Gastro Gnome - Eat Better Wherever

What would you do? Flying neighbor.

I think keeping civil dialogue going with them is definitely in order. I used to work for a surveyor who always joked that we made a lot of money on property line disputes that amounted to a few feet either way. He always recommended that someone just meet their neighbor on the line in question with a 6-pack and sort it out...but nobody ever did.

Doesn't sound like they're planning on any lighting for a strip like that, but if they do, you could ask that they shield or baffle any beacon or whatever so it doesn't shine on your property. If the area is full of obstructions, I'd question their intelligence, and the problem may take care of itself after a while. Not in a crashing way, but in a this-is-too-much-pucker-factor-for-me way. People fly because it's fun and don't when it's not.

Technically, they should fill out and file a form 7480 with the FAA. FAA won't come after them if they don't, it's not much of a club unless your county cares. But if there is ever an accident or an impact to any other 3D approach procedures up in the sky above them, it will matter. https://www.faa.gov/forms/index.cfm/go/document.information/documentid/185334

If nothing else, speaking FAA-ese to them might help them weight your concerns more. If your county is hands-off with that sort of thing, you could just be SOL.

Do be careful with any interference, especially with a UAV or drone. Current rules are very heavily-weighted to favor aircraft with people in them. The folks with the State Aviation/Airports office in ABQ might be of some help if you call them. They do have a good crew there. https://dot.state.nm.us/content/nmdot/en/Aviation.html People at a state level are, on average, better listeners than the feds.

Just two cents from your friendly neighborhood airport engineer here at HT.
 
I live next to a private airstrip, (400 yards away) half the time with winds they usually fly over my house, more or less. There is maybe 20 people who live on the strip with planes. I rarely even notice them taking off, and never landing. Once a week maybe, and that's with 20+ planes using the strip. Just because a guy has a plane doesn't mean they fly it. Most who have them spend more time working on them and telling their friends about their planes than flying. After the "honeymoon" wears off, they will probably fly 1-2 times a week if that. The annoyance is maybe 20 seconds as it passes over, and is not really that big of deal, IMO. I can't imagine flying in NM is more popular than up here.

I wouldn't get your knickers in a bunch over it. Trying to stop them from building it will just make enemies and make you look petty. I'm not sure what moving there 12 years ago really has to do with anything. You found out that there is no regulation against building an airstrip. I presume you could have figured that out 12 years ago before you moved? You can either accept change or more somewhere else if its really that annoying to you.
 
A cup of coffee with a dash of understanding could solve the worlds problems. Instead we take to the internet.

Hank, I love you buddy, but talk to them first before calling in the National guard.
I won't need any army boys if it gets down to it.
And I'll meet them, and let them know how I feel.
I can do nice too. LOL
I HAD TO for 20 years.
 
Just sent e-mail to FAA lady. Maybe something there.

Look folks.
I get I make/made my nest,I knew coming here,it's a free country. I've moved away from it before. To no man's land.
Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I best get out and dig a ditch. Good therapy, a pick. Fugg em if they can't take it.
 
Probably worth a chat before you assume the worst.

Might get lucky and they only fly once or twice a month and it won't really end up bothering you too much.


Might also find out they plan to fly daily and you're in for a battle.

Maybe you should start a ham radio operation at your house. Those towers are super protected under federal law from what I've seen. Can't imagine they'd want to land near a 50' radio antenna... just sayin
I was thinking something along these lines. Some kind of tower to dissuade them from going over your place.
 
The amount of take off and landings you will have to deal with should be very few. Most people with a plane don't fly much. It's not like it is going to be a public airport. People target shooting on their property and hound hunters with dogs that do not stop barking are probably more annoying than a typical private pilot that flies once a week
 
The amount of take off and landings you will have to deal with should be very few. Most people with a plane don't fly much. It's not like it is going to be a public airport. People target shooting on their property and hound hunters with dogs that do not stop barking are probably more annoying than a typical private pilot that flies once a week
My thoughts also.
We've got a gut about ten doors don from our lake house that has a float plane. Mo more than he flys the thing, it's not bothersome at all. Also pretty neat to watch in my opinion.

My target shooting neighbors are for sure more of a pain in the rear. They always decide to break out the pistols and AR's on nice evenings when people are sitting outdoors to grill out, etc. There is a gun club three miles away I've offered to buy their first years membership in, to drop the hint.
 
Have you tried a .22” diameter hole in their tires? I’ve found that to be the most efficient. Used to be the cheapest but ammo’s gotten to be pretty spendy.
 
Gatekeeper has the right idea. With a small strip, it won't be Gulfstream G5's blowing your windows out. More likely small STOL (short takeoff and landing) aircraft. They are usually VFR (visual). The FAA will tell you that they must remain a minimum of 500' above your home. Go introduce yourself, tell them about your concerns and if they're decent members of the aviation community, they'll end up being better neighbors than you could hope for. Considering you now have neighbors, you could've gotten a family of 10 two stroke motorcycle riders. Bottom line, if you have to have people living next door, you could have done worse...I hope.
BoomerUSAF? Your thoughts?
 
They might be super nice people who end up flying hardly at all. I think restraint, in this case, would be prudent. Bring them over a little welcome gift and get to know them. I suspect your life will be more enjoyable going forward. None of your ideas will prevent them from flying but, I guarantee any of them will cause your blood pressure to rise every time you see them when they undoubtedly fail. Wait a few weeks until you cool off, put the gun away, and go introduce yourself. Life's too short to ruin your relationship with your neighbors before it even begins.
 
Just sent e-mail to FAA lady. Maybe something there.

Look folks.
I get I make/made my nest,I knew coming here,it's a free country. I've moved away from it before. To no man's land.
Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I best get out and dig a ditch. Good therapy, a pick. Fugg em if they can't take it.
Request easement access to use and store your plane as part of your property. Sell your property advertising "including private airstrip". Get a $$$ person and find another happy spot for 12 years before Elon, Bezos or whomever begins to install a spacecraft launch site.

Work against the grain or with...
 
Every fall I return to Montana Hi Line to hunt. The RV trailer court and two motels I stay at are situated within a stone's throw of BNSF tracks. I just phase out the train racket and don't even notice. The RV place and one of the motels are within earshot of municipal rail crossings. Yep, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG day and I night and I don't even notice.

I live in town so bylaws protect me and my property values from unruly slobs (and contractors who cut corners). I love the outdoors too much to plant my alien arse on it year round. Everyone having their little piece of the "Last Best Place" has ruined Montana. I'm a multimillionaire (not counting real estate) and could easily buy a decent size ranch to lease out for grazing or chop up into useless little Cabelas size hunting paradises with McMansions on every quarter section. But I'll stay in town here and be a visitor to Montana as long as I can make the 25 hr drive. That way I can still look myself in the mirror on my dying day and know I wasn't part of the problem. The downside is refusing to be a transplant land wrecker will exclude me from Montana politics. Or maybe it's an upside? Eventually (probably sooner than later) my reluctance to be another transplant invader will probably also exclude me from hunting in Montana. Oh well, I'm about at the end if that rope anyway. I can only mourn for the next generation who won't know what they've lost.
Weird flex eh?
 
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