Aero Valley Property Owners Association
Menu
52F management & operation
After his election to the Board of Directors in 2014, Mitch Whatley began researching everything he could find on how to manage and operate a small airport. He then put together a document that covers these factors in detail. The entire document can be accessed from the gold button below.
In 1992, Glen Hyde officially changed the name of 52F from Aero Valley Airport to Northwest Regional Airport. He made this change for several reasons, but the fundamental issue is whether 52F is really a regional airport. Another issue is whether Glen had the authority to make the change in the first place. Setting aside that question for now, let's look at how the FAA categorizes airports to see that 52F does not come close to meeting the criteria of a regional airport. Thus, the name Northwest Regional is inappropriate. Regardless, the airport's name has been a see-saw battle.
During the 2017 annual meeting, Gary Platner moved to change the airport's name back to Aero Valley. The motion was seconded and approved by everyone present except Glen Hyde. The Board then notified the FAA and the change was complete. Or so we thought. After the Fort Worth Court of Appeals invalidated the Integrated Deed Restrictions in December 2018, Mr. Hyde presented documents to the FAA that caused the name to get changed back to Northwest Regional. Now Mr. Hyde is once again under a temporary injunction that prevents him from "Representing to any person or entity, including the FAA, that any Defendant has the authority to manage the airport." So the saga continues.
Despite these challenges, property owners and board members alike still have an airport to operate and maintain. The purpose of this document is to give stakeholders the information they need to fulfill these duties successfully. What follows is the introduction.
In 1992, Glen Hyde officially changed the name of 52F from Aero Valley Airport to Northwest Regional Airport. He made this change for several reasons, but the fundamental issue is whether 52F is really a regional airport. Another issue is whether Glen had the authority to make the change in the first place. Setting aside that question for now, let's look at how the FAA categorizes airports to see that 52F does not come close to meeting the criteria of a regional airport. Thus, the name Northwest Regional is inappropriate. Regardless, the airport's name has been a see-saw battle.
During the 2017 annual meeting, Gary Platner moved to change the airport's name back to Aero Valley. The motion was seconded and approved by everyone present except Glen Hyde. The Board then notified the FAA and the change was complete. Or so we thought. After the Fort Worth Court of Appeals invalidated the Integrated Deed Restrictions in December 2018, Mr. Hyde presented documents to the FAA that caused the name to get changed back to Northwest Regional. Now Mr. Hyde is once again under a temporary injunction that prevents him from "Representing to any person or entity, including the FAA, that any Defendant has the authority to manage the airport." So the saga continues.
Despite these challenges, property owners and board members alike still have an airport to operate and maintain. The purpose of this document is to give stakeholders the information they need to fulfill these duties successfully. What follows is the introduction.
I. Introduction
In the grand scheme of general aviation airports, Aero Valley Airport (52F) is considered a small basic airport. Despite its high daily operation rate and renaming it Northwest Regional, it is not a regional airport under FAA guidelines. This fact, among others, caused a majority of property owners to return the airport’s name to Aero Valley. Regardless of whether the name Aero Valley sticks or whether a new majority prefers another name (Edna Whyte Memorial?), the Board must ensure that the name does not misrepresent the airport’s status.
Under FAA general aviation airport categories, a regional airport supports regional economies by connecting communities to statewide and interstate markets with scheduled and non-scheduled passenger air transportation services. Aero Valley currently has no ability to support either scheduled or non-scheduled passenger services. Therefore, it is not a regional airport.
According to these same FAA categories, Aero Valley is a basic airport. Basic airports link the community with the national airport system and support general aviation activities such as emergency services, charter or critical passenger service, cargo operations, flight training, and personal flying. Aero Valley currently supports only flight training and personal flying. Flight training takes place in a limited sense due to poor infrastructure and degraded or non-existent flight service facilities. Reversing the airport’s degradation and returning it to a respectable aviation facility should be at the top of the Board’s priority list.
Local conditions and property owner expectations determine 52F’s management needs. FAA data show that 52F handles about 450 operations per day. In addition to high-volume flight operations, what was once a sleepy hollow is now experiencing an intense development boom. Effective airport management requires considering not only the number of local operations but also the explosive growth in North Texas. Aero Valley’s board of directors should recognize the function and role of airport management systems considering the challenges associated with explosive growth as well as the many opportunities such growth can bring.
