Resident defends longtime hangar tenant; council schedules formal lease review Oct. 14

A Manchester resident urged the City Council to permit a longtime airport hangar tenant to sublet his private hangar, saying the tenant has provided years of volunteer service and financial support to the Manchester Municipal Airport.

The resident, who identified an address in Manchester, said she had spoken with Amy J. Walter in the FAA compliance office and read an email from Walter advising that subleasing is typically reviewed by the airport sponsor and that sponsors should ensure continued access for inspections and emergency use. “If this is allowed in the airport minimum standards in your lease with the sponsor allows for subleasing then we typically refer this to the sponsor to review and provide any comments,” the resident read from the FAA message attributed to Amy J. Walter.

City staff told the council the assignment or transfer of the lease is not automatic under the existing lease and requires council approval. Staff said they had received an attorney letter and will respond and prepare recommended lease terms that incorporate FAA-compliance items before returning the matter to the council. “We’ll respond to the attorney’s letter and prepare what we recommend and bring it back to you on October 14,” the chair said.

The resident argued the tenant had repeatedly contributed to airport facilities at no cost to the city and that subletting is a common practice when owners stop flying. Staff and the chair framed the next step as a formal review of the assignment and the draft lease terms, not an immediate approval of a sublease.

The council took no final action on the assignment at the meeting; council members asked staff to provide a redrafted lease and legal response ahead of the October 14 agenda item.