All 6Y9 Fly-Ins cancelled indefinitely

EdFred

EdFred

Taxi to Parking
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White Chocolate
Most/all of you didn't know that the east 600' of runway was not actually owned by SHCAHA. We were given verbal permission to use the property (and actually improved it) for runway extension and usage for as long as we wanted. Well, as of this morning the owner of the property has decided that he (or I guess, more specifically his lawyer) no longer wants anyone landing on it, nor anyone taking off or landing over his property. Now that we've improved it, drained it, and made it so it's not just a mosquito breeding ground, he's probably going utilize it for himself.

So, by the time we hack off 600' feet put in the 20:1 displaced threshold, we're down to 1500'. With the trees getting taller at the west end, and the county not willing us to top them, in the interest of safety we will no longer be having any fly-ins. In a brief discussion yesterday with dad, and us flying in there with much, much tighter quarters, we may decide not to bother with it anymore.

I'm tempted to post his lawyer's number for everyone to call, but am refraining for now.

Anyone want to buy a Comanche? First $50k takes it.
 
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That's very disappointing. I haven't made it yet but was hoping to one day... Oh well. Sorry to hear :(
 
Make sure to post the neighbor's picture up at the gas station with a "All future Labor Day fly-ins cancelled due to Mr. Poopy Pants being a retread"

Sucks. I know all you Fred's have put a lot of time, sweat and MONEY into that place for it to come to an end like this. Hopefully something shakes out where everything can stay afloat.
 
can you un-install your improvements? grrrrrrr
 
That REALLY sucks.

Please post both the neighbor AND his lawyer's numbers!

:mad3:
 
EdFred said:
Most/all of you didn't know that the east 600' of runway was not actually owned by SHCAHA. We were given verbal permission to use the property
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Further evidence that a man's word and a handshake are becoming an anachronistic thing from the past.

Giving you a few months notice would have been nice, but I guess it just doesn't work that way. I was hoping to swing by this year; I'm doing some multi-engine training with Tom Brady the following week in the Traverse City Area.
 
CJones said:
Make sure to post the neighbor's picture up at the gas station with a "All future Labor Day fly-ins cancelled due to Mr. Poopy Pants being a retread"

Sucks. I know all you Fred's have put a lot of time, sweat and MONEY into that place for it to come to an end like this. Hopefully something shakes out where everything can stay afloat.
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Along those lines, maybe ask one of the Moderators to change the "XX days remaining until the 6Y9 Fly-in" at the top of the POA window, perhaps when they get back from Oshkosh.

Too bad; I'd hoped to get there some day.
 
This is some of the worst news, especially given that it may mean the shutdown of yet another airport, and such a cool one at that. I'm glad I got to go, and I hope that you all will be able to work it out.

If there's going to be a protest, though, I'm in.
 
Especially since the restaurant was opening back up in August.
 
****, I was looking forward to heading up to 6y9 this year... :-(
 
I am really sorry to hear that. I have no idea what your written agreement with this guy was or even if it was written. At a minimum he should pay you for the improvements. Maybe you should take him hunting Ed!!!
 
tmyers said:
I am really sorry to hear that. I have no idea what your written agreement with this guy was or even if it was written. At a minimum he should pay you for the improvements. Maybe you should take him hunting Ed!!!
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It was a verbal agreement. For some reason a lawyer came into the picture this summer. We actually got contacted by the lawyer. Then dad had a phone conversation with the owner this morning.
 
The more I read the updating posts, the sadder I get. I'd never get to attend one of the fly-ins, but EdFred(and I'm sure, his Dad) is such a nice guy. And to have the rug pulled out in such a manner after having done all the improvements. So sorry, Ed.

HR
 
I'm guessing somebody got spooked by the liability of having planes take off and land on their property.
 
Not sure what the SHCAHA was thinking (or not thinking) with that deal.
 
Clip4 said:
Not sure what the SHCAHA was thinking (or not thinking) with that deal.
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Yes, please share with us your expert experience with reviving airports from the dead.
 
Would it be out of the question to use KLNL or 50D as a landing spot for those needing more than 1500'?
 
True, that would suck and it looks like about a hour one way to either.
 
