Kissimmee Threatens Liens for Delinquent Landing Fees

The City of Kissimmee, Florida is threatening to put liens against aircraft whose operators do not pay landing fees that are now collected using video cameras. The City Commission voted unanimously on Oct. 6 to raise the fees 25 percent because the new camera system is more expensive to operate than the ADS-B tracking system it replaced. The cameras were installed after a state law came into effect that banned the use of ADS-B tracking to collect fees. The law was enacted to prevent pilots from switching off ADS-B to avoid fees thereby negating its primary role of collision avoidance. A video of the proceedings is available here and the fee discussion comes up at 1:05 on the recording.

That law kicked in on July 1 and Kissimmee installed four cameras and a server to read tail numbers and create invoices for the fees. Both the ADS-B and camera systems are supplied by Vector Airport Systems, which pioneered the controversial fee collection systems. The camera system is more expensive to operate because of equipment maintenance costs so the landing fees were hiked 25 percent to $3.75 for every 1,000 pounds of aircraft weight. But according to Kissimmee Director of Aviation Shaun Germolus the backlash over landing fees wasn’t all about safety.

“There are pilots who I believe are refusing to pay their landing fees,”Germolus said. The delinquent fees have been adding up and now total about $86,000 and Germolus said his interpretation of state law is that the city can use liens to collect that money. “At some point we’re going to have to make a decision: Do we put liens on those aircraft?” Liens create legal headaches for operators, especially when it comes to selling the planes. The delinquent fees amount to about a four percent of total landing fee revenue. He said the automated detection and invoicing system created by Vector created a “steady, stable stream of revenue” and took in more than $400,000 last year. Vector takes a 15 percent cut. Hundred of airports use Vector to collect landing fees.

Meanwhile Germolus also said he hopes the landing fees, at least at their current rate, are a temporary measure. He said they were imposed to cover the city’s share ($785,000) of the cost of a new tower and refurbished taxiway. The FAA paid most of the $33 million cost. At one point in the meeting it was suggested the fee increase be deferred so council members could convene a workshop to better understand how the fees are collected and used. Germolus successfully argued that deferring the increase would leave him without enough money to pay back the FAA and the fee increase was approved. The overarching issue of whether landing fees are the the appropriate method to collect that money will presumably be discussed at the workshop, which will be scheduled for November or December in advance of the city’s budget discussions.

steady stable stream of revenue

At some point we’re going to have to make a decision: Do we put liens on those aircraft.

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