Politics & Government

FAA Clears Music Festival at Airport

Meanwhile, the WCAC changes its tune.

The Federal Aviation Administration has approved the use of the for a two-day music festival, but not without raising some concerns.

According to a letter from Thomas Felix, the FAA eastern divisions manager of planning and programming, to Town Supervisor Bill Wilkinson, the  administration has concerns about traffic coming and going from the airport and parking near the runways during Music To Know on Aug. 13 and 14. 

However, "Based on the assertions made by the Town of East Hampton in preparation for and support of the event, the FAA acknowledges that the event can proceed in compliance with the Grant Assurances," Felix wrote in a letter dated on Tuesday.

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Jim Peters, a spokesman with the FAA said, that when an airport accepts federal funds through the Airport Improvement Program, it agrees to accept certain conditions or assurances attached to the funds. There are dozens of assurances, but some are keeping the airport open and not discriminating against any aeronautical activity, he said. The last federal grant for the airport was in 2001 to rehab the parking area for aircraft for $1, 296,687.

The town board at the meeting last month.

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"Note that this is not an FAA endorsement of the event itself nor does the letter provide immunity from future lawsuits or user complaints of non-compliance should the Town should fail to live up to its assertions for the duration of the event," Felix wrote in the letter to Wilkinson. He said the FAA will still investigate any complaints it may receive during the concert. 

The FAA reviews all non-aeronautical uses of the airport property to ensure compliance with grant assurances associated with the municipal airport's federal funding. DY Consultants submitted an informational package to the FAA on behalf of the airport, according to the letter.

"Regarding issues pertaining to traffic in and around the airport during the event, we note," Felix wrote, quoting from a May 9 response from the supervisor's office, "that 'the Town Board has reviewed the event plan and parking proposal together with the traffic analysis . . . and believes that traffic will be adequately controlled to avoid any significant impacts to airport users.'"

Also, the town and the concert organizers have agreed not to park cars, as they had proposed, in the areas known as runway protection zones due to FAA concerns for air traffic safety and the potential for concert-goers to access the airfield.

Felix said in the letter that it acknowledges the town is sufficiently covered by insurance in case of a liability claim against the airport and that town departments, like police and planning, had adequately reviewed the application.

On Saturday, the Wainscott Citizens Advisory Committee changed their tune a bit about the concert because of the  at the airport. According to the minutes, the committee "reconsidered its position and is not in support of the concert pending a response to our letter addressing our safety concerns."

Chairwoman Diana Weir confirmed the minute's account of the meeting, but said the letter, which will be sent to the town and the FAA, had not been finalized yet.

According to the minutes, "After the recent incident where a small plane drifted off the runway during a landing in windy conditions, the WCAC agreed that the rock concert at the airport is not the safest venue for this two-day-long event."

The accident was not mentioned in the approval letter.

Meanwhile, concert organizers Chris Jones and Bill Collage on Monday and tickets have gone on sale for $195 online ($175 locally until May 23). They did not immediately return e-mails for comment.


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