King City Municipal Code Ch. 2.30 Mesa Del Rey Municipal Airport Rules and Regulations

This chapter may be referred to as the Mesa Del Rey Municipal Airport Rules and Regulations.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

This chapter applies equally to every user of the Mesa Del Rey Airport.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions and meanings shall apply unless otherwise specified:

“Air carrier”

means any person who undertakes directly, by lease, or other arrangement, to engage in air transportation of persons or things. They operate, in various categories, under authority or certification by the U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board and/or the California Public Utilities Commission. Categories include certificated route air carriers, trunk carriers, flag carriers, local service carriers, all-cargo carriers, helicopter carriers, commercial air operators, air taxi operators, and charter air carriers.

“Aircraft”

means a device that is used, or intended to be used, for flight in the air. It includes airplanes, helicopters and gliders, and lighter-than-air devices such as blimps or balloons, but does not include hang gliders.

“Airport”

means the Mesa Del Rey Municipal Airport, its buildings and facilities and all lands owned by the city contiguous to the airport, including airspace above such land and the designated approaches thereto.

“Airport manager”

means the city manager of the city.

“Air traffic”

means aircraft operating in the air or on an airport surface, exclusive of loading ramps or parking areas.

“Air traffic clearance”

means an authorization issued by air traffic control personnel for an aircraft to proceed under specified traffic conditions within controlled airspace.

“Autorotation”

means a rotorcraft flight condition in which the lifting rotor is driven entirely by action of the air when the rotor craft (helicopter) is in motion.

“Balloon”

means a lighter-than-air aircraft which is not engine driven.

“Ceiling”

means the height above the earth’s surface of the lowest layer of clouds or obscuring phenomena, that is reported as “broken,” “overcast,” or “obscuration,” and is not classified “thin” or “partial.”

“City”

means the city of King.

“Commercial operator”

means any person who, for compensation or hire, engages in the carriage of persons, property, or mail in air commerce, or engages in other aerial activity such as flight instruction, aerial photography, firefighting, agricultural aviation activities or traffic surveillance.

“Commercial use”

means use of the airport for revenue producing commercial activities.

“Fixed base operator”

means any person who rents, leases, or owns facilities located on the airport, who by virtue of his specific type of aviation or aviation related activity, requires the occupancy of a site with contiguous aircraft apron and direct access to the aircraft operation area, and who engages in a business activity providing aviation sales or services, including, but not limited to any of the following:

(a)

Selling and/or servicing new and used aircraft and component parts;

(b)

Aircraft maintenance and repairs;

(c)

Sales and/or repair of avionics;

(d)

Aviation training (including ground flight instruction);

(e)

Aerial photography;

(f)

Air ambulance service;

(g)

Aircraft agricultural operations (crop-dusting, spraying, or the application of seed, fertilizers, pesticides, defoliants, etc.); and

(h)

Aircraft rental, charter or leasing.

“Flight visibility”

means the average forward horizontal distance from the cockpit of an aircraft in flight, at which prominent unlighted objects may be seen and identified by day, and prominent lighted objects may be seen and identified by night.

“Ground visibility”

means prevailing horizontal visibility near the earth’s surface.

“Helicopter”

means a rotor-driven aircraft (rotorcraft) that, for its horizontal motion, depends primarily on its engine-driven rotors.

“IFR”

means instrument flight rules covering meteorological conditions below the minimums for flight under visual (VFR) conditions.

“Maintenance”

means inspection, overhaul, repair, preservation, and the replacement of parts, but excludes preventive maintenance.

“Maximum gross landing weight”

means the maximum landing weight stipulated for a particular aircraft by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

“Night”

means the time between the end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight as published in the American Air Almanac, converted to local time.

“Person”

means an individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association, joint stock association, or governmental entity, and includes a trustee, receiver, assignee, or similar representative of any of them.

“Traffic pattern”

means the traffic flow that is prescribed for aircraft landing at, or taking off from the airport.

“VFR”

means visual flight rules covering meteorological conditions, above those requiring flight under IFR conditions.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

Wherever used in this chapter, words importing the singular include the plural, words importing the plural include the singular, words importing the masculine gender include the feminine, and words importing the feminine gender include the masculine.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

(1) Management. It shall be the responsibility of the manager of the airport to fairly and impartially administer the airport rules and regulations.

