This time, the Collier County Airport Authority filed a report with the South Florida Flight Standards District Office and the federal government is getting involved after Fletcher landed his airplane in a grassy area near a Florida Department of Transportation inspector.
But, when the incident was reported to the county's Airport Authority Board Monday, some board members wondered if it was Fletcher's failure to follow the rules or if it was poor airport management. Fletcher — the airport's biggest client — said he is now considering leaving Immokalee.
Fletcher had his privileges temporarily suspended in early October after he toured Commissioner Georgia Hiller and commission candidate Tim Nance around the property without authorization, and Nance's sport utility vehicle was seen violating airport rules and speed limits.
Curry brought up the latest incident during Monday's meeting on an advertised agenda item discussing the problems the Airport Authority has had of late with Fletcher, who owns Fletcher's Flying Services and has operated out of the Immokalee Airport for 34 years.
On Oct. 26, Chris Curry, the airport authority's executive director, was with Immokalee Airport Manager Thomas Vergo and an FDOT inspector on runway 36 of the Immokalee Regional Airport. Curry said Vergo and the FDOT inspector had gotten out of a vehicle to look at a light when Fletcher landed his aircraft in the grassy area before the threshold of runway 36.
"He was 500 to 800 feet from the threshold," Curry told the board. "His aircraft was bouncing around. It looked, to me, like it was hard to control."
This description incensed board member Byron Meade, who was flying in the plane with Fletcher at the time.
"Oh bull," he said.
Fletcher then taxied his aircraft near where Vergo and the FDOT inspector were standing, coming within about 30 feet of them, Fletcher said. The FDOT inspector was "very upset" and told airport officials that they had to file a report with the Florida Flight Standards office or he would, Curry said.
Vergo sent a letter on Oct. 28 to Fletcher alerting him that the report had been filed with the flight standards office and that an investigator with the Federal Aviation Administration would contact him.
"Landing on an unapproved turf area constitutes a hazardous and unauthorized operation that had the potential to endanger the lives of all involved," Vergo wrote.
But Fletcher told board members Monday that he lands on the grassy area every day, in front of airport personnel, and this was the first time he had heard it was not acceptable.
"If you told me I couldn't land in the grass, I wouldn't land in the grass," he said. "This is harassment."
Landing in the grass can be safer on a tail-wheel airplane because the chance of spinning the plane is less, Meade said. Planes are allowed to land on the grass at the Naples airport, as well as the airport in Labelle, he said.
"In my opinion, the airport personnel is not doing their job," he said.
But Curry said the Naples airport has an approved turf landing area, which Immokalee does not.
The incident comes on the heels of an Oct. 3 event, during which Fletcher took Hiller and Nance around the airport property without authorization.
Nance's sport utility vehicle caused concern when airport officials say he exceeded posted speed limits, crossed several runways and refused to pull over.
Airport officials called the vehicle suspicious, according to reports, because it crossed several runways and surpassed airport runway speed limits. Airport officials tried to pull the vehicle over, but it would not slow down, reports said.
Deputies pulled Nance's SUV over outside the airport property. There were no arrests and no charges because no illegal activity occurred off airport property.
Curry stripped Fletcher of his driving privileges at the airport for one year, but they were reinstated by Collier Commissioners by a 4 to 1 vote. Curry asked the airport board to deny Fletcher's request to have a long-term lease at the airport, but many board members did not want to do anything that might drive away their largest client.
"Ninety percent of the jet fuel sold at that airport, he buys," Meade said.
Fletcher, who is currently on a month-to-month lease at the airport, said he is considering leaving Immokalee, which would not only be bad for the Airport Authority, but for the agricultural businesses for which he crop dusts. Fletcher said if he went to Labelle, he would have to increase his prices to the farmers by 100 to 200 percent.
"They are trying to kick me off the airport," he said. "I have never had a violation, I have never had a hand slap in 34 years."
But Curry said tenants have to follow the rules and regulations, which has been a bitter pill for some to swallow.
"These rules and regulations have been in place for nine years," he said. "We're just enforcing them."
No comments:
Post a Comment