Ok Guys and Gals, here is the Readers Digest version of creating a new airport.
For the record I did the whole process myself by researching the whole thing on the internet.. I didn't use any professional help at all. I am not cheap, I am spending challenged. !<G>
Before the FAA will consider the application you need to be able to show them any and all local governing bodies are ok with the proposed idea.
This will come in many shapes and forms. Ie, zone the property for it, give the land a waiver, issue a conditional use permit, exempt it from aviation limitations, etc. I am sure it is addressed in other ways all around the country but bottom line is you need their blessing before the FAA will proceed.
In my case the path of least resistance was the CUP,= condition use permit. I needed three hearings in front of the zoning board, they then give their finding, observations and any public comments to the county commisioners, the county then set the item on the agenda for three more public hearings. That format is probably very similar for most jurisdictions.
On my applications reading before the Zoning board I was present to answer any questions. The initial reading was a fact finding mission by the board, the usual, who, what, where,when, why, are you sure kinda thing. The next two readings were just a formality. The zoning board then issued their finding to the commisioners.
My case was then put on the docket and three more hearings were scheduled. I attended all three of those too. First reading sailed right through,, so did the second one...
On the third and final hearing there was four items on the agenda that night and mine was the last one to be heard. There were probably 20 people in the public seating section... First case was called, it was passed and two people left the room. Second case was called, that one got into a pretty heated debate, it was denied, 10 people left the room... Third case was called and that one turned out to be a son of one of the board members wanting to put in a temporary gravel pit, it passed with the usual small town , " hey Bob, seeya at sunday dinner" chatter kinda thing.
Then there were 6..........................................
Me and my case and 5 other people who I had never seen before.
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They read my case, ask me if I had any additional things to add, I didn't, they ask for public comments. So here I am thinking the worse, the 5 are here to present their best case of 'not in my backyard' pent up anger.....
All 5 stand up IN FAVOR of my application. Three were local pilots, the other two were neighbors of my ranch. Gavel came down,, APPROVED..
The FAA process went kinda smooth, I filled out this form.
http://forms.faa.gov/forms/faa7480-1.pdf
I had to deal with the FAA office in Denver, a real nice lady, Marsha Hofer was my case worker, she explained all the things I needed to do, she scheduled the airspace study. That took a few months and then the charting office from DC called to ask if I wanted the runway placed on the sectional. Now, My small ranch is/was /kinda way out in the sticks and right under an airway with nothing but hostile terrain both ways. At that time I was in the Civil Air Patrol and for sure I wanted it both on the sectional and in the data base so all navigation databases could access it. I would rather have some pilot find a safe place to make an emergency landing and help him out then to meet the next of kin during a recovery excersize. But thats just me.
Tailwinds
Ben.
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