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capt. mike
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Bad News at Bahia de Los Angeles - 12/1/2009
Impending permanent closure of Bay of LA airport (BAX)
Bahia de los Angeles has not had a permit for many years. It has been ignored as the three identities, the State of Baja Norte, the City of Bahia de
Los Angeles, as well as the Ejido all claim that they are not the responsible party for keeping the airport licensed. The Government has informed all
three entities that the strip must be licensed or it will be closed and no one reacted.
The Ejido indicates that the State is responsible for airport and is therefore responsible for the licensing and the State indicates that it is not,
and that the Ejido must take responsibility for licensing.
With no action by either side for a number of years, the government has stepped in and 1) has closed the airport by NOTAM, 2) circulated said NOTAM to
all AOEs in Baja and Mainland Mexico indicating it is closed, (3) informed the military based there to turn away any incoming traffic and if the
traffic refuses, to confiscate the aircraft, and 4) that if there is no action by the responsible party, (whoever they are) the strip could be
physically closed in.
Since a NOTAM has been out for a few days and no DGAC office at an AOE will be filing a flight plan to Bay of LA, any plane landing there, just like
at any other unlicensed airstrip, can, under the authority of the Law of Aviation, have their plane confiscated and the pilot can be detained.
The strip is critical for both the people who live there as well as is a huge paved emergency landing source located midway between San Felipe and
Loreto. In addition, it is used on a daily basis for charter service from Cabo San Lucas as well as there is a tour operator who flies people to this
strip where they are transferred by boat to their private camp on a weekly basis.
If this strip is closed, it will have a major impact on the people who live and work there as well as be a major safety concern.
We urge anyone with any connection to contact official persons so that this airport will continue to operate
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
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fishbuck
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Bummer! My first solo trip to Baja was at BOLA.
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." J. A. Shedd.
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. – Albert Einstein
"Life's a Beach... and then you Fly!" Fishbuck
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capt. mike
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Well maybe Baja Airventures will foot the bill for the license - they have the most to lose. their eco camp depends on flying in tourists weekly in
their piper 6s and 206s.
otherwise their biz is toast.
Las Animas.
they have a great successful set up there and a TON invested.
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
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wilderone
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How much are we talking about? Do they need to pay for three years arrears? $5 exit fee isn't much if it would serve to pay a fee and keep the
airport open. Now the whole town suffers. To trench it and render it useless is just wasteful. Maybe there should also be a portion of a TOT
(transit occupany tax - hotel tax) that would go toward keeping the airport open in the future.
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capt. mike
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doesn't apply at non towered airports
Quote: | Originally posted by wilderone
How much are we talking about? Do they need to pay for three years arrears? $5 exit fee isn't much if it would serve to pay a fee and keep the
airport open. Now the whole town suffers. To trench it and render it useless is just wasteful. Maybe there should also be a portion of a TOT
(transit occupany tax - hotel tax) that would go toward keeping the airport open in the future. |
there are no fees at airports that have no admin or towers etc. And the $5 dep tax from SEANAM controlled airports are applied when leaving the
country only - not filing to another mex port.
BOLA is simply an uncontrolled field that gets very little traffic.
the strip registration fees can be huge. When the feds wanted San juanico to pay theirs in about 1985 it was reportedly $3000 US equivalent - a
fortune for a tiny fishing village. Its a mexican standoff between 3 entities none of which want to pony up - ejido, city/town or state/county.
so goes the politics of mexico.....if it makes sense, find a way NOT to make it happen...
on the ramp at BOLA circa 2003, with The Baja Express
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
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Ken Bondy
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mike
How do they close a paved uncontrolled strip like that? Is it ditched? Or do they just paint big "X's" at each end?
[Edited on 12-8-2009 by Ken Bondy]
carpe diem!
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capt. mike
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painted X is the int'l sign (ICAO) for paved as am sure you know.
but the mexicans can and will take it to an extreme - i've heard that they threatened to cut the asphalt "ditching" equivalent at BOLA to get the
message across.....so to speak.
guarantee you as soon as someone's pocket starts to hurt they'll be a deal cut and the right people will get paid.
Mexico is simply the old west in many respects. little law except for those it serves best - and no order!
i could care less - i never go to BOLA much, i think the place is boring.
either too hot, too cold or too much vientos!
in less than an hour further south i can be in mulege, 10 minutes more and i am at PSFO - both have more to offer me each in their different way.
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
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mtgoat666
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Quote: | Originally posted by capt. mike
Quote: | Originally posted by wilderone
How much are we talking about? Do they need to pay for three years arrears? $5 exit fee isn't much if it would serve to pay a fee and keep the
airport open. Now the whole town suffers. To trench it and render it useless is just wasteful. Maybe there should also be a portion of a TOT
(transit occupany tax - hotel tax) that would go toward keeping the airport open in the future. |
there are no fees at airports that have no admin or towers etc. And the $5 dep tax from SEANAM controlled airports are applied when leaving the
country only - not filing to another mex port.
