Brent: I am a Flight Safety Coordinator with the State of Illinois (there are three of us), responsible for airport inspections, airport certification (meaning any facility that accommodates any N-numbered A/C, from private landing areas, heliports, etc) and the conducting of safety seminars, etc.

I also consider myself a ‘grass-roots’ pilot, having an airstrip myself for 7 – 8 years back in the late ‘50’s and early ‘60’s.

I can tell you that the people in the FAA in the Airport District Office (ADO) are mostly a bunch of non-pilot civil engineers who DO NOT have a clue about general aviation or their NEEDS. AND DON’T CARE. They are isolated. And yes, I have been hearing about the “change in policy”, going from a document under 100 pages to a document with 700+ pages. I’m not sure just who in the ADO office is mandating the changes, but I understand they are beginning to “attack” some of our airports here in Illinois. (I have a son who used to keep his aircraft at the Charlevoix (CVX), MI … they had a HUGE building that was accessed through a remote controlled gate (i.e., through the fence) – the building hangared some very expensive aircraft, owned mostly by one influential (spelled, $$$) person, I believe. There’ll be hell to pay if they attempt to shut him down)

There have been attempts in the past here in Illinois for just what we are talking about - a group of houses just off the airport grounds having access to the airport – all through a legal contractural aggrement. It seems the FAA (whoever/whatever they are) cannot tolerate ANY type of access to, what they consider, THEIR precious airport (paid for by the taxpayers), unless it is a fixed based operation … the ONLY kind of operation that they know (since few of them, if any, are pilots). I distinctly remember having dinner, years ago, sitting right next to the Chicago Airport District Office Chief, and asking him if he was a pilot. His response was: No, and I am glad I am not, since I might be biased if I were … or some words to that effect. THAT is what we, in general aviation, have to live/contend with. That’s my ‘take’ of the situation, and I do believe that a few people within the FAA need to be educated (if that’s at all possible) regarding the real world …. or removed from their offices. One should be aware that the FAA Airport District Office (ADO)is a whole different animal than the FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) …. as near as I can tell, neither one communicates with the other … unless by necessity. And so it goes.

Dale Rust, ATP, CFII, ex-corporate pilot, ag. pilot, flight instructor, etc

Flight Safety Coordinator

Illinois Dept. of Transportation

Department of Aeronautics