CAA: GA News, "Banner planes may disappear from S. Florida skies due to security rules"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Tuesday, February 12, 2002 

Banner planes may disappear from S. Florida skies due to security rules
By Ken Kaye 
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel


Banner towing planes, a common sight in South Florida's skies since
1952, might become another victim of Sept. 11. Because of strict federal
aviation restrictions imposed after the World Trade Center attacks,
planes must steer well clear of Pro Player Stadium in north Miami-Dade
County and other large open-air crowds.

The result: Aerial Sign Co., based at North Perry Airport in Pembroke
Pines, one of the largest banner-towing firms in the nation, loses
$6,500 a day and has lost $1.3 million since Sept. 11, owner Jim Butler
said.

"That is my actual loss in dollars," he said. "A business like this
can't take that kind of whack. The only time our airplanes are effective
is when there's a big concentration of people. We're virtually being put
out of business."

Butler said one of the main reasons he is losing money is that he cannot
line up future jobs - because he can't guarantee he will be able to do a
job under the current restrictions.

For instance, last year at this time, he said he flew four giant signs
during Speed Weeks in Daytona and reaped $250,000.

"This week, I couldn't give them a guarantee I would be able to fly in
February, so the advertisers spent their money somewhere else," he said.

Further, Butler said, his banner towers would be unable to fly near the
NHRA Pro Stock races in Gainesville in mid-March and Marlins' baseball
games at Pro Player, including the home opener in April, when he
normally would have 20 to 25 banners circling the stadium.

Although his planes are allowed to fly along the beaches, only four or
five aircraft make daily banner runs compared with 15 before the
restrictions were imposed.

In 2000, Butler said, his total revenues were about $4 million. He said
unless the restrictions are lifted, he stands to make half that much
this year. He said his revenues, from Sept. 11 to Dec. 31, were off 94
percent.

Meanwhile, he already has laid off about half of his 60 pilots, ground
crew, sign painters and sales people.

Butler said his company will get a boost from Valentine's Day, when he
will have about twice as many planes operating as usual on Thursday.
Aerial Valentines cost from $149 to $299, depending on how far a plane
has to go to a specific location, he said. "We tout it as the world's
largest Valentine card," he said.

But he said he still faces major financial trouble. About 430 banner
towing companies operate 1,200 planes nationwide, and some already have
gone bankrupt, Butler said.

Following Sept. 11, the Federal Aviation Administration imposed several
restrictions on general aviation operations in 27 metropolitan areas.

While most restrictions have been lifted, the FAA still requires
aircraft remain at least 3.5 miles from a stadium and stay at least
3,000 feet above it.

To be seen clearly, banner planes need to be a quarter mile away and fly
no higher than 1,000 feet, Butler said.

After he appealed to local air traffic controllers in December, Butler
was allowed to fly his planes near Pro Player for about a month,
including the Miami Dolphins' Dec. 30 and Jan. 6 games.

But in a clarification notice sent to Butler on Saturday, the FAA
reaffirmed its rules on planes flying near crowds.

"Temporary flight restrictions may be imposed over specific locations.in
response to specific needs," the notice said. "The restrictions for
major professional and collegiate sporting events or any other major
open-air assembly of people remain in effect."

Christopher White, FAA spokesman, said the restrictions would remain in
place for the foreseeable future.

"We're doing this in conjunction with the Office of Homeland Security to
provide a safe environment for everyone," he said.

Butler said he thinks the National Football League influenced the FAA on
its continued restrictions near stadiums.

He said the NFL is unhappy it cannot make any money off banner
operations - and loses money if an advertiser spends his dollars on a
banner instead of buying space in an NFL program.

Greg Aiello, NFL spokesman in New York, said that's not true. He said
the league requested the FAA prohibit planes from getting near all
stadiums, including those with domes, purely to enhance security.

"It was a result of Sept. 11, to substantially increase all aspects of
security for our fans," he said. "It had absolutely nothing to do with
what [Butler] cited."

Aerial Signs owns 50 planes and subcontracts banner-towing operations
around the country. Butler's father, Arnold, started the company in
1952.

Butler said he continues to fax daily appeals to congressional aviation
committees. But he warns his business is on its last leg.

"Banner planes have been flying around stadiums since 1927, and there's
never been an injury to the public," he said.


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