Foothills Aviation Files FAA Complaint

A dispute continues between the Toccoa-Stephens County Airport Authority and a long-time tenant at the airport.

Foothills Aviation has filed a Part 13 complaint against the Airport Authority with the Federal Aviation Administration.

According to a letter from the FAA to the city of Toccoa and Stephens County, Foothills Aviation alleged that the Toccoa-Stephens County Airport Authority is in violation of its federal grant obligations as it relates to the airport.

Specifically, the FAA said that Foothills Aviation is alleging that the Airport Authority is in violation by refusing to negotiate a current lease on reasonable terms and without unjust discrimination.

On May 27, the Airport Authority delivered a letter to Foothills Aviation Owner Bill Wood stating that it had to be out of its space within 60 days.

Foothills Aviation has been operating out of the Toccoa-Stephens County Airport even after its lease expired on January 1, 2015.

This past December, the Airport Authority voted to offer Foothills Aviation an 18-month lease agreement.

However, Stephens County Airport Authority Chairman Dennis Bell said that Foothills never signed that lease that was offered.

Airport Authority Attorney Allan Ramsey said that the Airport Authority is currently working on a response to the latest complaint from Foothills.

This is not the first complaint filed by Foothills Aviation against the Airport Authority.

The company filed an informal Part 13 complaint against the Airport and the Airport Authority with the FAA last year, arguing that it was being unjustly discriminated against in not allowing it to continue leasing hangar space.

Bell said that initial complaint was dismissed after a lease was offered to Foothills Aviation.