That's too bad. 1500 is too tight for most of the aircraft and pilots of years past - wouldn't end well with so little room. Hope you guys can work something out.
 
Is it going to shut down? Seems like a neat place and 1500 is doable for me, especially if I keep her light
 
Sounds like it would have been fun.

It never ceases to amaze me how neighbors(people in general) can suck, and become exponentially more sucky when they talk to lawyers.
 
douglas393 said:
Sounds like it would have been fun.

It never ceases to amaze me how neighbors(people in general) can suck, and become exponentially more sucky when they talk to lawyers.
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From the sounds of it, the lawyer initiated it. Because that's what lawyers do....ruin things for the rest of us.
 
Seems to me that you actually a) need to speak to a lawyer concerning a constructive easement; b) you just learned that gentlemans agreements only work so long as both are acting as gentlemen; and that c) oral and 'implied in fact' understandings are not worth the paper they are written on . . .

Good luck -I'd see to #A ASAP . . . seems like you have pretty decent case of a constructive easement . ..

And Dad does not have to speak to his lawyer at all - he can still speak to his neighbor about this and ask if there is anything they can work out, before the lawyers get to ****ing up the tree.

My advice to a client would be to say:

"hey, we've been running this place for XX years . . . and we've always been good neighbors, plus based on your promises we've fixed up the land too. I dunno what your lawyer is spinning in your ears but I know that if I gotta go get one because of the money and effort we've put into this, after you said we could use it as long as we wanted to . . . well, that just doesn't seem to make much sense to me.

I'd rather handle it simply and try to help you out with your concerns . . . but if that doesn't work, we've done things in reliance your word and a handshake . . .so what is your problem and how can we help?"
 
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EdFred said:
From the sounds of it, the lawyer initiated it. Because that's what lawyers do....ruin things for the rest of us.
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Possibly, but someone contacted the lawyer to get his advice(which would typically be the one who hired him, thus the neighbor).
 
I wonder whether the neighbor is intending to sell the property and is rescinding the permission to clear up the title.
 
tmyers said:
Would it be out of the question to use KLNL or 50D as a landing spot for those needing more than 1500'?
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Actually that thought crossed my mind and we would be willing to coordinate that for those from PoA that would still like to come and share Labor Day weekend.

And of course, we're trying to remain positive that something will happen down the road to make this just a hiccup.

We, as in our family, all are going through our different emotions as we all had different "investments" in this project. Not ready to throw the baby out with the bath water yet, but it sure has changed things for this year, that's for sure.

So if anyone, would still like to come and camp and hangout, if your plane isn't good for short field, I will throw the offer out there to make a few runs back and forth from KLNL. It's not that far really.
 
AuntPeggy said:
I wonder whether the neighbor is intending to sell the property and is rescinding the permission to clear up the title.
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Which, if the OP's lawyer is smart, simply clouds it - If I were beginning to litigate the case or to place it into a position to settle, I'd file a lien on the property for the area of the runway claiming a constructive easement by consent, prescription or agreement - that would cloud the title preventing a sale -

The lawyer that the adjoining property owner contacted is a hack. Prob does no litigation and his real estate experience is limited to closings and transfers.
 
EdFred said:
Yes, please share with us your expert experience with reviving airports from the dead.
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I don't have advice for you, but I would not have put 1.4 acres of runway on another guys land with just a verbal agreement.
 
EdFred said:
From the sounds of it, the lawyer initiated it. Because that's what lawyers do....ruin things for the rest of us.
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Can't disagree with that.

comanchepilot said:
The lawyer that the adjoining property owner contacted is a hack. Prob does no litigation and his real estate experience is limited to closings and transfers.
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As in 90% of the "lawyers" practicing law in the US. The sorry sad excuses of the "bar associations" that continue to admit and protect the incompetent are just fueling the problem.
 
I would actually be surprised if you do not have prescriptive rights to the use of that land, given how long and visibly you have been using it. Some States have a prescriptive rights law that says if you have beneficially occupied a piece of land you don't own for a certain amount of time (e.g. five or more years) you retain the right to use it.

EDIT: The guy right above me posted a link on that.
 
1 week shy of 7 years, vs 15 years.
 
Ed - how short was it in year 1 when I went? Not much longer than 1500, right?
 
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