(2) Users. It shall be the responsibility of every user of the airport, pilot or other, to become familiar with the airport rules and regulations and to obey those rules and regulations. A copy of said rules and regulations, kept current to reflect amendments thereto, will be posted in the office of the airport manager, and additional copies will be provided by the airport manager to any user of the airport who requests the same.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

This chapter is enacted to protect the health, safety and peace, and to promote the welfare and convenience of the general public using the airport, or affected by activities related to the airport by providing for the orderly conduct of activities on, or related to, the airport.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

Any person desiring to store or base his aircraft at the airport shall register his aircraft at the airport office prior to beginning such storage or operations, and at any time that a change in ownership occurs. The use of the airport or any of its facilities in any manner shall create an obligation on the part of the user to obey all of the rules and regulations provided in this chapter.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

No person shall utilize the airport for any revenue-producing commercial activity-without first obtaining a permit from the airport manager for such activity and paying the fees and charges established for such use.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

Aircraft shall only be stored or parked at places designated by the airport manager and such storage or parking shall be at the sole risk of the owner or operator of the aircraft, and without any responsibility of the city or any of its officers or employees, for any loss of, or damage to the aircraft while so stored or parked. The owner or operator of the aircraft shall be responsible for the tying down and securing of his aircraft. He shall likewise be responsible for any liability arising from or caused by his aircraft or his activities. Transient aircraft shall only be parked in the area designated by the airport manager.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

The airport shall be open for public use at all hours of the day and night, subject to any restrictions imposed by the airport manager due to inclement weather, the condition of the landing area, the presentation of special events, construction or repair activities, or similar causes.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

No aircraft shall be left unattended on the airport unless properly secured or within a hanger. Owners of aircraft left so unattended shall be liable for damage to other aircraft or property resulting from the failure to adequately secure or tie down the aircraft.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

Unless otherwise authorized by the airport manager, no aircraft or vehicle maintenance (other than required to remove damaged aircraft from the runway(s) or taxiway(s), or replacing a flat tire) shall be performed on the airport except in areas specifically designated by the airport manager for that purpose.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

(1) No aircraft equipped with a tail-skid shall operate on any paved surface of the airport.

(2) Every person conducting aircraft agricultural operations based at the airport shall be provided with a material storage area at a rental charge to be established for such use. Such areas shall be enclosed by a permanent fence structure of a design approved by the airport manager and shall be maintained by the operator in a condition satisfactory to the city. Each aircraft agricultural operator shall be required to post a one-hundred-dollar maintenance deposit which will be retained by the city to guarantee payment for clean-up work which may be required by the city. Said maintenance deposit shall be refunded upon cessation of operation, to the extent it is unexpended. If all or part of said deposit is expended by the city, the operator shall restore the deposit to its full amount immediately upon receiving written demand therefor from the city.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

Every person involved in, or witnessing an aircraft accident on the airport shall report promptly the details of such accident to the airport manager, to the FAA and to local law enforcement personnel, as required by law. In addition, the pilot or aircraft owner shall report fully to the California Division of Aeronautics the details on any accident in which there is death or injury, or in which damage to the property of others exceeds four hundred dollars. The owner and/or pilot of an aircraft which is damaged in an accident, or wrecked, shall be responsible for the prompt removal of the aircraft as directed by the airport manager. Where the pilot or owner is unable to arrange for removal of such disabled or wrecked aircraft, the airport manager shall have the authority to move, or arrange the removal of, the aircraft when released (if applicable) by the FAA or the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). No liability shall be incurred by the airport manager or others for damage aggravated by, or resulting from, such removal.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

No person shall operate any aircraft in flight or on the ground in such a manner as to cause unnecessary noise as determined by applicable federal or state or local laws and regulations.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

No person shall enter any restricted area which is posted or closed to the public except:

(1) Persons duly authorized by the airport manager; or

(2) Law enforcement or firefighting personnel.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

No person shall wilfully and knowingly permit any animal owned, possessed, or harbored by him to enter the airport unless the animal is leashed or restricted in such manner as to be under control, or is in a shipping container, or is otherwise under physical restraint; nor shall he permit such animal, except a Seeing Eye dog, to enter any airport building.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

No person shall enter upon any runway, or runway enclosure, of the airport, except in an aircraft, without the express consent of the airport manager or his designated representative.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

