For those of us who have long dreamed of retiring to an airport home, there is finally some definitive action in the pipeline. Alas, for most of us, that airport residence will likely remain just a dream. But for others, thanks to Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), a co-chairman of the House GA caucus, the FAA reauthorization bill that was passed earlier this year includes a provision requiring the FAA to honor residential-through-the-fence (RTTF) agreements that provide pilots with access to general aviation airport runways and taxiways from their private residential property.
On July 30, the FAA published in the Federal Register a proposed policy and gave respondents until August 29 to make comments. The FAA reauthorization permits GA airports to enter into RTTF agreements with property owners or associations representing property owners. The property owner must pay access charges that the sponsor determines to be comparable to those fees charged to tenants and operators on-airport making similar use of the airport; bear the cost of building and maintaining the infrastructure the sponsor determines is necessary to provide access to the airfield from property located adjacent to or near the airport; maintain the property for residential, noncommercial use for the duration of the agreement; prohibit access to the airport from other properties through the property of the property owner; and prohibit any aircraft refueling from occurring on the property.