The Board must have a clear vision of the airport’s desired character and direct management accordingly. Which image below more closely reflects property owner expectations? Which more closely reflects the vision the Board should embrace? The image on the left is the entrance to 52F's office. The image on the right is the airport office of another small Texas airport. Which would most pilots and community members prefer? (Whoever can identify the airport on the right will win a special prize.)
In the grand scheme of general aviation airports, Aero Valley Airport (52F) is considered a small basic airport. Despite its high daily operation rate and renaming it Northwest Regional, it is not a regional airport under FAA guidelines. This fact, among others, caused a majority of property owners to return the airport’s name to Aero Valley. Regardless of whether the name Aero Valley sticks or whether a new majority prefers another name (Edna Whyte Memorial?), the Board must ensure that the name does not misrepresent the airport’s status.
Under FAA general aviation airport categories, a regional airport supports regional economies by connecting communities to statewide and interstate markets with scheduled and non-scheduled passenger air transportation services. Aero Valley currently has no ability to support either scheduled or non-scheduled passenger services. Therefore, it is not a regional airport.
According to these same FAA categories, Aero Valley is a basic airport. Basic airports link the community with the national airport system and support general aviation activities such as emergency services, charter or critical passenger service, cargo operations, flight training, and personal flying. Aero Valley currently supports only flight training and personal flying. Flight training takes place in a limited sense due to poor infrastructure and degraded or non-existent flight service facilities. Reversing the airport’s degradation and returning it to a respectable aviation facility should be at the top of the Board’s priority list.
Local conditions and property owner expectations determine 52F’s management needs. FAA data show that 52F handles about 450 operations per day. In addition to high-volume flight operations, what was once a sleepy hollow is now experiencing an intense development boom. Effective airport management requires considering not only the number of local operations but also the explosive growth in North Texas. Aero Valley’s board of directors should recognize the function and role of airport management systems considering the challenges associated with explosive growth as well as the many opportunities such growth can bring.
The Board must have a clear vision of the airport’s desired character and direct management accordingly. Which image below more closely reflects property owner expectations? Which more closely reflects the vision the Board should embrace? The image on the left is the entrance to 52F's office. The image on the right is the airport office of another small Texas airport. Which would most pilots and community members prefer? (Whoever can identify the airport on the right will win a special prize.)
Small airport managers are responsible for a broad range of activities and interact daily with a variety of stakeholders. They operate under fiscally constrained circumstances that require maximizing scarce resources and utilizing a diverse range of skills to perform needed functions. The situation at 52F is particularly demanding because the airport is going through the most dramatic transition it has ever experienced in its 50-year history. It is also recovering from decades of strife and neglect. Recovery will not happen overnight. How recovery will manifest itself will be guided entirely by a clear vision of the airport’s desired character and its role in our community. Only then can the board create a credible plan to bring that vision to fruition. Establishing that vision should be the Board’s highest priority.
Aero Valley is well suited to follow the majority with airport management provided by an airport manager. According to the Guidebook for Managing Small Airports, 73% of small airports employ an airport manager to manage the airport while an FBO serves as the airport manager in 13% of small airports. The remainder are managed by a variety of people, including an Airport Commission, Public Works Director, Other, or, in 3% of the airports, the airport is unattended.[1] During 52F’s transition phase, the Board must ensure that the airport manager is highly energized, proactive, and competent to turn the Board’s vision into reality.
Mitchell R. Whatley, JD
President
2014 - 2021
[1] Guidebook for Managing Small Airports, Airport Cooperative Research Program, The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C., 2009.
Aero Valley is well suited to follow the majority with airport management provided by an airport manager. According to the Guidebook for Managing Small Airports, 73% of small airports employ an airport manager to manage the airport while an FBO serves as the airport manager in 13% of small airports. The remainder are managed by a variety of people, including an Airport Commission, Public Works Director, Other, or, in 3% of the airports, the airport is unattended.[1] During 52F’s transition phase, the Board must ensure that the airport manager is highly energized, proactive, and competent to turn the Board’s vision into reality.
Mitchell R. Whatley, JD
President
2014 - 2021
[1] Guidebook for Managing Small Airports, Airport Cooperative Research Program, The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C., 2009.