No person shall start any aircraft engine on the airport:

(1) Unless a competent operator is at the controls; and

(2) Unless the aircraft is equipped with adequate brakes fully applied or the wheels are securely blocked with blocks or chocks that can be removed safely; and/or

(3) When the aircraft is in such a position that the propeller slipstream or jet blast can cause damage to, or interfere with the operation of, other aircraft, vehicles, mobile equipment, hangars, shops, other buildings, or can cause injury to passengers, spectators, or other personnel.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

No person shall taxi any aircraft into, out of, or within any hangar or other building on or adjacent to the airport; nor shall any person move any aircraft under its own power on the airport unless he is in full control of such aircraft, and has assured himself that there is no danger of collision with other aircraft, vehicles, equipment, buildings, or other obstacles. Aircraft shall be taxied at a safe speed, not to exceed fifteen miles per hour.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

No person shall place, deposit, or dump any garbage, cans, bottles, papers, ashes, sewage, carcass of any dead animal, offal, trash, rubbish, debris, or any other refuse in any location on the airport except in containers plainly marked for such purposes.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

No person shall shoot any projectile from a firearm or other device, into, on, or across any portion of the airport, nor have in his possession, or under his control, any firearm which is not unloaded and securely wrapped and boxed for shipment, or explosive or explosive devices; provided, however, that this section does not apply to peace officers or military personnel who are acting in the performance of their duties as such.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

Every aircraft before landing and after takeoff shall be flown in accordance with the traffic pattern illustrated on the diagram attached to the ordinance codified in this chapter as Exhibit A, and made a part of this chapter. Aircraft traveling faster than one hundred twenty-five miles per hour shall be flown using the outside pattern shown on Exhibit A.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

(1) No aeronautical activity shall be conducted at the airport (or within the air traffic area) except in conformance with current federal air regulations, state law and regulations, and this chapter.

(2) All initial takeoffs shall commence at the end of the runway, unless cleared by the airport manager.

(3) Touch-and-go landings shall be permitted only after the pilot has received approval from the airport manager.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

(1) No aircraft shall be fueled or defueled while the aircraft engine is running or while the aircraft is in a hangar or other enclosed space.

(2) No smoking shall be permitted within fifty feet of the aircraft or fuel truck while the aircraft is being fueled or defueled.

(3) During fuel handling, no passenger shall be permitted in or on the aircraft.

(4) All hoses, funnels and appurtenances used in fueling or defueling activities shall be equipped properly with a grounding device to prevent possible static ignition of volatile liquids. Such grounding devices shall be used during all fueling and defueling activities.

(5) During fuel handling activities, no person shall operate any radio transmitter or receiver, nor switch electrical appliances on or off in such aircraft, or in the immediate vicinity (fifty feet) thereof.

(6) Every person engaged in aircraft fuel handling shall exercise due care to prevent the overflow or spilling of fuel.

(7) During fuel handling, no person shall use any material or device which is likely to cause a static spark, within fifty feet of such aircraft or fuel truck.

(8) Where there has been a fuel spill or leak, no person shall start the engine of any aircraft in close proximity until the spill or leak has been washed away. In event of such spills or leaks, the airport manager shall be notified.

(9) Fuel hoses and draining or defueling equipment shall be maintained in a safe, sound, and nonleaking condition.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

(1) No person shall travel on any portion of the airport except upon the roads, walks, or places provided for the particular class of traffic, nor occupy the roads or walks in such manner as to hinder or obstruct their proper use.

(2) Motor vehicle traffic shall yield the right-of-way to aircraft.

(3) No person shall operate any motor vehicle on the airport in excess of twenty miles per hour, except emergency vehicles responding to an emergency situation. On passenger loading ramps, in aircraft parking lots, and in areas immediately adjacent to hangars, speed shall not exceed ten miles per hour. The speed limit on the airport access road from Lyon Street shall be twenty-five miles per hour.

(4) Vehicles shall not be parked on the airport other than in the manner and locations indicated by posted traffic signs and markings.

(5) Vehicles that are to be left unattended may be parked only in designated airport vehicle parking areas.

(6) Motor vehicles shall not be driven on or across runways or other portions of aircraft operating areas without clearance to do so from the airport manager.

