Big price increase for landing in Rhode Island

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iflyatiger

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iflyatiger
New fees rescinded ! Big price increase for landing in Rhode Island

I know this doesn't affect everyone but there are a few airports in RI that are very popular fly in destinations.

As of October 1st the landing and ramp fees at many RI airports is increasing by a very large amount. For instance Block Island going from $15 year round to $20 (off season) and $35.00 (prime season)! Newport RI from $5 to $20 and $35 prime season. Please see the attached pdf.

These types of increases are definitely going to change the amount of times I visit these airports and from the reaction of the other pilots that hear of this it will make a big difference for them also.

By the way news of this started with a post on another forum last Sunday.. I personally verified this with Avports who run the RI airports.

We already have a lot of backing to try and turn this around including the Block Island chamber of commerce, a state representative etc.. There is an article and 2 great letters from pilots in today's online and print versions of the Block island times.

If this affects you and you would like to write a letter or 2 please let me know and I will get you a few key contacts and email addresses.

Thank you..
 

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Have flown to Block Island many times as a visitor and was never charged a landing fee. Perhaps because it was only for short stays.
 
Block Island has charged $15 when you sign in for at least a few years, it was less before that. In the past they would waive that charge if you ate at the airport restaurant and did not leave the airport grounds. It is my understanding that they probably will not continue that practice.



rocketflyer84 said:
Have flown to Block Island many times as a visitor and was never charged a landing fee. Perhaps because it was only for short stays.
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Went to BI last week ,new changes where not in affect.,as long as you stay at the airport. Try to avoid most RI airports.
 
Is this at all RI airports or just a few? The thread is making me think all state airports.

David
 
This is a real shame! I love flying to Westerly RI and go there at least 6 or so times a year as it is such a great flight from Long Island because of the scenery. There are great folks at Dooney Aviation who run a small and steady FBO. Now it will cost 5 bucks each flight, nothing crazy but still annoying. I hope they stay open!

35 bucks during prime season on Block Island is rough. It may very well put that nice little restaurant out of business, especially if the fee is not waived.

It's a real poor move by Rhode Island. It will hurt these tiny GA airports a great deal.
 
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flhrci said:
Is this at all RI airports or just a few? The thread is making me think all state airports.

David
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Most, if not all of the airports in the state are owned by the state and operated by the Rhode Island Airport Commission.

I think Richmond (08R) is the only airport that isn't owned by the state.
 
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Let's keep it in perspective. If generic county, TX gets expensive, people will land in the adjacent county. It's pretty much the same thing.
 
JHW said:
Let's keep it in perspective. If generic county, TX gets expensive, people will land in the adjacent county. It's pretty much the same thing.
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This is a bit different. People don't go to places like Block Island or Newport for fuel stops. They are there to visit those places. This is just an effort to tax the visitors.
 
Those prices will definitely kill off a good portion of GA into those airports. The restaurant at BID is good, but not that good.
 
The airports are operated by the state, not the city?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
So, register your aircraft in Rhode Island for $60.00. Those landing fees do not apply to Rhode Island registered aircraft. After two landings at KBID you begin saving money.
 
I stop at Westerly for fuel often during the summer. I agree that Dooney is a good fbo, nice people..

According to Dooney they will not collect a ramp fee fee for fuel stops, if Avports or the airport try to collect the $5 that is not in their hands but I get the feeling that might not be collected either.


jspilot said:
This is a real shame! I love flying to Westerly RI and go there at least 6 or so times a year as it is such a great flight from Long Island because of the scenery. There are great folks at Dooney Aviation who run a small and steady FBO. Now it will cost 5 bucks each flight, nothing crazy but still annoying. I hope they stay open!

35 bucks during prime season on Block Island is rough. It may very well put that nice little restaurant out of business, especially if the fee is not waived.

It's a real poor move by Rhode Island. It will hurt these tiny GA airports a great deal.
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Please take a look at the attachment I posted.. Unfortunately it is wst, bid, uuu, oqu, sfz. Like you said I do think these are the state owned airports..


flhrci said:
Is this at all RI airports or just a few? The thread is making me think all state airports.

David
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What's RI's laws and options for backcountry ops?
 
James331 said:
What's RI's laws and options for backcountry ops?
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Backcountry flying and Rhode Island?

I take it you've never been there?

It's a tiny state. Water, rocks and trees. Richmond is about as close as you'll get to backcountry flying.
 
MikeELP said:
And it's not even an island. Talk about false advertising! :D
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Actually, yes, it is - Rhode Island is the old name for Aquidneck Island (the largest island) and the official name of the state is "Rhode Island and Providence Plantations".

I now return you to your regular programming...

As I pointed out on the red board thread, enforcement of this will be very difficult, and the exemption for RI registered aircraft may be legally problematic.
 
Thought I would post my receipt from yesterday to make everyone feel better about the RI fees. Even an airplane the size of ours would only pay about a $75 landing fee and a $90 facility fee.

attachment.php
 

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Everskyward said:
Thought I would post my receipt from yesterday to make everyone feel better about the RI fees. Even an airplane the size of ours would only pay about a $75 landing fee and a $90 facility fee.

attachment.php
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Where was this and what were you flying?
 
