Airport landing fees are acceptable but overflight charges are not. [Shutterstock]
Key Takeaways:
Many private airports struggle with pilots failing to pay landing and parking fees under the honor system, leading airport owners like Robert DeLaurentis to implement automated billing systems such as Vector PlanePass.
DeLaurentis adopted PlanePass at KOKH to ensure payment for airport use and maintenance, citing pilots' "air of entitlement" for not contributing to the facilities they utilize.
The system's initial rollout has faced "growing pains," resulting in erroneous bills for aircraft that only overflew the airport; while landing fees are legitimate, overflight charges are not, prompting technical adjustments, refunds, and AOPA guidance for pilots to dispute invalid bills.
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.
