Susanville Municipal Code Ch. 13.04 Susanville Municipal Airport

A. The Susanville Municipal Airport is operated by the city for the use and benefit of the public under the authority granted under laws of the state of California and under the terms of the city's assurance agreements with the federal government.

B. The airport shall be open for public use subject to such restrictions as may be necessary due to inclement weather, the conditions of the landing area, the presentation of aviation-related events and such other events as may be determined by the city manager, and subject to such fees and charges as may be established without discrimination for each class of user.

C. The use of the airport or any of its facilities in any manner shall create the obligation and the implied consent of the user to obey all of the regulations presented in this chapter.

(Prior code § 3.1)

It is declared that the purpose of this chapter is to further the public interest, welfare and safety by providing for the protection and promotion of safety in the operation of aircraft over and on the Susanville Municipal Airport.

(Prior code § 3.2)

For the purposes of this chapter, certain words and phrases used in this chapter are defined as follows:

"Aircraft"

means a device that is used, or intended to be used, for flight in the air, under control of a pilot. It includes airplanes, helicopters, gliders and lighter-than-air devices, such as blimps and balloons.

"Aircraft parking/tie-down area"

means a hard surfaced area that is equipped with devices to secure aircraft to the ground.

"Airport manager"

means the city employee person designated by the city council to manage the airport or a designee.

"Airport operator"

means the person under a contract with the city to operate the airport pursuant to the terms of that contract.

"Apron"

means a hard surfaced area adjacent to hangars, repair shops, taxiways, runways or the like, used to load, unload, service or handle aircraft.

"Designated fuel pumping area"

means that area surrounding the fuel pumps, as marked on the asphalted surface.

"Pilot"

means an individual solely responsible for the control and operation of an aircraft.

"Terminal operations/passenger area"

means that area immediately north of the terminal building and south of the primary taxiway.

"Ultralight aircraft"

means a powered or unpowered vehicle as described in Part 103 of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Regulations.

(Prior code § 3.3)

A. The airport manager shall have the authority and the duty to prescribe reasonable regulations relating to the use of the Susanville Municipal Airport. Any such regulations shall first be submitted to the Susanville airport commission for its recommendations and thereafter, such regulations shall be submitted to the city council for approval before taking effect. All regulations so prescribed and approved shall be filed in the office of the airport manager, made available for public inspection and publicly posted at the airport. During an emergency, the airport manager may grant a variation to these rules for the duration of the emergency.

B. Application. The provisions of this chapter shall be applicable to all aircraft to all aircraft operating on or over the Susanville Municipal Airport.

C. Authority. The provisions of this chapter shall be construed to supplement federal and state laws when not expressly inconsistent therewith concerning the conduct of aircraft on or over the airport and the regulations provided in Federal Aviation Administration regulations are adopted as part of this chapter.

(Prior code § 3.4)

No person not properly certified by the Federal Aviation Administration, and no aircraft not similarly certified, except ultralight aircraft unless ultralights require Federal Aviation Administration certification, shall operate on or over the airport; provided, that this restriction shall not apply to public aircraft belonging to the government of the United States or to a state, territory, possession or any political subdivision, nor to any aircraft of a foreign country operated under permission of the federal government.

(Prior code § 3.5)

A. The rules and regulations promulgated by the Federal Aviation Administration and the California Aeronautics Commission, presently in effect and all additions or amendments thereto, are referred to, adopted and made a part of these regulations in every respect as if they were fully set forth in this chapter.

B. The operation of the Susanville Municipal Airport shall be under the direction of the airport manager, who shall be responsible to the city manager of the city. The airport manager shall enforce all regulations of the airport including, but not limited to, the storage and movement of all aircraft and surface vehicles.

C. The airport operator shall be in charge of all fuel dispensed from city-owned fueling facilities and shall be responsible for reporting to the fire department any violation of fire and safety regulations governing the transportation, storage and use of fuel, and other inflammable substances brought on the airport that may be in violation of the Uniform Fire Code and related codes adopted by the city.

D. Persons shall fuel aircraft on the airport in areas approved for such operation by the city fire department according to the rules established by the city fire chief as issued from time to time and posted in a conspicuous place at the airport.

E. The airport operator shall be responsible for renting city-owned vacant hangars, shall oversee the manner in which the hangar space is utilized in accordance with the hangar/storage license, shall manage the aircraft tie downs for most efficient and safe utilization of available areas, and shall assume managerial responsibility for the collection of all city hangar and tie down rents.

F. Any aircraft awaiting takeoff from the Susanville Municipal Airport shall be parked in such a position as to have a direct view of aircraft approaching for landing, and takeoff shall not commence until the pilot has ascertained that no aircraft is on final approach for landing on the runway, and that the runway to be used for takeoff is itself clear of landing or taxiing aircraft.

G. No person operating an aircraft shall land or takeoff from the Susanville Municipal Airport except on the runway designated for takeoff and landing.

H. No aircraft after takeoff shall deviate from a straight course until after passing the boundaries of the airport and reaching an altitude of 4,600 feet mean sea level (MSL).

I. The aprons at the Susanville Municipal Airport shall be used only for loading, unloading, servicing, and authorized refueling of aircraft.

J. Unattended aircraft shall be parked only in areas designated as tie down areas, or in hangars; provided further, no aircraft shall be parked in a tie down area unless it is position over and attached to a tie down facility.

K. Emergencies requiring police, fire, or medical aid shall be reported by calling the emergency service number, 911.

L. The terminal operations/passenger area shall remain clear except for the registration, loading, and unloading of aircraft.