(7) Motor vehicles shall not be driven or parked upon, or within fifty feet of aircraft parking areas, ramp areas, or aprons without express approval of the airport manager. Excepted are airport maintenance or emergency vehicles, or fuel or service vehicles.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

(1) No person shall light or smoke any cigarette, cigar, pipe, or similar object in the following airport areas:

(a) Within any hangar or fuel handling or storage areas;

(b) Within or upon any aircraft parking area or ramp;

(c) Inside any aircraft, whether or not such aircraft are parked or stored, or within fifty feet thereof;

(d) Within fifty feet of any “no smoking” sign posted.

(2) No person may use flammable liquids, solvents, or substances to clean any aircraft, engine, part, or accessory thereof, within any hangar or building except a building specially designed for that purpose and approved in writing by the airport manager. Such approval shall only be granted when the airport manager approves the ventilation provisions, fireproofing and fire-extinguishing equipment.

(3) No person shall light or use any open flame for any purpose in any hangar or other building on the airport without the prior written consent of the airport manager.

(4) No person shall operate any electric or gas welding or cutting equipment anywhere on the airport without prior written approval of the airport manager and the fire department.

(5) No person shall clean or degrease any aircraft or part thereof except at or in a maintenance station properly equipped for such purposes, or in a space designated or authorized by the airport manager.

(6) No person shall store or stock any material or substance, or permit such activities in or on the airport in such a manner, or of such nature, as to constitute a fire hazard; and no person shall keep, store or discard any flammable liquid, gas, signal flare, or other flammable material in any hangar, shop, building, room, enclosure, or other place on the airport except in areas specially designated by the airport manager for such purpose.

(7) Lessees of hangars, shops, or other airport areas shall provide suitable metal receptacles with hinged lids for the storage of oily waste, rags, and other similar rubbish. All such materials shall be removed by the lessee at frequent intervals.

(8) Every lessee shall maintain his leased area clean and reasonably free of oil, grease, waste, other flammable materials and weeds.

(9) Lessees shall provide, and maintain in proper working order, adequate and readily accessible fire extinguishers. Each such extinguisher shall bear a suitable tag which indicates the most recent date of inspection of servicing. Extinguishers shall meet the requirements of the fire marshal.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

No person shall deliver aviation fuels or lubricants to, or dispense such fuel from, at, or upon the airport without a permit from the airport manager. No fuel shall be stored anywhere on the airport except in underground tanks, or such other tanks as may be approved by the airport manager.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

Each aircraft based at the airport must be covered by bodily injury liability insurance with a minimum single limit of five hundred thousand dollars per incident and property damage liability with a minimum limit of one hundred thousand dollars.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

No person shall:

(1) Land, takeoff, taxi, or otherwise operate any aircraft on, at, or from, the airport when he or she knows such aircraft is not operating properly, or is equipped with any part or safety device which is defective or unsafe. Deviations from this restriction shall only be permitted by specific authorization from the airport manager or designated representative; nor shall any aircraft be operated on or at the airport, or on any runway thereof, when the airport or runway has been closed to traffic by the airport manager or other legal authority, and such closure has been indicated by the placement of an “X” at each end of the closed runway.

(2) Operate any aircraft or vehicle on, at, or in the airport in wilful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property, whether his or her own or that of others.

(3) Engage in the performance of any aerobatics, stunt, or maneuver not necessary to a normal takeoff, landing, normal turn or level light of the aircraft, over or within one mile of the exterior boundaries of the airport.

(4) Engage in the sale of any goods, wares, merchandise, or services at or upon the airport without first having secured from the airport manager a permit therefor, and paying any required fees for such permit.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

The airport manager is directed and authorized to close the airport, or portions thereof, or suspend operations related to the landing, takeoff, or taxiing of aircraft during any period in which he or she determines that such operations, or their continuance, would be hazardous. Causes for such closure could include, but would not be limited to, adverse weather conditions, runway maintenance or repairs, runway obstacles, fire, aircraft or other accident. Any such closure shall be effective only during such time as there is placed at each end of each runway so closed, a letter “X,” the arms of which are least twenty feet long and two feet wide, and so colored as to contrast with the background or other surface. The airport manager shall immediately notify the local FAA facility and issue a notice to airmen (NOTAM), advising of the closure.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

(a) No person shall be permitted to use or become a tenant of T-hangars for parking or storage of miscellaneous vehicles, property or materials unrelated to aviation so long as there are applicants for rental of the hangars for aviation purposes. Any authorized tenancy for other than aviation use shall be considered temporary and shall be subject to cancellation by the airport manager upon thirty days’ written notice.

