AS A USER OF MARINO MUNICIPAL ARPT (OAR); THE RPTR EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER THE SAFETY ASPECTS OF ALLOWING CERTAIN NON AVIATION ACTIVITIES TO BE CONDUCTED ON RAMPS ADJACENT TO ACTIVE TXWYS.
Synopsis
AS A USER OF MARINO MUNICIPAL ARPT (OAR); THE RPTR EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER THE SAFETY ASPECTS OF ALLOWING CERTAIN NON AVIATION ACTIVITIES TO BE CONDUCTED ON RAMPS ADJACENT TO ACTIVE TXWYS.
Narrative
AN AUTOMOBILE RACE TRACK HAS BEEN SET UP APPROX 40 FT FROM AN ACTIVE TXWY AT OAR ARPT. THE RACE TRACK IS LOCATED ON A LARGE VACANT ACFT PARKING RAMP THAT IS ADJACENT TO THE TXWY. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TXWY IS THE HILLER ACFT FACILITY. THE TXWY AND PORTIONS OF THE RAMP ON THE SIDE OPPOSITE THE RACE TRACK CANNOT BE USED BY EITHER FIXED OR ROTARY WING ACFT BECAUSE OF THE CLOSE PROX TO THE TXWY. CARS RACING ON THIS TRACK CREATE A HAZARD TO ACFT OPS. IN ADDITION; SKYDIVING ACTIVITIES OCCUR AT OAR. THE DESIGNATED DROP ZONE IS LOCATED APPROX 300 YARDS FROM THE RACE TRACK. THE RACE TRACK IS SEGREGATED FROM THE TXWY BY A ROW OF RED TFC CONES SPACED APPROX 30 FT APART AND 40 FT FROM THE EDGE OF THE TXWY. NO PHYSICAL BARRIER IS BTWN THE TXWY AND THE RACE TRACK. ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS CARS HAVE DRIVEN THROUGH THE CONES AND DRIVERS HAVE LOST CTL INCREASING THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ACCIDENT. SKYDIVE OPS MAY ALSO BE IMPACTED AND POSSIBLY PREVENTED BY THE RACE TRACK. IF UNEXPECTED WIND CONDITIONS FORCE A SKYDIVER TO LAND AWAY FROM THE DROP ZONE AND INTO THE RACE TRACK THERE WOULD BE LITTLE OR POSSIBLY NO WARNING FOR THE RACE DRIVERS. THE RACE ACTIVITY IS APPROVED BY THE CITY OF MARINA AS THE ARPT OPERATOR. THE RACE TRACK IS NOT IN CONSTANT OP AND OTHER NON AVIATION USES ARE ALSO MADE OF THE RAMP AREA. ON OTHER OCCASIONS; OTHER EVENTS HAVE CREATED SIMILAR SAFETY HAZARDS. THE FAA ARPTS DISTRICT OFFICE AND FSDO HAVE ALSO BEEN NOTIFIED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR'S COMMENTS REFLECT HIS RPT. THE FAA AND FSDO HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED!
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.