CAA: GA News, "'Security rules hurt business at small Ohio airports"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Monday, September 24, 2001

Security rules hurt business at small airports
FAA bans flight training; recreational flying suffers because of
airspace restrictions. Akron Fulton better off than others
BY MARILYN MILLER 
The Akron (OH) Beacon Journal


Flight instructors are on standby.

They are awaiting word from the Federal Aviation Administration for
permission to fly again.

The FAA has banned all flight training as a result of the Sept. 11 plane
hijackings. The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the
Pentagon have had widespread effects even at small airports such as
those in the Akron-Canton area.

``Business has dried up,'' said Cheryl Dye of Mid Ohio Aviation, which
runs the Wayne County Airport. ``We're running with skeleton crews. No
one wants to fly right now, not even pilots who normally fly for
recreational purposes. They say there are too many regulations, and they
don't want to be in the wrong airspace.''

The FAA has also grounded blimps and banned sightseeing flights, crop
dusting and airborne traffic watches and news reporting.

Flight instructors reported to work all last week, checking for updated
information from the FAA. The agency has issued several changes in
regulations in just the past week.

Short flights are allowed as long as the pilot stays within the
airport's airspace and avoids the airspace of nearby larger airports.

The latest ban prohibits flying within three miles of or 3,000 feet
above college or professional sporting events.

Pilots also must file a flight plan and cannot deviate from it.

Portage County Airport

``We've had virtually no traffic in and out of the Portage County
Airport since Sept. 11. It has impacted our business tremendously,''
said Airport Manager Robert Deal; that business includes aircraft
maintenance and sales of fuel.

The airport usually has 15 to 25 flight operations a day; it has no
chartered flights and no corporate flights.

``No one has any answers. The tragedies have forever changed aviation in
the United States. It just proved our system is vulnerable.''

Skypark Airport

Several flight instructors at the Skypark Airport in Medina County say
it's no fun being grounded. ``We are going out of our minds,'' said
27-year-old Matt Karkoff, who has a degree in marketing from Ohio State
University. ``I've cleaned my house and am running out of things to
do.''

Karkoff received his pilot's license two years ago and is working on
obtaining enough flight hours to be eligible to work for an airline.

Marzena Rogers, 23, has a degree in professional aviation from Louisiana
Tech University and is also working toward getting the required 1,000
hours needed to work for an airline. She has had her pilot's license
since 1996; her husband is also a pilot and works for Federal Express.

Both flight instructors are close to reaching their goal, but are shy
about 200 hours. ``I was going to send out resumes starting next week,
because I was so close.'' Rogers said. ``Right now, we're trying to
decide whether we should be looking for other jobs until we can fly
again. We just hope that will be possible again very soon.''

The tragedies have provided a double whammy for the young pilots trying
to further their education in hopes of working for a commercial airline.
The airlines are cutting flights, laying off workers and not hiring
pilots.

Medina Municipal Airport

Medina Municipal Airport on Medina Road is also limited. It is not
licensed to handle chartered flights; it depends heavily on
flight-school training. It also earns income from renting out its 60
hangers.

``This has seriously curtailed us,'' said airport worker Bill Johnson.
``We depend on the in-and-out traffic because a major portion of our
profit is from the sale of gasoline and services.''

Akron Fulton airport

Akron Fulton International Airport on Triplett Boulevard has a few more
options. It has 85 aircraft and is a full-service airport. It caters to
chartered flights and corporate flights, and offers repair services and
fuel.

``If the flying public needs a rental car or limousine service, we can
get it,'' said Airport Supervisor Jim Malyj. ``We have also taken
additional safety precautions because of the national emergency. We have
also increased our security patrols at the drive-in gates and pedestrian
gates where you must log in and log out.''

Akron-Canton airport

Akron-Canton Regional Airport Manager Fred Krum said the number of
passengers on commercial flights is climbing back toward normal. ``We
are literally taking one day at a time, and each day is getting a little
stronger.'' 

Although pilots are sympathetic to the need for security and don't mind
the wait, those at the smaller airports are beginning to question the
importance of their role.

``We're hoping the ban on flight training will be lifted soon,'' said
Dan Weltzien, owner of Skypark. ``We can't understand what impact flight
training has to do with our national security.''

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