Airport landing fees are acceptable but overflight charges are not. [Shutterstock]
Key Takeaways:
Private airports often struggle with pilots failing to pay landing and parking fees under the honor system, leading owners like Robert DeLaurentis of KOKH to seek automated solutions.
DeLaurentis Airport (KOKH) has implemented Vector PlanePass, an automated billing system, to track and charge pilots for airport usage, citing an "air of entitlement" among those who refuse to pay for services and upkeep.
The new system faced initial "growing pains" with erroneous billings for aircraft that only overflew the airport, prompting pilot protests and calls for system adjustments, though landing fees themselves are legally permissible.
If you have been to a private airport, you have probably asked that question. There is often a mailbox in a kiosk, or the pilot is directed to the airport manager’s office. No one is making you pay, as aviation often relies on the honor system.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
