Judge halts Andover skydiving

[sducoach 0]

Not if it's a Federally funded airport. They can create and enforce noise standards. Been through this before. Skydiving is an "Aviation Operation" and equal access is provided.

James 4:8

[JohnRich 4]

I see others have already covered the usual comments about jerks buying a house near an airport and then complaining about airplane noise. Doh!

But this is the really scary part that jumped out at me from the story:

"The judge said that if an ordinance doesn’t mention a use, that doesn’t mean it is permitted. Instead, any new use must be approved by the township, he wrote. "

I wonder if breathing is mentioned in the town ordinances as a permissable activity?

[lawrocket 3]

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Could there be a conflict of interest on the part of the neighbors. How many of the the township neighbors are actually pilots and do not like skydivers to begin with. I would also question how many of them have airplanes and wish to have a nice private personal airport without the extra traffic in the area.

I'll put it simply with parsimony in mind - aren't all lawsuits about a conflict of interest???

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[twinco 0]

Skydiving is an "Aviation Operation" and equal access is provided.

Yes equal access is provided. However, this in regards to take-off and landing of aircraft at the airport. Permission for skydivers to land on an airport requires the airport managers permission. If that is denied then skydivers can not land on the airport.

FAR Part 105.17(b) Unless prior approval has been given by the airport management, no person may make a parachute jump, and pilot in command of an aircraft may allow a parachute jump to be made from that aircraft-onto any airport.

Blue Skies, Jim

[orbitjunkie 0]

something to think about,
this in no way a judegment about the DZ at andover. I just wanted to post this thought about landing in wuffo's yards.
Remember that when we land in the yard of a local resident we become ambassadors to skydiving. There is alot of awe, myth and wonder involved in that. I have landed in 1 backyard( chasing the main after a mal) and it was quite an expierence. the first thing was the resident was scared she had a body in her yard.. so calming her and educating was my first task. then she let me climb her oak tree to retrieve my freebag, which was the most dangerous thing I did that day. and then I was able to use her phone to call the DZ while sipping a daquari she made. later I bought her dinner at the local ruby tuesdays. my point is this ..let us remember to be ambassadors when we land out. if you land in this ladys back yard you will probably be greeted with open arms, and perhaps it will cost you dinner, but the freebag is worth 2wice that. and you will make her day. imagine..some strange guy landed in my back yard today and took me to dinner. this is who we are. We are skydivers!

[jumpingjoe 0]

All....I am a jumper at the DZ in question. Here is some local information about the airport.

The town has been fighting the airport since 1962 give or take. Long before the DZ was there. The skydiving center shares the airport with ultralites, home built planes, and a very large Helicopter (old Military issue).

The west side of the DZ is 1/4 to 1/2 mile from a main road, the north side is a Christmas tree farm, the east side has a big pond and High voltage power lines, and the south side, you try to avoid at all costs due to residiental area with lots and lots of trees with no visible outs.

The person who is quoted in the article is Mike Kostelnik and he owns a sheep farm just over a mile away from the Airport across the main road on the west side. The DZ actually has the sheep farm circled on the ariels and they specify on the paperwork and verbally not to land there.

It just seems like right now the skydiving center is the easy target even though the fight to shut down the airport has been going on for years.

Blue Skies
JumpingJoe

[Jimbo 0]

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Remember that when we land in the yard of a local resident we become ambassadors to skydiving.

Well said.

As I mentioned in another post, CrossKeys has gone to great lengths to ensure good will between the DZ and the local community; I believe that every dropzone should do the same. It pays off in more ways than most people could probably imagine, it really really does.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[Tailwheel 0]

Just to throw in my two cents worth. Is anyone a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association(AOPA) at this DZ. When it comes to this kind of thing these guys are the ones to have on your side. As I see it part of the argument is directed towards the aircraft and a local judge attempting to supercede Federal Regulations regarding there operation. Unfortunately not a rare occurance but the AOPA has dealt with this before. Just a thought and hope it helps the DZ.

