Town Votes To Delay Closure Of East Hampton Airport

EAST HAMPTON, NY — The East Hampton town board has voted to delay the closure and deactivation of East Hampton Airport and activation of the new, private-use airport until May, town officials said Thursday.

On Jan. 20, the town board voted to deactivate the airport and activate the new, private-use airport at the same site; the process was projected to take place within a week, closing on Feb. 28 and reopening on March 4.

Soon after, the Federal Aviation Administration said that the process could actually take up to two years.

In the past days, there have been three lawsuits filed to stop the closure of the airport, according to Newsday.

On Thursday, the town sent out a release stating, as it has in the past, that the intent is to implement a "balanced prior permission required framework" at the airport. "The town and FAA continue to work cooperatively to complete the deactivation and activation process in a timely and efficient manner, with the shared goal of the town opening a safe private-use airport in the manner that is least disruptive to aviation," the town said.

East Hampton officials also said that the town has met on several instances with the FAA to discuss logistics of the deactivation and activation process.

"Over the past few weeks, the FAA and the town have addressed several issues raised by the town’s desire to retain an airport with enhanced local control, including town ownership of all navigational aids in use at the East Hampton Airport; town control of all communication aids in use at the East Hampton Airport; utilization of a private air traffic control tower at the private-use airport; and a process to facilitate air-to-ground communications at the new private-use airport," town officials said.

During the most recent meeting, the FAA said it expected to have all of its internal processes
completed for opening of the new private-use airport, except for introduction of instrument flight
procedures, no later than May 19, town official said.

Once its aeronautical study is completed, the FAA told the town that it anticipates that the air navigation facilities currently available at the East Hampton Airport will be available upon activation, with the caveat that instrument flight procedures may not be immediately
available, the town said.

Specifically, all weather, navigation, and communication aids should be operable and
available; the private air traffic control tower will be in place consistent with how and when it has
operated in the past; new agreements with terminal radar approach control facilities, or TRACON, will be entered into; the town will obtain its own ground communication outlet for real-time communication with air traffic controllers; and the new airport will be available for safe use by operators, the town said.

East Hampton said it work with a qualified third-party vendor that has been approved by the
FAA to design and implement special use instrument procedures; the town and FAA are optimistic
that the special use instrument procedures will be available at some point during the 2022 season, town officials said.

"The town continues to work with the FAA to make this a reality," East Hampton Town said in a release.

According to East Hampton Town, the FAA also requested that the town coincide opening of the new private-use airport with FAA charting cycles.

The FAA issues new navigational charts on 28- and 56-day schedules. According to the FAA, the first charting cycle date to occur after the FAA will have all of its internal processes completed for activation of the new private-use airport is May 19.

"By coinciding activation with the FAA’s charting cycle, it will facilitate clearances to and from the new private-use airport by air traffic controllers, allow flight plans to be filed by pilots, and allow the FAA to circulate notices to air missions and other FAA publications related to the new private-use airport," East Hampton officials said. "Based on the FAA’s stated timeline and request that the town coincide opening with a charting cycle, the town has decided to postpone deactivation of the East Hampton Airport until 11:59 p.m. on May 17. The new private-use airport will open at 9 a.m. on May 19."

The timeline was discussed at length with the FAA "and the FAA has indicated that it does not foresee any obstacles with the new, private-use airport opening on May 19," East Hampton Town officials said. "At the meeting between the town and FAA on February 16, the FAA agreed that this postponement will enable the FAA to complete internal processes aimed at delivering a safe and solid foundation from which to operate a private-use airport and will also allow for reinstatement of instrument flight rules procedures at the private-use airport as soon as practicable."

The FAA did not immediately return a request for comment.

East Hampton Town officials said they decided to pursue the option "in a good faith effort to work cooperatively with the FAA in an attempt to mitigate as many disruptions to aviation as possible."

East Hampton Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc added: "The town continues to work
cooperatively with the FAA to ensure that the new private-use airport opens with all safety and as
many operational capabilities as possible. The town appreciates the FAA’s dedication to addressing novel issues raised by the town’s unique situation in a timely and careful manner.”

The proposed prior permission required framework that will apply to operations during the 2022 season at the new private-use airport will be discussed and subject to public comment beginning in early March 2022.

After the board announced the delayed deactivation, Loren Riegelhaupt, spokesperson for the Eastern Region Helicopter Council also issued a statement: "We are pleased the East Hampton Town Board is starting to listen to commonsense solutions and delayed their plans for the airport to allow for more discussions and alternate solutions. For everyone’s best interests, we ask that all sides stop filing lawsuits and implore the town not to rush ahead with their misguided plans to close the airport. Instead, we suggest that all of the impacted parties come together to find a solution that works for all.”