Below is a sample form letter that can be sent to various interested parties or local government representatives who may be willing to help address this issue. Feel free to modify or edit this letter as you see fit; personalizing it with your own words and experiences is highly encouraged. Please remember that any correspondence you send regarding this matter represents your personal opinion or request and does not speak on behalf of the club or any other individuals involved with the airport situation.
CLICK HERE FOR ***FORM LETTER EXAMPLE***
CLICK HERE FOR ***Possible Contact List***
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]
[Email Address]
[Phone Number]
[Date]
SUBMITTED TO:
[Name of Recipient]
[Title]
[Organization/Company]
[Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]
[Email Address]
Re: Complaint Regarding Operations at Skyhaven Airport
Dear [Recipient’s Name],
I am writing to formally submit a complaint regarding issues at the Max Swisher Skyhaven Airport (KRCM) located in Warrensburg, Missouri. The airport is managed by the University of Central Missouri (UCM). As an airport tenant (or user), I believe UCM’s management practices violate the terms of federal funding under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). It is the belief of many of the airport tenants that UCM has the reputation of disregarding the general public or putting in place rules that actively dissuade General Aviation actives outside of the schools own activities. There should be more oversight in the lack of public service UCM provides in light of the millions of dollars of Federal AIP and Missouri State funds they have received in the past and continue to receive. Oversight is needed to ensure the needs of the public are best served as intended by the AIP assurances and that the rights of the airport tenants are upheld. Please note that several tenants have already filed an FAA complaint and it is currently under investigation. The FAA complaint is posted on the www.flymmfc.com website.
Here are the key concerns:
- Ban on Commercial Activities: UCM’s new lease prohibits essential commercial services, like flight instruction and aircraft maintenance. This unfairly restricts licensed mechanics, flight instructors, and other aviation businesses from operating at the airport.
- Aircraft Maintenance Restrictions: The lease only allows basic Part 43 Owner Maintenance, preventing tenants from conducting repairs that require an A&P/IA mechanic. This forces many aircraft to remain grounded, as proper maintenance cannot be performed on-site.
- Exclusive Maintenance Rights: UCM grants exclusive maintenance rights to its own employees, limiting these services to university aircraft only. This blocks competition and denies tenants access to essential maintenance, violating FAA regulations against exclusive rights at federally funded airports.
- Ban on Self-Fueling: Tenants are prohibited from bringing their own fuel, which particularly affects those with auto-fuel STCs. This restriction limits necessary and operational flexibility for many pilots.
These actions appear to violate FAA Grant Assurances, which require publicly funded airports to provide fair and equal access without unjust discrimination. UCM’s policies are causing significant hardship for tenants who rely on basic services like flight instruction and aircraft maintenance.
Tenants have been told to sign the new lease by October 15th or face eviction by October 31st. Given the unreasonable terms, there is a formal requested FAA intervention to resolve these violations.
I respectfully ask for your support the complaint and to take these concerns into account when UCM requests funds in the future. Prior to any funding, ensure that UCM is in compliance with FAA regulations. It is critical to this community that the airport has commercial and public operations, that business can be conducted, that land leases be made available, that tenants and aircraft owners are allowed to operate and maintain their aircraft without unnecessary restrictions.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your prompt response.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Title/Position, if applicable]
[Your Contact Information]