StinkBug said:
Where was this and what were you flying?
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That was at Atlantic KRIL (Rifle, CO). I was in a Sovereign which has a max T/O weight of 30,300 lbs. in case you want to do the calculation of what the RI fees would be for it.

We did not buy fuel and were there for about 45 minutes.
 
Everskyward said:
That was at Atlantic KRIL (Rifle, CO). I was in a Sovereign which has a max T/O weight of 30,300 lbs. in case you want to do the calculation of what the RI fees would be for it.

We did not buy fuel and were there for about 45 minutes.
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Geez....

Talking about being greedy...:mad2:
 
Everskyward said:
Well... I think the fees at KJAC are pretty similar.
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Wow....

Since I am based here and have NO idea of the prices... I would have figured they were alot less then Rifle......

Ben ( living under a rock ) Haas...:redface:
 
N801BH said:
Wow....

Since I am based here and have NO idea of the prices... I would have figured they were alot less then Rifle......

Ben ( living under a rock ) Haas...:redface:
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You figured Jackson Hole would be less than Rifle? $400 is on the high end but not unusual for us. I'm always surprised when it's less than $100, and really surprised when it's $0. That's based on not buying fuel. FBOs will often wave the facility fee if you buy a minimum amount of fuel based on airplane size. The landing fee is rarely waived since it goes to the airport.
 
I'm curious as to how they are going to enforce the landing fee. I regularly go from windham and stop at westerly for gas. If I land, fill up at the self serve station and take back off who exactly is going to collect the fee from me and how are they going to do it? There is usually nobody around every time I have landed there and the self serve pump is quite a good distance from the fbo. I get the idea of charging a set ramp fee for overnight parking but don't get how they are going to enforce a landing fee at an uncontrolled airport. Heck I don't even usually use a full call sign when in the pattern. Tough to charge someone doing a touch and go that identifies themselves as a white and blue low wing experimental.

Keith
 
Everskyward said:
You figured Jackson Hole would be less than Rifle? $400 is on the high end but not unusual for us. I'm always surprised when it's less than $100, and really surprised when it's $0. That's based on not buying fuel. FBOs will often wave the facility fee if you buy a minimum amount of fuel based on airplane size. The landing fee is rarely waived since it goes to the airport.
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I just figured a destination airport would want low fees to get people to show up and spend money in the local area......

Ben ( back under a bigger rock) Haas...:redface::redface:
 
N801BH said:
I just figured a destination airport would want low fees to get people to show up and spend money in the local area......

Ben ( back under a bigger rock) Haas...:redface::redface:
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I've found that places that people want to go for other reasons than flying (santa monica, catalina, vegas, etc.) tend to have higher fees. It's the little out of the way places that want to draw in business and have nothing going for them that lure you by making things cheap.
 
StinkBug said:
I've found that places that people want to go for other reasons than flying (santa monica, catalina, vegas, etc.) tend to have higher fees. It's the little out of the way places that want to draw in business and have nothing going for them that lure you by making things cheap.
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I've found this generally to be the case too. If it's a destination resort they figure people are going there regardless. But there are many exceptions. The only way to be sure is to call ahead and ask.
 
What is a Rhode Island?
 
kmacht said:
I'm curious as to how they are going to enforce the landing fee. I regularly go from windham and stop at westerly for gas. If I land, fill up at the self serve station and take back off who exactly is going to collect the fee from me and how are they going to do it? There is usually nobody around every time I have landed there and the self serve pump is quite a good distance from the fbo. I get the idea of charging a set ramp fee for overnight parking but don't get how they are going to enforce a landing fee at an uncontrolled airport. Heck I don't even usually use a full call sign when in the pattern. Tough to charge someone doing a touch and go that identifies themselves as a white and blue low wing experimental.

Keith
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Yeah good point. I've wondered this too. My sense is they will probably not and this is why these fees are really not well thought out. It just hurts the FBO's and businesses in the field.

I'd guess they are targeting the corporate jets and higher capacity planes more than the 172 and Cherokee crowd.
 
That security fee is the one that grinds my gears. Just showed up a few years ago. If they just called it a "because we can fee" then I'd be fine, but as is it's a blatant money grab.
 
Jeff Oslick said:
As I pointed out on the red board thread, enforcement of this will be very difficult, and the exemption for RI registered aircraft may be legally problematic.
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No more so than non-resident tuition or hunting licenses I'd guess.
 
Norman said:
So, register your aircraft in Rhode Island for $60.00. Those landing fees do not apply to Rhode Island registered aircraft. After two landings at KBID you begin saving money.
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My airplane is registered in Nevada, but I still have a Rhode Island sticker near the tail from two owners ago. I don't know if it has a year on it... Maybe I can land there for free. ;)
 
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Captain said:
That security fee is the one that grinds my gears. Just showed up a few years ago. If they just called it a "because we can fee" then I'd be fine, but as is it's a blatant money grab.
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In their defense, the DHS/TSA are coming up with new security requirements left and right. And the FBO + the municipality that owns the airport probably has to foot the bill to comply. 8 foot high barbed wire fences, gates with codes, security cameras etc.. are not cheap. Our uncontrolled airport has all this crap, and I dont think they would have it if they were not required to.
 
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