Wants To Rewrite Lease Agreements to Take Ownership of Private Hangars Built On Leased Grounds

ANN is monitoring media reports of a change of heart (or a lack thereof) on the part of the powers-that-be that control North Little Rick Airport, in Arkansas. Recent decisions by airport management seem determined to take ownership of hangar facilities that have been built on leased grounds... while such arrangements with public (and some private) airports are not uncommon, the property grab is a mite unusual -- and unsettling.

The normal lease agreements allow people to build what they need on the leased grounds, thereby eliminating the cost and maintenance issues that airports are otherwise ill-equipped of unable to undertake... this way the airport gets a tenant and the land-leaser gets to build a facility that fits their needs and gives them some of the benefits of ownership. Many of these lease agreements are not only renewable but transferable and usually of fairly long duration.

Where KORK seems to want to play Grinch is occurring via their decision to re-write leases upon renewal, eventually allowing them to seize/take ownership of the property that others have built... and (one assumes) to then turn around and charge them (or others) for the property that they incurred NO EXPENSE in developing.

In emails to ANN, pilot/tenants on site were of the impression (and allegedly had been assured by various members of the airport management team) that their ownership of the "improvements" (the facilities/hangars) they built remained their property to do with as they please... within the confines of the lease agreements that had been in force for many years. To say the least... tenants are not happy and are threatening major litigation and other actions if KORK management continues on this path.

Media reports allege that the airport management's rationale (which as not returned ANN's calls on the matter) is built on their contention that seizing all such improvements on the airport grounds will "allow it to receive more rental income and become more self-sustaining, which is what the Federal Aviation Administration wants."

There is a meeting coming up next week (01.07.10), of the North Little Rock Airport Commission's lease committee, in which affected parties will have the chance to air their grievances. We'll follow up and let you know what happens... but hopefully cooler heads will prevail, the FAA has not or will not support such measures in the future, and other such ideas are shut down ASAP... aviation really does not need this kind of behavior when airports are struggling to retain tenants and the business they provide... which a number of concerned KORK users claim is an invitation to turn the airport "into a ghost town." 

FMI: http://nlrairport.blogspot.com/