The decision by the city of Mesa, Arizona, to impose landing fees at the municipal airport has triggered talk of business closures.
On Tuesday the Mesa City Council voted to adopt landing fees at Falcon Field (KFFZ). According to city officials, the fees could bring in about $2.6 million a year that will be used to support airport operations.
But according to the many flight schools located at the airport, the $20 per landing fee will have a negative impact on their businesses, resulting in less activity, which means less revenue for both the schools and the city. Schools that remain at KFFZ will likely pass the fee onto their clients, increasing the price of obtaining a pilot certificate that already is north of $8,000 for the private certificate. Most flight lessons involve multiple takeoffs and landings…