Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Airport Operations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee endorses bill letting airports remove abandoned aircraft after notice
Summary
Senate Bill 238 (substitute 1) would give airports explicit authority and a notification process to seize, move or dispose of aircraft left inactive with unpaid charges or terminated leases; the committee passed the substitute and placed it on the consent calendar.
Senate Bill 238 substitute 1, addressing abandoned aircraft at airports, received a favorable recommendation and was placed on the committee consent calendar.
Senator Wilson and Brady Fredericksen, director of planning at the Salt Lake Airport, said airports have limited tie‑down and hangar space and some aircraft remain at airports for years without engines, lease payments or maintenance. The bill allows airports to take action against aircraft that have been parked more than 180 days without being flown and that have unpaid charges, or that remain more than 120 days after lease termination, provided airports follow a statutory notification process.
Fredericksen told the committee the bill clarifies current practice and adds a process consistent with prior legislation (SB 43, 2023). The measure preserves space for active aircraft and helps airports reclaim valuable capacity for leasing to active users.
Members asked practical questions about where removed aircraft would be moved and who bears removal costs. Fredericksen said airports typically bear some removal expense, may scrap aircraft when owners cannot be found, and the bill requires a notification process before removal.
Representative Peterson moved the substitute; the committee approved the bill unanimously and voted to place the measure on the consent calendar for further consideration.
