FAA Questions Landing Fees at Mesa Falcon Field

The FAA has expressed “significant concerns” about the Mesa, Arizona city council’s decision to impose landing fees at Falcon Field Airport (KFFZ). In a letter to Mesa mayor Mark Freeman, city manager Scott Butler, and airport director Corinne Nystrom dated April 13, but only recently obtained by AOPA, the agency noted that the plan “may be inconsistent with the city’s federal obligations, both grant assurances and Surplus Property Act conveyance obligations.”

Approved by the city in March, the measure would charge more than $20 per landing for all airplanes weighing less than 6,000 pounds based at the airport, with 10 free landings a month. Some have described this as a tax on flight training activities for the several flight schools that call KFFZ home. Transient aircraft under that weight limit would be charged $24.35 per landing.

In the letter, Michael Helvey, director of the FAA’s office of airport compliance, stated, “The city’s landing fees structure may unreasonably interfere with, or limit, legitimate aeronautical activities. Any attempt to limit operations or specific types of operations, through landing fees, is not permissible.” He added, “The city’s unusual landing fee structure has the potential for systemwide impacts and thus must be assessed.”

Last month, AOPA submitted a letter to the FAA in support of a Part 13 complaint filed by two flight schools at KFFZ against the city and asked the agency to impose a stay on any fees until it had conducted a full investigation into the situation.

AOPA general counsel Fernando Campoamor noted a growing trend of airports using landing fees to discourage flight operations and address neighborhood noise complaints. “The FAA’s decision in this matter will certainly have a national impact and will influence how other airport sponsors proceed in the future, and whether and how fees are imposed,” he said.