[jumpingjoe 0]

Here is the follow up to the original article. This one was posted online Monday morning:

By JEANNETTE SCHEIN
Herald Staff Writer

Although a court order by an administrative law judge was issued on Thursday revoking its license, the Sky’s The Limit skydiving business may continue operating, according to the state Department of Transportation.
Much to the chagrin of some nearby residents, jumpers took to the skies again over Newton Airport on Stickles Pond Road on Saturday afternoon.
According to Carla Kostelnik, the first jumpers landed about 1 p.m., Saturday. Kostelnik is a member of People Against Airport Expansion, a grassroots group of residents who live near Newton Airport and have complained about the operation.
“We heard them fly over about 12:30,” Kostelnik said. “It’s a familiar, distinctive sound. We took videos and photos. They waved at my husband.”
“I guess there’s some people who think the law doesn’t apply to them,” she said. “It’s inexplicable. It’s absolutely remarkable with the hubris involved.”
Andover Township Police confirmed Saturday afternoon that they were called and responded to the scene, but said the airport is not part of its jurisdiction.
A police spokesman said the information that skydiving took place on Saturday was passed to the state, which has jurisdiction over the airport.
Anna Farneski, a DOT spokeswoman, said Saturday afternoon that DOT Commissioner Jack Lettiere has the administrative law judge’s decision and is reviewing it. “But in the interim, they are allowed to jump. The judge’s decision wasn’t an injunction,” she said.
“The commissioner has the decision and is reviewing it this week,” Farneski said. “He is well aware of what an important issue this is and he wants to do what is best for the community and the airport.”
Farneski said Lettiere has a meeting scheduled this week to discuss the issue and expects a decision on that ruling to be made in the next few weeks.
Sky’s the Limit had no comment on the issue Saturday.
The skydiving business has long been at odds with township residents who have complained about noise from its low-flying airplanes and incidents where skydivers have landed in some people’s backyards. Township officials also objected and said skydiving is not a permitted use in the township.
On Thursday, Judge Thomas E. Clancy issued a ruling revoking Sky’s the Limit’s temporary operating licenses.
In his ruling, Clancy said that the executive director of the state Division of Aeronautics made a mistake by issuing the first temporary license back in April of 2000 because much of the important paperwork and necessary information was missing from the application.
Clancy also ruled that the first temporary license was not in compliance with the state Administrative Code and its original license was “corrupted, illegitimate and void.”

[airborne_gary 0]

I posted the same question elsewhere without thinking. Has anybody heard anything new about this. I live in the area and have heard nothing but rumors.

Facebook

[The111 0]

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“It’s a familiar, distinctive sound. We took videos and photos. They waved at my husband.”
“I guess there’s some people who think the law doesn’t apply to them,” she said.

Hahaha...

"Those bastards! How dare they wave at us! It's as if they're enjoying life!"

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[JayFitz164 0]

There will be plenty of skyjumping going on at stl this weekend. I am told by stl they will be jumping there all season long. Please do not take what is written in the paper as an undisputable fact. The DZO will not let four people from town or one judge ass f*ck him out of the airport.

[Harksaw 0]

STL louder than Newark.... sheesh. Some people will say anything to get what they want.

__________________________________________________
I started skydiving for the money and the chicks. Oh, wait.

[pccoder 0]

OH MY GOD!!!!!! some people who live next to an airport are concerned about airplane noise? I would have never thought about that, that is amazing!!! that's like someone living next to a major highway complaining about the sound of automobiles!!!

PcCoder.net

[Lee03 0]

"Just to throw in my two cents worth. Is anyone a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association(AOPA) at this DZ. When it comes to this kind of thing these guys are the ones to have on your side. As I see it part of the argument is directed towards the aircraft and a local judge attempting to supercede Federal Regulations regarding there operation. Unfortunately not a rare occurance but the AOPA has dealt with this before. Just a thought and hope it helps the DZ."

This is truly a sad situation about these people wanting to close down the STL, and the airport. As Tailwheel points out, this is by far not an uncommon occurance. Some people trying to get airports closed down has been going on for a good while. As Tailwheel also points out, the airport, and STL need to get the AOPA involved. They are a great organization, the greatest advocate that aviation, and aviation activities have/has. The AOPA president, Phil Boyer will fight, tooth and nail to keep an airport, and subsiquently the operations on the airfield opened. He has influnce, and deals all the way up through the U.S. Congress. His efforts, and the efforts of his staff are the main reasion that General Aviation was allowed back into the air after 9/11. The really smart move would be tio see if it could be possible for USPA and AOPA to work together on this problem, that would amount to allot of power focusing on the problem, and should be able to put to bed, once and far all the issue of closings, end the threat to the dz and the airport! I would additionally suggest that people here become members fo AOPA, the larger the organization, the stronger and more influncial it becomes. I proudly belong and don't believe anyone one here would regret becoming a member.

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To put your life in danger from time to time ... breeds a saneness in dealing with day-to-day trivialities.

--Nevil Shute, Slide Rule