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Park County board disputes FAA NOTAM agreement, will draft alternative procedure
Summary
Board members raised liability and process concerns about a 2022 NOTAM letter-of-agreement the FAA treats as binding and agreed to draft a proposed alternative that relies on the Leidos clearinghouse and a good-faith attempt to notify local centers.
Members of the Park County Airport Board told FAA staff they are concerned about a newly surfaced letter-of-agreement that would expand local NOTAM notification requirements and potentially create open-ended liability for the board.
Paul, who described outreach with FAA contacts, said the FAA was treating a 2022 document as a binding agreement even though the board was not made aware it had been signed. "It was signed by Gabriel Chandler of Yellowstone Air Service," Paul said about the 2022 form, and said the FAA told him that if the board signs the new agreement it would be legally binding.
Board members described the county’s current process of using Leidos, a NOTAM clearinghouse, as the practical approach. Paul urged the board to draft a written proposal for FAA review that would confirm use of Leidos as the primary distribution mechanism while committing the airport to "attempt" supplementary notifications to regional centers, rather than accept a form that assigns strict liability for missed notifications.
The board tasked a member to draft the proposal and route it through legal counsel before submission to FAA. The draft will emphasize that Leidos be recognized as the clearinghouse and that any additional phone notifications be described as an attempt to reach local centers rather than a strict, enforceable duty.
Why it matters: The NOTAM process affects where and how airport conditions (closures, hazards) are posted; the board said it wants to avoid creating a novel legal exposure for volunteer administrators and leaseholders while ensuring pilots receive timely safety information.
Next steps: Draft letter to FAA (assigned to a board member), legal review by county counsel, and follow-up with FAA representatives.
