so we've had to put the kibosh on that program until the heat dies down, but this Shuttle thing... that shows real promise," claims FDOR's Rene Watters.

As previously reported in a number of ANN's continuing investigative stories on the subject, the State of Florida thinks that if you buy a new or used aircraft and sign the bill of sale... this starts "the clock." It is Florida's position that for the next six months (possibly thereafter, though the burden of proof reportedly changes at that point), the state has the right to exact the requisite "Use Tax" (Sales Tax) for the fact you partook of the state's services unless you can show an equivalent Use or Sales Tax receipt from another state... now, in addition to a number of other possible aviation targets, the FDOR is casting its greedy eyes on America's Space Shuttle fleet.

When informed that the average Space Shuttle is well over six months old (and would therefore require the State of Florida to furnish the burden of proof to provide a solid tax assessment), FDOR's Watters had an answer for that. "Every time they fly a Shuttle, the refurbish it... which is kind of like making it new all over again... and that makes them taxable. Besides, we're being nothing but fair... we're only taxing their arrivals, not their departures, so if they get weathered out and have to land in Edwards, they get a break. Watters refused to answer our questions about whether the return of the Shuttle on top of the 747 transport vehicle eliminated its consideration for taxation... but did ask (with a gleam in her eye), just how much the combined orbiter/747 vehicles might be worth.

The burgeoning controversy over the taxation of the Shuttle program has already cost one struggling Florida event a moment of glory. A returning NASA 747/Shuttle was supposed to execute a fly-by on its return from Edwards AFB at a future SnF event, but the FDOR proposal has convinced NASA Administrator Mike Griffin to "lay low for a bit and hope the tax collectors don't notice when we're back." Griffin did take the time to put a stop to one prevalent rumor traced to none-other that SnF President John "Hot-Air" Burton, by categorically stating that, "There will be no 747/Shuttle Landings at Lakeland -- Plant City, maybe, and heck, Winter Haven would be a piece of cake -- but there are simply some things that even a Shuttle crew considers to be too dangerous."

FMI: www.taxthemtaxthemtaxthem.gov