Editor’s note: This article first appeared on AVweb.com.
Last week, the Holly Hill (South Carolina) Town Council voted to ban any aircraft weighing less than 600 pounds at city-owned Holly Hill Airport (5J5), which has a 3,900-foot turf runway.
SC Town Votes to Restrict Aircraft at City-Owned Airport
The decision to ban any aircraft weighing less than 600 pounds was made following two accidents that occurred in the past 18 months.
Key Takeaways:
- The Holly Hill Town Council voted to ban aircraft weighing less than 600 pounds at its city-owned airport (5J5), citing two recent accidents and concerns about the town's legal liability.
- Local pilots and aviation organizations like the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) oppose the ban, arguing the accidents were due to pilot error, not aircraft type, and that the decision unfairly restricts airport access.
- Critics suggest the ban is part of a trend "chipping away" at the airport's value due to a lack of local vision for aviation and potential incompatible land uses, noting such restrictions would rarely be approved if the airport were federally grant-obligated.
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