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Letter to Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam in Opposition of Government Competition with Private Business
Dear Governor Haslam: I am writing to bring to your attention a national issue affecting our transportation infrastructure that has, in recent months, become centered in the state of Tennessee. This issue concerns airport owners, which are usually arms of state and local government, creating an unlevel playing field for the private companies that do business at their airport. . . (www.nata.aero) More...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
We need to spread the word to every pilot we know that they should not make use of any FBO type facility that is propped up with government dollars. In that respect, the free market will decide the fate of such facilities and competition amongst private businesses will set the standard. I just wish the government would realize that it is good at only 3 things: killing people, blowing stuff up and wasting money. They should concentrate on the first two and leave the rest to privatization.
Wonder what the Governors stnad would be if I was able to get Government grants and build new new truck stops across from the Pilot oil truck stops. If I was only having to pay 5-10% of the cost I could under cut his families business.
The prospect of the CMAA entering the FBO business is dishearting at best. The only thing that has occurred is that Wilson Air (CMAA sponsored FBO) has made a concerted effort to rob Tac Air of its customers. There have not been any new customers generated by the establishment of the new FBO. I don’t see how the CMAA could justify the amount on money they have spent on the new FBO while the facilities at the CHA airport facilities go down the drain.
Being an Airport/FBO Manager that is owned & operated by a small local municipality in the State of Tennessee, I can see that these is a time and a place for this sort of thing to happen, but there should be absolutely no reason for it to happen at an airport the size of KCHA. In my particular case, the local city sees the advantage of having a professional looking (and run!) operation at their local airfield. People weren't exactly beating down the door to privately run it anymore, which is the case at MANY of the airports around the country which used to be supported by mom & pop operations. Because of this, the city started granting operating costs as part of their yearly budget, and the airport I run today is but a shadow of its former self...for the good I might add. We have worldwide manufacturing facilities within 5 miles of the airfield that regularly utilize the airfield and employee thousands in our community. It's a good payback for the average citizen, even if they don't realize it. However, that being said, when you already have privately run FBOs at an airfield, why on Earth would you think that this is acceptable?!? I can't see how this utilization of taxpayer money created an added benefit at KCHA. Especially since a brand new airport is almost completed nearby that will support more of the GA traffic visiting Chattanooga and the surrounding areas. Can I see both sides of this argument? Yes. But I can't agree with what the airport authority has done here. I'm honestly surprised that it was approved for grant money by the State considering its intended purpose. Tennessee is a Block Grant state, and the Department of Aeronautice & TDOT apportion both state and federal grant money. I may have to check into this further...I'll report back if I discover any inside info...
This is almost exactly what I was thinking. There is a time and a place for a municipally-run FBO; for that matter I think there is a time and a place for a government-run FBO to 'compete' with private enterprise. I'm certain this isn't it.
For the record I did all my training at KTYS where TAC Air operates as FBO, which I assume is much like KCHA, and I just can't see another FBO, even one built with grant money, being necessary nor being able to properly sustain itself. It seems more like both FBOs would end up going broke. Especially when you consider that the MKAA operates as FBO at KDKX, the nearest GA field and the differences in fuel prices there vs. KTYS are almost negligible, certainly not the $1.00 a gallon referenced by the CMAA president in the piece Loren Lintner links to.
For the record I did all my training at KTYS where TAC Air operates as FBO, which I assume is much like KCHA, and I just can't see another FBO, even one built with grant money, being necessary nor being able to properly sustain itself. It seems more like both FBOs would end up going broke. Especially when you consider that the MKAA operates as FBO at KDKX, the nearest GA field and the differences in fuel prices there vs. KTYS are almost negligible, certainly not the $1.00 a gallon referenced by the CMAA president in the piece Loren Lintner links to.
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