Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Trump restrictions could signal end for some, report says
Flight restrictions in place when President Donald Trump visits South Florida could significantly affect Palm Beach County’s aviation industry, potentially to the point some operations and flight schools will be put out of business, according to a new report from airport officials.
The report, readied by the county’s Department of Airports, details how planes will be grounded when Trump visits his Palm Beach oceanfront estate Mar-a-Lago, which the president recently dubbed the Winter White House on social media.
Those restrictions will effectively close the Lantana Airport, a busy general-aviation airport, when Trump is in town. Operations at about a dozen other airports or airfields will be affected, spanning from Pompano Beach to Stuart, according to the report.
Travelers flying into South Florida’s major airports, including Palm Beach International, won’t notice much of a difference. But smaller private aircraft will face substantial restrictions when the president visits, said Jerry Allen, deputy director of airports for Palm Beach County.
Planes pulling banners will be grounded within a 30-nautical-mile ring around Palm Beach. Sightseeing aircraft, parachuting flights, crop-dusters and seaplanes will not be allowed in that zone. Flight training will be suspended. The flying of unmanned aerial vehicles will be halted. Exemptions are in place for emergency aircraft, such as air ambulance flights and law enforcement helicopters.
Hadley Doyle-Gonzalez, owner of Skywords Advertising, said those restrictions could force her out of business if they aren’t loosened.
“We have already lost revenue over Christmas break,” said Doyle-Gonzalez, whose business is based at Lantana Airport. “We had a few clients wanting to fly a banner, and we couldn’t. If there is no relief, it is going to have a very red effect on our bottom line.”
She owns the business with her husband, and they have three planes that pull banners along the beach and at events throughout South Florida. Trump’s holiday visits could ground her planes at some of the busiest times for business, she said.
In a statement, the Federal Aviation Administration said it is working with the Secret Service, the Palm Beach County Department of Aviation and stakeholders “to minimize the impact on commercial and general aviation.”
County officials say they haven’t been told how often Trump plans to visit South Florida. They are set to brief county commissioners on the potential effects on Tuesday.
Commercial aircraft will be able to land and take off from Palm Beach International Airport, but jets will be diverted around Mar-a-Lago.
Corporate jets and other private aircraft traveling to Palm Beach International or Lantana Airport when restrictions are in place must first land and be screened by the Transportation Security Administration at a “gateway airport” before proceeding to their destination.
Orlando International Airport and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport have been designated gateway airports. Three other airports where pilots frequently travel to South Florida also have been approved, Allen said. Those airports are Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, Westchester County Airport in New York and Washington Dulles International Airport.
In a letter to Trump, Mark Baker, president and CEO of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, asked for the president’s help in minimizing the effect. He also detailed the importance of Palm Beach County’s aviation industry. Six airports in the area that will be affected produce an economic output of more than $1 billion, create more than 8,000 jobs and have a total payroll of $290 million, according to his letter.
A Trump spokeswoman couldn’t be reached for comment.
The county’s report lists some specific effects on businesses. Palm Beach Flight Training at Lantana Airport could potentially be put out of business. Palm Beach Aircraft Services Inc., which performs aircraft maintenance at Lantana Airport, estimates it will lose $2 million in revenue a year as a result of the restrictions.
Nearly 270 airplanes and helicopters are based at Lantana Airport, along with three flight schools and 12 aviation-related businesses, according to the report.
Not all aviation businesses anticipate that flight restrictions will have a significant effect on the bottom line.
Scott Kohut, deputy director of the Boca Raton Airport, said he doesn’t expect much of an effect on his airport’s operations because it is outside the 10-mile zone that will have the most restrictive rules.
Doyle-Gonzalez, who started her small aviation business in 2007, said she’s optimistic that the Trump administration will loosen restrictions that could adversely affect her.
“We don’t think we are going to be completely shut down,” she said. “There has to be some relief for small businesses. That’s the platform he ran on.”