Says Airport Is Pressuring Him To Relocate

The pilot of the last piston airplane based at San Francisco International Airport (KSFO) has sued the airport, claiming he is being pressured to move his Cessna 182 to a new home base.

Courthouse News Service reports that Robert Reinheimer says in his suit that his flight privileges were illegally suspended by then-airport director John Martin for alleged safety violations. Those allegations were determined to be unfounded by the FAA, and no enforcement action would be taken. However, he was not notified by the airport that the charges had been dismissed by the agency, and Martin did not respond to his request to have his privileges reinstated.

In his suit, Reinheimer says that since he first entered into the tie-down lease, the airport has "urged, encouraged and exerted various pressures on persons who parked their small piston single and twin engine aircraft at SFIA to move to other airports. For the past three years, plaintiff has been the only piston airplane tied down or home-based at SFIA."

His lease was current and his rent paid in August 2015 when Martin suspended his access to the airport secure area and his take-off and landing privileges. He is allowed to work on his airplane in its tie-down space, but cannot access any runway.

Martin has since retired, and the new airport manager, Ivar Satero, said through a spokesperson that the airport cannot comment on pending litigation.

Reinheimer names the city and county of San Francisco, as well as Martin as defendants in his suit. He is seeking full reinstatement of his airport privileges, as well as $100,000 in damages for "denial of access to personal property, discrimination, emotional distress and interference with contract."

(Cessna 182 pictured in file photo)

FMI: www.sfsuperiorcourt.org