Earlier editions: 2026-09
Title 25 — AIRPORT›Chapter 25.12 — AIRCRAFT OPERATION AND AIR TRAFFIC RULES
San Jose Municipal Code Part 5 Use of Airport Facilities by Aircraft Owners and Operators
San Jose Municipal Code · 2026-10 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · San Jose
Cite as: San Jose Municipal Code Part 5 · Text as of 2026-10-04
25.12.500 - Liability and insurance requirements.¶
A. The privileges of using the airport and its facilities shall be conditioned upon the assumption of full responsibility and risk by the user thereof and the city, its agents and/or employees shall not be liable for loss, damage or injury to persons or property arising out of any accident, incident or mishap of any nature whatsoever and/or from any cause whatsoever to any individual, aircraft or property occurring on the airport or in the use of any of the airport facilities.
B. Any person who is authorized by the city to utilize city-owned and operated aircraft shelters, T-hangars, or outdoor tie-down spaces for parking of general aviation aircraft at the airport shall keep in full force and effect at all times the following minimum insurance coverage and requirements:
An aircraft liability insurance policy in an amount not less than one million dollars single limit for bodily injury and property damage and, in addition, coverage of not less than one hundred thousand dollars per passenger for bodily injury.
Any such policy of insurance shall contain provisions satisfactory to the city's risk manager which require thirty days' advance notice to the city in the event of cancellation or change in scope of coverage.
Any such policy of insurance shall contain provisions satisfactory to the city's risk manager which name the city, its officers, agents, employees and contractors as additional insureds and which specify that such insurance shall be primary insurance with respect to the city.
C. Any insurance coverage shall be provided by an insurer acceptable to the city's risk manager and shall be evidenced by a certificate of insurance satisfactory to the city's risk manager as to form and amounts of coverage.
(Ord. 25529.)
25.12.510 - Flying instructor restrictions.¶
No one other than a pilot with an instructor's rating shall teach the art of flying on the airfield at the airport for hire, reward, or gratuitously, and no one other than a pilot with an instructor's rating shall check out students.
(Ord. 25529.)
25.12.520 - Intoxicants and drugs.¶
No pilot or other member of the crew of an aircraft in operation on the airport or any person attending or assisting in such operation on the airport, shall be under the influence of intoxicating liquor or habit-forming drugs, nor shall any person obviously under the influence of intoxicating liquor or habit-forming drugs be permitted to board any aircraft except a medical patient under proper care or in case of emergency.
(Ord. 25529.)
25.12.530 - Use of aircraft, instruments and tools.¶
No person shall take or use any aircraft, aircraft parts, instruments, or tools thereof owned, controlled, or operated by any other person while such aircraft parts, instruments, or tools are stored, housed, or otherwise left on the airport or within its hangars without the written consent of the owner or operator thereof, or satisfactory evidence of the right to do so duly presented to the director.
(Ord. 25529.)
25.12.540 - Starting or running aircraft engines.¶
A. No aircraft engine shall be started or run unless a licensed pilot or mechanic shall be attending the controls.
B. Blocks equipped with ropes or other suitable means of blocking an aircraft shall always be placed in front of the main landing wheels before starting the engine or engines, unless the airplane is equipped with adequate parking brakes.
(Ord. 25529.)
25.12.550 - Aircraft engines - Locations.¶
A. Aircraft shall be started and warmed up only in places designated for such purposes by the director.
B. Engines shall not be operated in such a position that hangars, shops, or other buildings, or spectators will be in the path of the propeller slipstream.
(Ord. 25529.)
25.12.560 - Aircraft engines - Operation in hangars prohibited.¶
No aircraft engine shall be run in any hangar.
(Ord. 25529.)
25.12.570 - Taxiing into or out of hangars prohibited.¶
Airplanes shall not be taxied into or out of hangars.
(Ord. 25529.)
25.12.580 - Pilot responsibility.¶
Following a landing or prior to takeoff and while taxiing the pilot shall assure himself or herself that there is no danger of collision with other aircraft taking off, landing, or taxiing; all aircraft shall be taxied under full control at reasonable speed.
(Ord. 25529.)
25.12.590 - Cleaning of aircraft.¶
No person shall use inflammable, volatile liquids in the cleaning of aircraft, aircraft engines, propellers and/or appliances unless such cleaning operations are conducted in open air, or in a room specifically set aside for that purpose, which room shall be ventilated properly, fireproofed, and equipped with adequate and readily accessible fire extinguishing apparatus.
(Ord. 25529.)
25.12.600 - Doping restrictions.¶
A. Doping processes shall be conducted only in open air, or in designated and properly designed fireproofed and ventilated rooms or buildings in which all illumination, wiring, heating, ventilation equipment, switches, outlets and fixtures shall be sparkproof and vaporproof.
B. No person shall enter or work in a dope room while doping processes are being conducted unless such person wears sparkproof shoes.
(Ord. 25529.)
25.12.610 - Floor care - Requirements.¶
All lessees on the airport shall keep the floors of the hangars and hangar and terminal apron pits and areas adjacent thereto leased by them, free and clear of oil, grease and other inflammable material.
(Ord. 25529.)
25.12.620 - Floor care - Using certain substances prohibited.¶
No person shall use volatile, inflammable substances for cleaning floors in the hangars or in other buildings of the airport.
(Ord. 25529.)
25.12.630 - Open-flame operations.¶
No person shall conduct any open-flame operations in any hangar or any part thereof unless specifically authorized in writing to do so by the director.
(Ord. 25529.)
25.12.640 - Storage - Equipment and material.¶
No person shall store or stock material or equipment in such manner as to constitute a fire hazard.
(Ord. 25529.)
25.12.650 - Storage - Inflammable material.¶
A. No person shall keep, store or discard any inflammable liquids, gases, signal flares or other similar material in the hangars or in any building on the airport, except in accordance with subsection B. below.
B. Such materials may be kept in aircraft in the proper receptacles installed in the aircraft for such purpose, or in rooms or areas specifically approved for such storage by the director in writing.
(Ord. 25529.)
25.12.660 - Storage - Lubricating oils.¶
A. No person shall keep or store lubricating oils in or about the hangars, except in accordance with subsection B. below.
B. Such material may be kept in aircraft in the proper receptacles installed in the aircraft for such purposes or in containers provided with suitable draw-off devices.
(Ord. 25529.)
25.12.670 - Waste receptacles.¶
A. All persons occupying hangars shall provide suitable metal receptacles with self-closing covers for the storage of oil wastes, rags, and other rubbish.
B. All such waste shall be removed daily.
(Ord. 25529.)
25.12.680 - Starting of engines prohibited when gasoline on ground.¶
No person shall start the engine of any aircraft when there is gasoline on the ground under such aircraft.
(Ord. 25529.)
25.12.690 - Securing of unattended aircraft.¶
A. No aircraft shall be left unattended on the airport unless properly secured or within a hangar.
B. Owners of such aircraft shall be held responsible for any damage resulting from failure to comply with this rule.
(Ord. 25529.)
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