-
WSC Trikes and Private airports
I’m not a pilot (yet) of any kind but I’ve been learning about various types of private aviation and very interested in WSC Trikes. There’s a small private airport 10 minutes from my house which I thought would be great place to launch from, but when I contacted them they said: “as a Private Airport we do not consider Weight Shift Controlled aircraft as acceptable for use at our airpark.” Not only would they not allow me to bring it there on a trailer, they wouldn’t allow a WSC device to land or take off there, etiher. I was surprised by this…is that a common restriction? I’m talking about an N numbered craft that requires a sport pilot license and not an ultralight and I was clear about that with them as well. I knew a lot of airports don’t allow ultralights, but I didn’t realize they could also rule out various types of N numbered aircraft as well. There are a couple other small airports 30-40 mins away that I can check but wondering if I’m goign to run into the same problem and prehaps most small airports don’t allow WSC trikes and that’s why I don’t see them? Sorry if this is a naive question but I haven’t found anything searching and I’ve seen good discussion on trike related topics on this forum.
-
4 Replies
-
Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions and ignorance regarding trikes. If I had to guess, they probably think you are talking about a powered parachute, which does not takeoff from a runway like an airplane and needs to be set up on the runway and doesn’t have a radio. Many of these pilots and airport owners had negative experiences with pilots that didn’t have an FAA license back in the day. But it’s their airport and they can do as they wish. Public airports cannot deny you access. Unfortunately, when you don’t know enough to know enough to say the right buzzword such as that, you have a radio and know How to use it and what the speed of your machine is and that you understand airport procedures, etc. you are going to run into road blocks that may not be there otherwise.
I remember reading the rulebook for a grass runway 7 miles away from our big airport we fly out of with all of the Jets and skydivers and Flight Training schools with Cessna and twins, and everything in between. The rulebook said, powered parachutes, trikes, and other aircraft with limited controllability may not operate out of their field. If that’s not ignorance, I don’t know what is.
Many pilots once they’re trained do get the opportunity to go and talk and show and tell about their Trike. Many of those restrictions get lifted for individuals at least when you know what to say.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard stories like this. So it is happening, but definitely not The norm.
-
I provided a link to your website Larry to show what I was talking about so if they looked at it they should have known it wasn’t a powered parachute, but I guess bottom line as a private airport they can set the rules. Good to know that a public airport cannot exclude like that. Thanks for the reply.
-
Unfortunately most people don’t know the difference. Even some pilots… that’s just the truth.
-
-
I never asked, I just fly into any airport. If you ask they can say no. Yes private airports are different but any public airport, best to fly in. Long ago a public air port said I could not fly in. I contacted the FAA and they said it was OK. As soon as the airport know the FAA was involved it all of a sudden was OK. As long as you have a radio and wheels so you can taxi to takeoff you should be good. Yes, overall the PPC and private airports are different.
Log in to reply.