Aircraft Hangar and Tiedown Space Policy

PURPOSE

The purpose of this Policy is to establish the Airport’s guidelines regarding T-hangar, and tiedown rental agreements and occupancy. It is the intent of the City of Visalia to ensure that an active list is available to individuals serious in renting aircraft storage space, and assist the Airport Management staff in planning for additional hangars. Definitions of assignment and allowable activities pertaining to rental of aircraft storage facilities are described below.

POLICY

It is the policy of the City of Visalia to provide safe and adequate facilities for aircraft storage at the Visalia Municipal Airport and to administer the use of those facilities in a fair, equitable and cost-effective manner.

T-HANGARS AND TIEDOWNS

A. Eligibility

1. T-hangars and tiedowns are intended for use by individuals, partnerships or corporations that own, or have under exclusive lease, one (1) or more aircraft. Since the Federal Aviation Acts of 1958, Section 501, requires that aircraft be registered in the name of its owner, the FAA Aircraft Registration Certificate is recognized as the single document giving the best indication of ownership and is required to establish eligibility before an aircraft storage space is occupied. A copy of an Aircraft Bill of Sale and an Application for Aircraft Registration which have been submitted to the FAA, will satisfy this requirement for a period of up to sixty (60) days after purchase of the aircraft. If the aircraft is leased, a copy of the lease reflecting exclusive possession by the lessee shall be submitted for review to the Airport Manager or his designee.
2. Fixed base operators may not acquire tiedown or T-hangar space by placing their name on a waiting list.
3. Tenants renting storage space for the purpose of building experimental aircraft must submit progress reports every four (4) months to the Airport Manager or his designee. The progress report must include present condition of the aircraft, planned construction for the next four (4) months and the projected completion date. Tenant must supply the airport administration office with a copy of the FAA Aircraft Registration Certificate at which time the aircraft is registered.

B. Waiting List

1. Requests for placement on waiting lists for T-Hangars, End Spaces or Tiedowns shall be submitted, in the form of an application, to the Airport Manager or his designee.
2. Aircraft on the list will be identified as to what will fit in a single hangar or twin hangar. This will be accomplished by identifying number of engines, wingspan, and/or tail height. Tenants will not be granted a twin-hangar solely on the fact that they have two (2) aircraft that will both fit in one hangar.
3. An applicant will be required to deposit earnest money in the amount of one (1) month’s rent for the type of storage space sought and for each time his/her name appears on a particular list. Applicants will be placed on a waiting list only when the required earnest money is deposited with the Airport Administrative Staff. Interest will not be paid by the City on deposit(s).
4. Earnest money will be equal to one month’s rent at the current rate for the type of storage space requested. Once a deposit has been received, it will not be adjusted to accommodate future increases or decreases in the rental rate. When a storage space is made available to an applicant, the deposit will be applied toward the first full month’s rent.
5. A refund of the earnest money will be made only when an applicant requests, in writing, to be removed from the waiting list prior to being offered a storage space. If an applicant (1) rejects an offer of a storage space or (2) cannot be located by certified mail or telephone within fifteen (15) days, his/her name will be removed from the waiting list and the earnest money for that position will be forfeited. It shall be the responsibility of each applicant to advise the Airport Manager's Office of any change to his/her mailing address and telephone number.
6. Airport Administrative staff will be responsible for the following:
   1. Keeping an up-to-date record of deposits for each applicant.
   2. Collection of monies for deposit. (Deposits will be recorded as revenue).
   3. Crediting deposits as the first month’s rent when applicable.
   4. Refunding deposits by completing a Request for Check (RFC) and forwarding to Accounts Payable in the City’s Finance Department.
7. Waiting lists for each type of Hangar, aircraft tiedown and storage space at the airport will be maintained and available for viewing by the public in the Airport Administration office. An applicant may not appear on any particular list more than two (2) times without approval of the Airport Manager or his designee. Duplicate appearances on any particular waiting list must be at least twelve (12) months apart. The lists will show type of aircraft storage space, name of applicant and the date the request for storage space was received.

