FAA notifies board of Part 13 complaint over landing‑fee methodology; requests documentation

FAA staff from the Helena Airports District Office notified the board that they received a Part 13 informal complaint centering on the airport's landing‑fee methodology and whether fees are applied consistently across users.

Joe Nye, assistant manager at the Helena ADO, told the board that when airports accept federal grant assurances they must be prepared to explain fee methodologies and demonstrate that fees are fair and nondiscriminatory. "When you commit to those or when you accept federal funds, you agree to operate in accordance with those," Nye said. He asked the board to supply the calculation methodology, the operation and maintenance cost breakdown used to set fees, and comparable airports relied upon. FAA staff said they will follow up with a written request and perform a site visit; if the matter is not resolved informally it could be elevated to a Part 16 proceeding at FAA headquarters.

Board members requested a copy of the complaint and agreed to share the FAA's information request with the county attorney and commissioners, noting correspondence to commissioners is public record. FAA also inspected runway lighting, taxiway object‑free areas and other maintenance items and will include observations in its follow‑up.