BOLA is simply an uncontrolled field that gets very little traffic.
the strip registration fees can be huge. When the feds wanted San juanico to pay theirs in about 1985 it was reportedly $3000 US equivalent - a
fortune for a tiny fishing village. Its a mexican standoff between 3 entities none of which want to pony up - ejido, city/town or state/county.
so goes the politics of mexico.....if it makes sense, find a way NOT to make it happen...
on the ramp at BOLA circa 2003, with The Baja Express |
san ignacio lagoon charges landing fees, so why doesn't bola charge landing fees??????
they need to pay the govt license fee, and set a rate structure to charge pilots a landing fee.
seems like simple problem to solve.
if insufficient landings to fund license fee and maintenance, then time to close the strip, eh?
l
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David K
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The government built the paved airport there, not the ejido... Part of improving communication in the republic (access to flying business, emergency
evacuation/ assistance, etc.).
It was built in a terrible spot with a crosswind canyon airflow blowing right across there... but there was a dirt strip there before.
The Muñoz runway next to Camp Gecko is a great place, but lacks regular maintenance... and I am sure they didn't want a public strip next to their
resident's homes.
There was a strip at Sammi's across the bay at Rincon... but that is so far away from town.
The original strip was right in town... when the town got too big, and someone was killed, that was the end of the Diaz strip.
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capt. mike
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San ignacio only charges because it's only OPEN 3 months a year for whales season and the concessionairs have a guy there on a radio to call in to the
tour companies when someone arrives so the vans will come get them.
they get you for the landing and added per pax.
at BOLA there is no one there that's paid to sit on their arse and wait for a plane to land so they can charge them.
fees are fine but some one has to manage it and that means some one has to be there doing something and collecting.
the 16 year olds with machine guns are not established to collect fees.
who else is going to take charge? like i said it's hardly used. maybe more on a weekend - but for now the dip schlitz can't even figure out who is
responsible for it.
typ mexico....i don't know why i like it so much....
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
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marv sherrill
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According to Raul Espinoza, ex major and Ejido Pres. He just got back from Ensenada and everything is taken care of - airfield open! just a
misunderstanding.
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capt. mike
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Marv - you might want to keep checking....
from BBP's chief admin today:
"We confirmed with the Commander at San Felipe, the region that regulates Bay of LA who told us that nothing has changed. The airport is closed and
the military has now been instructed to hold any aircraft that lands there. He went on to say that Ensenada has nothing to do with BOLA. San Felipe
indicates that they will inform the BBP as soon as the Notice of Closure NOTAM is lifted."
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
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airmech
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According to Dr. Abraham Vazquez; he is getting the paperwork together and getting the approval of the ejidos for the funds. Then he's got take it
north send it to Mexico City and wait for a permit. He said that with the holidays coming up they wont even answer the phone till the new year. So
most likely BOLA airport will be closed till next year. For us any town without an airport or a closed one is useless.
Baja airventures will just start using Punta Prieta to fly his guests in. He has the manpower to drive them from there.
Shari, is there a place to leave a motorhome in Asuncion?
Both optimists and pessimists contribute to the society. The optimist invents the aeroplane, the pessimist the parachute.
— George Bernard Shaw
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capt. mike
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where is punta prieta, airmech? good place to visit? haven't been there. need to check my guides.
glad to hear the Doc is on it.
yeah, Kevin has horsepower and is well connected for sure.
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
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airmech
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Punta Prieta is a paved airport just south of the turnoff to BOLA.....nuthin there.
Both optimists and pessimists contribute to the society. The optimist invents the aeroplane, the pessimist the parachute.
— George Bernard Shaw
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David K
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Capt. Mike, you need to get FLY BAJA! (or BBP's Airports of Baja/Mexico) and you will see Punta Prieta and all the other airports in Baja!
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airmech
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DK those are both ancient history.
Both optimists and pessimists contribute to the society. The optimist invents the aeroplane, the pessimist the parachute.
— George Bernard Shaw
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capt. mike
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exactly Airmech.
BTW i like your tag....Alan Klapmeier must be bi-polar!
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
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David K
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Maybe so, but this was your Q: "where is punta prieta, airmech?"
Both of those books I mention (are their newer ones?), most maps, driving Hwy. 1... all show the Punta Prieta airport and where it is.
It is about a mile long paved runway right alongside Hwy. 1, more visible than most other Baja airports from the highway.
[Edited on 12-11-2009 by David K]
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David K
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PUNTA PRIETA AIRPORT
View is looking north, on the left parallel to the runway is Hwy. 1... the town of Punta Prieta is at the top/ left. This is 8 miles south of the L.A.
Bay hwy. jcn. (aka Parador Punta Prieta):
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