I am not opposed to a charge to fly into a national convention meet. I readily understand there are a lot of costs involved in making it happen. However, my concern is that most of the airports today are falling into the hands of City, county, state or federal governments. THEY SUPPORT LANDING FEES FOR ALL AIRCRAFT ! A case in point. The authority that operates ILG (Wilmington Delaware) took over the airport from the County and immediately set a landing fee. Our outcry fell on deaf ears. Their reply was, "We need the money for airport improvements!" They recinded there landing fee to all aircraft under 7,000 lbs gross weight when we all got together and sent out the word that we were going to boycot the airport. Their traffic dropped by 30 percent the first month. They NEEDED the traffic count to apply for Federal aid and keep the control tower. I want everyone out there to realize that our airport operator, who owns his his airport, would institute a landing fee tomorrow if he could get away with it. Looking at this from HIS side of the fence gives another perspective. His airport is open to the public 24 hours every day. (Although not manned at night) That includes ALL holidays. Our hangar rents are reasonab;e at $180 monthly. Tie downs are $25.00. He has NO WAY to get federal funding. People land there and pay a $5.00 parking fee and go into town and close a million-dollar business deal. He is NOT a wealty man. He is in aviation because he loves aviation. If he were in it for the mony he should have quit years ago. Thank goodness we like him and our airport. All of us who call this our home base buy our fuel from him befor we buy our fuel elsewhere to support the operation. We will have our annuals done there as well. This is the only way he can make it and this is our way of showing our appreciation. This haven is 33N, Delaware Airpark, Dover Delaware George Frebert
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