AOPA is warning general aviation aircraft operators of the prospect of new landing fees in Florida that could take effect as early as next month. Earlier this year, the state contracted with Virtower to collect aircraft movement data at airports throughout the state using ADS-B. Virtower has partnered with Vector Air Systems, a company that can use the Virtower data to provide automated invoicing—a capability it is actively marketing to airports in the state.
ADS-B was mandated in 2020 but it was never intended as a tool for collecting fees, according to AOPA. The group is considering legislative action against Vector's proposal, which is under consideration by several popular airports at a fee of $3 per 1,000 pounds of aircraft weight. AOPA questions the need for the fees to be collected at the public-use airports that already receive federal funds.
"The city and county governments considering these landing fees have been conspicuously silent about the fact that these airports appear to be in good financial condition, and they've received $67 million in federal grants, collectively, over the past decade," said Stacey Heaton, AOPA’s southern regional manager.
Last week, DeLand Municipal Airport (KDED) users were notified that fees will be charged for “itinerant aircraft” starting October 1. KDED’s manager stated that the move was meant to protect the airport from its neighbors—such as Orlando Executive and Kissimmee Gateway airports—that are considering adding landing fees. “If we do not impose landing fees, airplanes that are using other airports and paying landing fees...will choose to come to DeLand and saturate our pattern to an unsafe level,” he said.
“Imposing new landing fees at public, not-for-profit airports intended to deter operations that provide the lifeline for these airports seems illogical and will ultimately have safety issues for pilots, and may violate federal grant assurances,” Heaton noted. “Moreover, there may be additional legal issues with how these fees are being set, implemented, and collected.”