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HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 2008-38 - Airport Use RegulationsORDINANCE NO. 008 3 An Ordinance of the City Of Georgetown, Texas Amending Sections 12.32.210 "Vehicles in Aircraft Operations Areas;" 12.32.350 "Taxiing Aircraft' 12.32.440 "Take Off, Landing, Flying Rules and Procedures;" 12.32.460 "Helicopter Operations;" and 12.32.470 "Glider Operations;" of the City of Georgetown Code Of Ordinances Pertaining to the Georgetown Municipal Airport Use Regulations; Providing a Severability Clause; and Providing an Effective Date. WHEREAS, in October 2003, the City Council voted to update the Airport Master Plan and retained the services of GRW Willis, Inc. to assist the City in that effort; and WHEREAS, the work done by GRW Willis, Inc. included a review of Chapter 12.32 of the City Code of Ordinances pertaining to the "Georgetown Municipal Airport Use Regulations," which had not been updated in many years; and WHEREAS, GRW Willis, Inc. updated and revised the Georgetown Municipal Airport Use Regulations, as well as the Minimum Standards for Commercial and Non -Commercial Operators, which are adopted by reference in the Airport Use Regulations, and the updated and revised versions of both documents were presented to the Airport Advisory Committee on September 19, 2005 and were approved by the Board; and WHEREAS, the City Council did replace the existing Georgetown Municipal Airport Use Regulations and the existing Minimum Standards for Commercial and Non -Commercial Operators as updated and revised by GRW Willis, Inc. on November 22,2005; and WHEREAS, the proposed revisions and/or updates to Chapter 12.32 were presented to the Airport Advisory Board on June 17, 2008, and were approved by the Board; and WHEREAS, the City Council now desires to revise and/or update Chapter 12.32 of the Georgetown Municipal Airport Use Regulations as recommended by the Airport Advisory Board. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN, TEXAS, THAT: SECTION 1. The facts and recitations contained in the preamble of this ordinance are hereby found and declared to be true and correct, and are incorporated by reference herein and expressly made a part hereof, as if copied verbatim. The City Council hereby finds that this ordinance implements the following elements of the 2030 Plan and that the enactment of this ordinance is not inconsistent or in conflict with any other Century Plan Policies, or the Airport Plan SECTION 2. Section 12.32.210 of the City of Georgetown Code of Ordinances is hereby amended to provide as follows: Ordinance No. C-) 0 0 Page I of 6 12.32.210 Vehicles in Aircraft Operating Areas. No vehicle may proceed on any area defined as an Aircraft Movement Area (see appendix I) unless in direct radio contact with Georgetown Tower, and having received proper authorization. Georgetown Tower may also provide information related to aircraft and/or vehicle movement on and/or in the loading ramp or parking areas. This information is advisory in nature and does not imply control responsibility. Airport vehicles should find alternate routes to keep them off the runways and taxiways as much as possible. Personnel unfamiliar with the airport requesting to go out on the airport must be escorted by the Airport Manager or his representative. All vehicles unable to communicate with the tower shall be escorted by a vehicle capable of communicating with the tower. Pilot's Choice and Gantt Aviation are authorized to operate on taxiway Alpha, directly adjacent to their leasehold without direct communication with the Georgetown Airport Traffic Control Tower. These vehicles and personnel shall yield to all aircraft operating on Taxiway Alpha. The airport owner/operator covenants and expressly agrees that with regard to any liability which may arise from the operation on Taxiway Alpha as described herein, that party shall be solely and exclusively liable, for the neglect of if s own agents, representatives, and/or employees, in accordance with applicable law, and that neither party looks to the other to save or hold it harmless for the consequences of any negligence on the part of one of it's own agents, representatives, and/or employees. SECTION 3. Section 12.32.350 of the City of Georgetown Code of Ordinances is hereby amended to provide as follows: 12.32.350 Taxiing Aircraft. A. No aircraft equipped with an anti -collision beacon shall begin to safely taxi before the beacon has been activated. B. Aircraft will be taxied at a safe and prudent speed, and in such manner as to be under the control