(b) Tenancy in a T-hangar may not be transferred or sublet by the tenant without the prior written consent of the airport manager.

(c) T-hangars shall not be used for painting, spraying or other treatment of aircraft, vehicles or other articles which might result in the deposit of foreign materials on walls, floors or fixtures, or endanger neighboring aircraft finishes or hangar contents.

(d) No power tools, other than hand-held polishers, wrenches or drills, or electric motors of greater than five-eighths horsepower shall be used or connected to the electrical system of a T-hangar.

(e) No modifications, installation, additions, attachments or other improvements shall be made or attached to the structure of a T-hangar in any way without the prior written consent of the airport manager.

(f) A tenant of a T-hangar may store his, her or its own vehicle in a T-hangar while using his, her or its aircraft on trips, and, with the prior written consent of the airport manager, may store his, her or its own vehicle in said hangar during the temporary absence of his, her or its aircraft from the hangar. Except as thus specifically provided, T-hangars shall not be used for the storage of vehicles.

(g) No extensions to the lighting system, other than a single-plug power unit extension or single-lamp extension cord, may be plugged into either the overhead lamp socket or wall plugs at any time, and at no time shall electric heaters be plugged into or attached to the electrical system.

(h) Pulleys, slings or other lifting devices may not be attached to the building frame, supports or other structural member of a T-hangar for the purpose of engine removal, aircraft support, or suspension of weight.

(i) Individual aircraft owners, formally organized aviation clubs, or hired company pilots may work on privately owned, aviation club-owned or company-owned aircraft within a leased T-hangar in the performance of routine and minor maintenance and inspection. Tenants shall not engage or hire outside help or mechanical service except from persons or firms possessing a valid permit from the airport manager to perform such work.

(j) Each tenant of a T-hangar shall provide and maintain a drip pan under each and every engine of tenant’s aircraft while such aircraft is in storage or is being worked on in the hangar.

(k) Drainage of fuel, use of solvents and detergents, aircraft washing, paint removal, or other acts that might deface or damage the pavement shall not be permitted in the T-hangar area, except on wash racks or other specific locations designated for such activities by the airport manager.

(l) Each T-hangar tenant shall be responsible to the city for damage to the hangar or other property of the city arising from said tenant’s use or occupation of the hangar, normal use and wear and damage by the elements excepted. Such damage includes injury to hangar doors due to rough use or misuse of the same by tenants or invitees.

(m) The airport manager and other authorized personnel of the city may enter a leased T-hangar at any time for purposes of inspection or for any other lawful purpose. Each tenant shall provide the airport manager with one key to the hangar door lock or shall use a lock furnished by the city in order to facilitate fire protection inspection, hangar maintenance and inspections of structure and doors.

(n) No aircraft engine may be operated inside a T-hangar at any time, and no aircraft engine shall be run up to high-power settings in or about a T-hangar unless moved and tailed to an unobstructed area that is not dust-producing.

(o) No private or independent fueling system shall be allowed in a T-hangar, and no refueling shall be done by other than authorized fuel dispensers using standard refueling safety precautions.

(p) No unattended children shall be allowed within any T-hangar, and no unescorted child shall be allowed to loiter about, play on, or otherwise occupy the T-hangar pavement or other aircraft parking or movement areas of the airport at any time.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

Fees, rental rates and charges for the use of airport property and facilities shall be as established by resolution of the city council and said fees, rental rates and charges may from time to time be amended or eliminated, or new fees, rental rates or charges may from time to time be imposed, by resolution of the city council.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979)

There is established an airport advisory committee which shall consist of five members. The committee shall review all aspects of the operations, maintenance and capital project of the airport and make recommendations on same to the city council. At the first meeting of each calendar year, the committee shall elect a chairperson and a vice chairperson within its membership, who shall serve until the first meeting of the following year. A chairperson and vice chairperson may be elected for successive terms, without restriction as to number.

(Ord. 416 § 1, 1979; Ord. 446 § 1, 1982; Ord. 651 § 3, 2004; Ord. 714 § 1, 2015)