WASHINGTON, D.C. – Two weeks after the FAA unveiled its draft policy for allowed uses in hangars at airports that receive federal grant funding, much confusion has emerged regarding the overall effect of the policy and what it means for hangar tenants. That’s particularly true for homebuilders, who have heard conflicting stories about what it means for building an aircraft in an airport hangar.
For homebuilders, the draft policy offers protections that never existed in an FAA policy. For the first time, aircraft construction is included as a protected aeronautical activity. Previously, homebuilders had no protection from airports that demanded only fully operating aircraft housed in hangars. But according to the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), the language in the draft policy includes some final assembly stipulations that need to be amended.
EAA will ask the FAA to consider all active aircraft construction as an aeronautical activity. EAA believes that any type of active homebuilding meets the standard of aeronautical activity. EAA will urge all aircraft builders to fully read and understand their airport’s hangar rental agreement to prevent any future disputes over what is and is not allowed at their airports.