of the pilot at all times. C. Aircraft not equipped with adequate brakes will not be taxied near buildings or parked aircraft unless an attendant is at a wing of the aircraft assisting the pilot. Ordinance No. 0?008- 3a Page 2 of 6 D. During the hours the control tower is in operation, all taxi operations in the movement areas will be as directed by Air Traffic Control instruction. After hours, aircraft shall not taxi onto the runway from the ramp and taxiway area whenever there is another aircraft approaching to land, or whenever another aircraft is on the ground in take -off position. E. There shall be no taxiing of aircraft by engine power into or out of hangars. SECTION 4. Section 12.32.440 of the City of Georgetown Code of Ordinances is hereby amended to provide as follows: 12.32.440. Take -off, Landing, Flying Rules and Procedures. During the hours the control tower is in operation, pilots must abide by Air Traffic Control instructions. After hours, the following procedures apply: Pilots are governed by those regulations promulgated by the FAA and additionally are requested to observe the procedures set forth in the Fly Friendly Program, copies of which are available at the Airport Manager's office. A. Reporting of Traffic Intentions. All pilots are encouraged to call on the published, local Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) to determine the runway favored by the wind and to announce their position and intentions for take -off and landing. The final decision as to which runway to use or whether or not to take -off or land is at the sole discretion of the pilot in command. Any deviation from the runway in use should be announced to the CTAF and the right of way yielded. Pilots are also encouraged to utilize the automatic weather observation system (AWOS) to determine wind and weather information. B. Take -Offs, Landing Over Certain Objects Prohibited or Restricted. No aircraft shall land or take off in such manner as to clear any public street or highway at an altitude of less than one hundred (100) feet nor land or take off on the taxiway or any turf area or over hangars, or other structures, automobile parking areas or groups of spectators. C. Take -Offs, Landing with Calm Winds. If the winds are calm, or at 90 degrees to the runway, all take -offs and landings will be conducted on Runway 18. D. Take -Offs, Landings On Apron, Parking Ramp Prohibited, Exception. No take -offs or landings shall be made on the apron or parking ramp, except by special permission of the Airport Manager. Ordinance No. 000 • :3 9 Page 3 of 6 E. Touch -and -Go Landings. Touch-and-go landings may be made at the discretion of the pilot. All aircraft shall "clear" for incoming and take -off traffic before taxiing into take -off position. F. Stop and Go Landings and Take -Offs. Stop and go operations are permitted as long as they do not present an excessive (over one minute) delay to other aircraft operating in the traffic pattern and the person making such landings advises his intentions over the CTAF to allow the other aircraft to space themselves accordingly. Not more than five stop and go operations will be conducted in succession. H. Traffic Pattern Elevation. Traffic pattern altitude is one thousand (1,000) feet above ground level (AGL). I. Take -Off Climb. On take -off, all aircraft should climb straight out to a level of four hundred (400) feet AGL, clear the airport boundary and execute a ninety (90) degree turn to the left when using Runway 11 or 18, or execute a ninety (90) degree turn to the right when using Runway 29 or 36. To leave traffic, the aircraft should climb to five hundred (500) feet AGL before executing or climbing turn out of the traffic pattern. J. Traffic Flow. (1) Any aircraft within three (3) nautical miles of the airport at an altitude of less than one thousand five hundred (1,500) feet above ground level should conform to the counter -clockwise (left hand) flow of traffic when the favored runway is 11 or 18, or a clockwise (right hand) flow of traffic when the favored runway 29 or 36. All aircraft should establish their traffic pattern altitude before entering the traffic pattern and should not deviate from this altitude (except in an emergency) until descent for landing has begun. (2) All aircraft landing at the Georgetown Municipal Airport shall fly a standard left hand traffic pattern when the favored runway is 11 or 18; or a right hand traffic pattern when the favored runway is 29 or 36 at an altitude of one thousand (1,000) feet above ground level. Pattern entry shall be made an angle of forty-five (45) degrees to the