Introduction
As of October 1, 2003, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) requires
all private airports, heliports and ultralight facilities to register with the State
of Florida. Private seaplane bases are now exempt from registration, ie. if you
operate your aircraft from any body of water; you no longer are required to notify
FDOT. You may still be required to notify the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
via Form 7480-1, Notice of Landing Area Proposal. FAA Form 7480-1.pdf
Private airports with ten or more based aircraft may request to be inspected and
licensed by the Department. However, all private airports must complete the online
site approval and registration process prior to requesting licensure. For licensure
inquiries, contact the Airport Inspection and Safety Manager at 850-414-4500. Additional
information is available at
FDOT's Aviation web page.
Beginning the Site Approval Process - Print this page for future
reference.
There are several steps in order to receive site approval and register your facility.
First you will need to create an account with the department's Private Airport Registration
and Site Approval web site. Upon submittal, a login name and password will be emailed
to you via the email address you provide along with a link back to the Private Airport
Registration and Site Approval web site.
Once you have created an account, login using the login name and password and begin
your private airport site approval process. The Site Approval Data Entry Wizard
will take you through 3 steps. First you will select the type of facility you will
be operating. Second you will be asked to confirm your contact information, provide
facility and landing area data and the third and final step will be to certify the
following information.
Note: Private airport applicants are not required to submit supporting documentation
to FDOT. However, all private airport site approval applicants shall retain, in
their personal possession, all of the required documentation related to this site
approval application, in order to be able to respond to any future local, state,
or federal inquiry.
- Property Rights - Airport site approval applicant shall maintain proof of
ownership, option to buy, or lease agreement for the real property that comprises
the site on which the proposed airport would be located. Although adequate safety
areas surrounding an airport site are important and a factor in consideration of
the Department's approval determination, the applicant is not required to hold property
rights over those real property areas that would constitute runway approach surfaces.
- Local Government - Maintain a copy of each of the letters of notification,
showing the recipient's name and mailing address, that have been submitted to each
zoning authority having jurisdiction for the municipality and county in which the
site lies or which is located within five (5) nautical miles of the proposed airport
site. The applicant shall also maintain a copy of all related correspondence from
each city or county authority, including a statement that the proposed airport site
is in compliance with local zoning requirements or that such requirements are not
applicable.
- FAA Approval - Maintain a copy of the notification to the FAA for the proposed
airport site and a copy of the FAA's airspace approval correspondence.
- Facility Diagram - Maintain a scale drawing showing the size and dimensions
of the proposed facility; property rights-of-way and easements; lighting, power,
and telephone poles; location of building(s) on property and surrounding areas;
direction, distance, and height of all structures over 25 feet within 1,000 feet
of the site perimeter.
- Geodetic Position - Maintain a copy of a U.S. Geological Survey quadrangle
map or equivalent with the proposed site plotted to the nearest second of latitude
and longitude.
- Location Map - Maintain a copy of a map or sketch, at least 8.5 x 11 inch
in size, showing the location of the proposed site with respect to recognizable
landmarks and access roads to the site clearly marked.
- Aviation Facilities - Maintain a list of names and mailing addresses for
adjacent airports, including a sample copy of the letter submitted as proposal notification
to these airports, and keep a copy of all airport correspondence in reply.
- For a proposed airport, list all VFR airports and heliports within five (5) nautical
miles and all IFR airports within 20 nautical miles.
- For a proposed heliport, list all VFR airports and heliports within three (3) nautical
miles and all IFR airports within 10 nautical miles.
- Adjacent Property - Maintain a list of the names and mailing addresses of
all real property owners within 1,000 feet of the airport site perimeter or within
300 feet of the heliport or helistop site perimeter, including a single copy of
the letter of notification submitted as notification to these adjacent real property
owners, and keep a copy of all real property owner correspondence in reply.
- Public Notice - Maintain a copy of the notice and of the letter, showing
the recipient's name and mailing address, requesting publication of notification
of the proposed airport site in a newspaper of general circulation in the county
in which the proposed airport site is located and counties within five (5) nautical
miles of the proposed airport site.
- Waste Sites - Maintain written confirmation that the runway(s) on the proposed
airport would not be located within 5,000 feet of any solid waste management facility,
for a proposed airport serving only non-turbine aircraft, or within 10,000 feet
of any solid waste management facility for a proposed airport serving turbine-driven
aircraft.
- Air-Traffic Pattern - Maintain written confirmation, including a graphical
depiction, demonstrating that safe air-traffic patterns can be established for the
proposed airport with all existing and approved airport sites within three (3) miles
of the proposed airport site. Keep a copy of a written memorandum of understanding
or letter of agreement regarding air-traffic pattern separation procedures between
the parties representing the proposed airport and any existing airports or approved
airport sites located within three (3) miles of the proposed site.
- Safety Factors - Maintain written confirmation that the runway and taxiway
design criteria and airport design layout of the proposed airport have appropriately
taken into account consideration of the manufacturer's performance characteristics
for the type(s) of aircraft planned to be operated; the frequency and type(s) of
flight operations to be anticipated; planned aviation-related or non-aviation activities
on the airport; and any other safety considerations, as necessary, to ensure the
general public health, safety, and welfare of persons located on or near the airport,
as may be required by the Department for licensing or registration.
- Security Factors - Maintain written confirmation that the proposed airport
site owner or lessee, as appropriate, is aware of their responsibility to protect
the general public health, safety, and welfare through secure airport operations
and that they will develop and implement appropriate airport security measures to
safeguard airport and aviation-related assets from misappropriation or misuse in
order to prevent potential loss or public endangerment, as may be required by the
Department for licensing or registration.
Upon submittal, FDOT will respond with an approval or denial to the email address
you provided within 30 days. You may also check your airport's site approval status
by logging into FDOT's Private Airport Registration and Site Approval web site.
Airport site approval becomes final 45 days after issuance and is valid for 2 years.
Once the airport site approval has become final, you may register your airport.
If your airport is not registered by the airport site approval expiration date,
a new airport site approval is required.
Private Airport Registration
Private airport registration is valid for a period of 2 years. You may certify your
airport's information at any time within 2 years. The registration is then valid
for an additional 2-year period. Failure to certify the airport's data by the registration
expiration date will require a new airport site approval.
If you require assistance, please contact the Airport Registration Program Manager
at 850-414-4500 or email at arpm@florida-aviation-database.com.