City Assignment of Airport Storage Space

1. As aircraft storage spaces become available, they will be offered to the first name on the appropriate waiting list. This list advances as applicants accept or decline storage spaces. In the interest of time, offers may be made by telephone or in person. If staff is unable to contact an applicant by telephone within three (3) business days, offers will be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested.
2. When a single hangar is available, it will be offered to single aircraft in the order that they appear on the waiting list. When a twin hangar is available, it will be offered to aircraft qualifying for a twin hangar in the order that they appear on the waiting list. This will be accomplished by identifying number of engines, wingspan, and/or tail height.
   1. If there is not a twin-qualified aircraft that wishes to occupy the available hangar, the hangar will be offered to a single engine aircraft in the order in which they appear on the Single waiting list.
   2. Single aircraft would occupy the twin hangar on a temporary basis. When a single hangar becomes available:
      1. The single aircraft occupying a twin hangar will be given the next available single hangar if there is a twin on the hangar waiting list that wants the hangar.
      2. If there is not a twin-qualified aircraft on the twin list at this point, the next plane on the single list will be given the single hangar, in accordance with this policy.
3. Applicants will be given three (3) business days after receipt of notification to accept and pay for the aircraft storage space and sign a Rental Agreement. Should an applicant elect not to rent the space, it will be offered to the second name on the list and the one declining will be removed from the list and forfeit the deposit.
4. Before putting an aircraft in an assigned storage space, the applicant must furnish the airport a copy of the FAA Aircraft Registration Certificate, or provide other evidence of ownership deemed suitable by the Airport Manager or his designee. When warranted by extenuating circumstances, and upon written appeal to the Airport Manager or his designee, additional time may be given to complete the paperwork required.
5. In the event an applicant is offered an aircraft storage space and does not own an aircraft at that time, he/she may rent the space, but the Hangar Rental Agreement will be terminated if the applicant has not acquired an aircraft within sixty (60) days after the execution date of the agreement.
In the event a tenant sells his/her aircraft, he/she will be allowed sixty (60) days to acquire another aircraft before the hangar rental agreement is cancelled.
7. If a plane that is hangared at the Visalia Airport is sold and the tenant chooses not to maintain his/her tenancy of the hangar, the new owner of the aircraft will not be allowed to continue tenancy in that hangar.

PROCEDURES

T-hangars and tiedowns

1. Per the terms of the rental agreements, T-hangar and tiedown spaces may not be sublet, assigned or otherwise transferred and only the tenant’s aircraft as described in the copy of the FAA Aircraft Registration Certificate attached to the agreement may be stored on the premises.
2. The tenant shall be allowed to let other aircraft of comparable size occupy his/her assigned space without reimbursement on a single occurrence basis, for a maximum time not to exceed sixty (60) days, with prior written approval of the Airport Manager or his designee.
3. Allowable maintenance activities shall be limited to those activities specified in the rental agreement and the Airport Rules and Regulations.

Monthly Tiedown Space Agreement

1. Aircraft storage spaces are provided on a month-to-month basis at monthly rates lower than the daily rates offered transients.
2. In order to minimize the administrative workload in preparing and terminating agreements, and to discourage the use of subterfuge to avoid transient tiedown fees, minimums have been established when executing agreements.
3. Therefore, the following guidelines have been established:
   1. For all tiedown agreements initiated after the 20th of the month, prorated payment for the balance of the month plus two (2) months’ rental payment will be required.
   2. For all tiedown agreements initiated prior to the 20th of the month, prorated payment for the first month plus an additional one (1) month’s rent will be required.
   3. Per the terms of the Tiedown Rental Agreement, Thirty (30) days written notice of termination is required by the tenant. Refunds will not be made to tenants occupying tiedowns for less than two (2) months.

Changes in Rental Agreements

Any changes in information on the Hangar or Tiedown Rental Agreements, such as new address, telephone number, aircraft make/model and "N" number, change of ownership, etc., must be reported, in writing, to the Airport Manager or his designee within ten (10) days of the change.

Trading Spaces

From time to time, a T-hangar tenant has requested permission to trade with another tenant on the airport. The airport maintains trade lists for hangar and tiedown space and trading of like facilities (e.g., single T-hangar for single T-hangar) may be permitted with prior permission of the Airport Manager or his designee.

 
ENFORCEMENT

On and after the execution date of an agreement, the Airport Manager or his designee shall bring any violation of this policy to the attention of the occupant, in writing. If the tenant fails to timely correct the violation, airport management will have no choice but to seek remedy under the terms of the rental agreement.

Visalia Municipal Airport
Address: 9501 Airport Drive, Visalia, CA 93277   Phone: (559) 713 4201   Fax: (559) 713 4827   Email information