active runway with the runway to the pilots left (runway 11 or 18) or to the pilot's right (runway 29 or 36) at all times. Entry shall be made at the midpoint of either the upwind or downwind leg. The pattern shall be flown in such a manner that in the event of engine failure a safe landing can be made on airport property. (3) Aircraft entering the traffic pattern shall exercise caution and practice courtesy so as not to cause aircraft already in the pattern to deviate from their course. Ordinance No.p�(�Qp Page 4 of 6 (4) Aircraft (either fixed wing or helicopter) conducting actual Life Flight or other life threatening operations may deviate from these Traffic Flow regulations as they deem necessary provided they are in radio contact and they broadcast their intentions on the CTAF. K. Straight -In Approaches. Straight -in approaches shall not be used unless radio contact with the CTAF has been established from at least five (5) miles out. Aircraft which find it dangerous or difficult to conform to the standard pattern due to their high speed or other special characteristics may fly a circular pattern (counterclockwise for runway 11 or 18; clockwise for runway 29 or 36) at not more than one thousand (1,000) feet above ground level (AGL). L. Altitude, Acceleration, Deceleration. No aircraft shall be operated over the City of Georgetown at an altitude of less than one thousand (1,000) feet above ground level. Aircraft engines shall not be accelerated nor decelerated while over the Georgetown area in such manner as to distract, excite or disturb persons on the ground, regardless of altitude. SECTION 5. Section 12.32.460 of the City of Georgetown Code of Ordinances is hereby amended to provide as follows: 12.32.460 Helicopter Operations. During the hours the control tower is in operation, helicopters must abide by Air Traffic Control instructions. After hours, the following procedures apply: A. Helicopters operating in the Georgetown area and upon the airport will comply with applicable federal aviation regulations and with all communications procedures established herein. B. Helicopters shall at all times maintain clear separation from other traffic and operations. All taxi operations shall be conducted with vigilance and shall be conducted at a safe distance from all structures, obstructions, and persons, specifically taking into consideration the effect of downwash and noise. C. Helicopters will not operate below a safe auto -rotation speed or altitude when over populated areas or buildings and will maintain a minimum altitude, whenever possible, of at least 500 feet AGL. Flight over residential areas should be at fixed - wing aircraft altitudes. Departures and arrivals should take into consideration the effects of any noise being created and shall be made to/from the northeast and southeast of the airport whenever possible. D. Training exercises shall be conducted west of Runway 18/36 in the vicinity of the windsock. Takeoff maneuvers will be made parallel to and at least 200 feet on Ordinance No. 0 0 Page 5 of 6 either side of the active runway and will not cross the active runway or taxiway unless well clear of all traffic. Traffic patterns shall be conducted close to the active runway at 500 feet AGL utilizing the same direction of traffic as fixed -wing aircraft. Radio position reports should be announced over the CTAF. SECTION 6. Section 12.32.470 of the City of Georgetown Code of Ordinances is hereby amended to provide as follows: 12.32.470 Glider Operations. Glider Operations Prohibited. SECTION 7: All ordinances and resolutions, or parts of ordinances and resolutions, in conflict with this Ordinance are hereby repealed, and are no longer of any force and effect." SECTION 8: If any provision of this ordinance or application thereof to any person or circumstance, shall be held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the other provisions, or application thereof, of this ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this ordinance are hereby declared to be severable. SECTION 9. The Mayor is hereby authorized to sign this ordinance and the City Secretary to attest. This Ordinance shall become effective in accordance with the provisions of State law and the Charter of the City of Georgetown. PASSED AND APPROVED on First Reading on the day of J l I Iy , 2008. PASSED AND APPROVED on Second Reading on the day ofdL 114 2008. ATTEST: NJ r �: i= 1,10 144!fO io APPROVED AS TO FORM: Patricia E. Carls, City Attorney Ordinance No. o?no 8-3p Page 6 of 6 THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN By: e5z � George Garver, Mayor