Mon, Feb 20, 2012
Jump Operation Files FAA Complaint Over Jump Ban
Both sides in a fight between skydiving operations and airport
management in Creswell, Oregon seem to be tiring of their
seven-year battle. The dive operation says it must fight an attempt
to ban its operations before the FAA, or go out of business. The
city has threatened that the cost of addressing that complaint
could force it to end services at Hobby Field Airport (77S).
The Register-Guard reports the airport is promoted by the city
as one of the busiest in the state, with 120 based aircraft. It
used to be home to two competing skydiving operations, Eugene
Skydivers and Wright Brother Skydiving, but the latter ceased
operations after the city moved to prohibit skydivers from using
the airport as a landing zone back in 2006. Urban Moore, who owns
Eugene Skydiving, has kept the doors open by offering limited
skydiving services at county-owned property nine miles from the
airport. But he says there's no way to grow.
Moore's complaint with the FAA accuses the city of
discriminating against a legitimate aviation activity at an airport
which has taken federal funds. The city council approved a motion
at its February 14 meeting to fund an expected $100,000 legal bill
with money from the city's general fund. It had earlier threatened
to close the airport entirely, something Moore says it can't
do.
He adds the FAA has found skydiving compatible with other
activity on the field provided appropriate measures are in place. A
consultant hired by the city disagrees.
Moore tells the paper, "The city’s refusal to comply with
the FAA’s finding, and discrimination against skydiving, has
nearly put me out of business. Now that I’m calling them out
for their wrongdoing, they’re making threats..."
Some aircraft owners based at Hobby Field say everyone used to
get along fine. Bob Severns has been using the airport for over 50
years, and tells the paper things ran smoothly until skydivers
began "abusing the situation," including walking across the runway
while planes were on takeoff runs.
An FAA ruling on Moore's complaint is not expected until at
least December.
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