M. All accidents involving personal injury or property damage in excess of $500 occurring on the Susanville Municipal Airport shall be reported in writing to the office of the airport manager within 24 hours.

N. Failure to pay duly established fees incurred for the parking of aircraft on the airport shall constitute a lien upon the aircraft. The city may hold such aircraft until the fees are paid or may dispose of the aircraft, as provided by law, in the event the fees are not paid.

O. The registered owners/operators of all aircraft permanently based on the airport and parked in the city-owned hangers, tie down areas, or private hangars on city property, shall register their full names and mailing addresses with the airport manager or a designated representative on the aircraft registration form provided by the city.

P. The owner/manager of each privately owned hangar or tie down facility on the airport shall, not later than the tenth of each month, furnish the airport manager with a roster of aircraft and their registered owners/operators current as of the last day of the preceding month. Included with the roster of aircraft shall be a fee in an amount set by the city council for each aircraft except one aircraft owned by the owner/manager. The report shall be submitted on a form provided by the city.

Q. The registered owner/operator of each aircraft parked on the airport shall be responsible for properly securing the aircraft to protect the aircraft from wind damage.

R. Traffic Patterns. All aircraft, except in an emergency, shall conform to the following traffic patterns:

1. The established traffic patterns are at an altitude of 5,000 feet MSL as published in the airport/facility directory, and are depicted in the segmented circle located on the south side of runway 11-29.

2. Straight-in approaches shall not be made without prior radio notification to local air traffic on Susanville Unicom (122.8); or in case of an emergency on Susanville Unicom (122.8).

3. Aircraft entering or leaving the traffic pattern shall exercise extreme caution and shall not cause other aircraft already in the pattern to deviate from their courses.

4. Such charts and visual diagrams as are necessary to display the authorized traffic patterns shall be adopted by resolution and by reference made a part of this chapter.

S. Communication with Susanville Unicom. Pilots of aircraft equipped with a communication radio shall observe the following procedures:

1. All traffic inbound to the airport shall continuously monitor 122.8 Megahertz and, when approximately 10 miles from the airport, call Susanville Unicom for airport advisory on surface weather conditions and airfield conditions;

2. In the event Susanville Unicom does not reply, the inbound pilot shall broadcast "in the blind" to the Susanville traffic, stating position and intentions;

3. Departing pilots shall monitor 122.8 Megahertz, broadcasting their positions and intentions to Susanville traffic.

T. Annual Report of Airport Operator. Subject to the express or implied terms of any contract between the city and any person for the operation of the municipal airport which is in effect upon the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter, the operator of the airport shall annually, on the first day of July of each year, render to the city council an activity report which report shall show:

1. The number of aircraft tie downs available at the airport;

2. The number of aircraft based upon the airport;

3. The number of hangars situated in and upon the airport;

4. The number of gallons of aviation fuel sold at the airport during the preceding 12 month period; and

5. The number of takeoffs and landings made at the airport during the preceding 12 month period.

(Prior code § 3.6)

A. No person shall operate any surface vehicle upon the runways, taxiways, terminal operations/passenger area, designated fuel pump area, or area between the fuel pumps and the airport operator's office and residence, without the authorization of the airport manager or a designee, provided that owners/drivers of surface vehicles may drive to their parked aircraft keeping clear of and yielding right-of-way to all aircraft.

B. Drivers shall close the gates, if operational, behind themselves upon entering or leaving the airport, between the hours of five p.m. and eight a.m.

(Prior code § 3.7)

A. No person shall use the airport for commercial activities without a written contractual agreement with the city. Commercial activities shall include, but are not limited to, carrying passengers for hire, flight instruction, aircraft rental, sales of goods and services, agricultural operations, and aircraft maintenance and repairs.

B. Any person using the airport as a base for agricultural and aerial application which involves the loading, the unloading, and the storage of chemicals shall first obtain a permit from the city. The permit shall specify the areas which may be used, applicable restrictions, the amount of such operating fees that may be required and the time period for which the permit is valid.

(Prior code § 3.8)

The privilege of using the airport and its facilities shall be conditioned upon the assumption of full responsibility and risk by the user. Users shall release, hold harmless, and indemnify the city, its officers, and employees from any liability or loss resulting from such use, as well as against claims of third persons so using the airport. The exercise of the privilege of use shall constitute an acknowledgment that the city maintains the airport in a governmental capacity.

(Prior code § 3.9)

Any person operating an aircraft on the Susanville Municipal Airport shall maintain comprehensive public liability and property damage insurance on the aircraft in such amounts as may be determined by resolution of the city council.

(Prior code § 3.10)

A. Any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of an infraction, pursuant to the provisions of Government Code Section 36900 and the penalties provided in the Government Code, and upon conviction thereof shall be punishable by a fine as provided in Section 36900 of the Government Code.

B. Cumulative Remedy. The remedies prescribed in this chapter are intended to be in addition to any other procedures or penalties prescribed by law.

(Prior code § 3.11)

It shall be the duty of the airport manager, or the city manager or a representative, of the city to enforce the provisions of this chapter and all other state and federal laws and regulations applicable to the Susanville Municipal Airport.

(Prior code § 3.12)

Safety rules and regulations, as established by the appropriate federal and state entities, are referred to and made a part of this chapter. Such additional safety rules and regulations as may be required by the city shall be adopted by resolution and by reference made a part of this chapter.

(Prior code § 3.13)

The city council shall, by resolution, set fees for airplanes based at the municipal airport. These fees shall be posted at the airport.

(Prior code § 3.14)