Spoke to Mike Spearman today. They aren't going to open La Garita this year. It didn't generate enough business to justify the insurance. Bummer, that was a cool place to fly in to.

Jim

Maybe get some other pilots who enjoy the strip and everyone split the cost of insurance?

That is a bummer...

In NM landowners are exempt from liability for people flying onto their property...I'm pretty sure

In California if useless culls get hurt on your property they pretty much take it.

Tim

You are correct. http://theraf.org/news/2011/aircraft-us ... use-statue

This has been a big focus of the RAF.

Colorado Recreational Aviation Committee (CoRAC) and the RAF are working towards a solution. Should have something in a month or so.
The Colorado State RUS is very strong, but does not have "aviation" specific wording. Paraphrasing, it list "skiing, fishing, hunting, camping AND OTHER RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES". Some private strip owners such as Morning Shadows and Sand Dunes Pool have interpreted this as covering them from liability.
The RAF has twice now tried to get "aviation" specific wording inserted. Twice, the Trial Lawyers Lobby has had the wording changed in Committee that resulted in the Sponsor pulling the Bill. The resulting changes would have made the existing RUS much weaker.
Same has happened in Texas.
We will get LGCR open again. Stay tuned....

I'm staying tuned, love that place

I made a pretty good case for non-liability in some litigation I was involved with several years ago, but I agree, the Colorado statute is a bit vague. If I were an owner, I'd be leery of going bare, i.e., w/o insurance.

But I hate to see La Garita closed--it's one of my favorite places, too.

Cary

Bonk! I mistook La Garita for a ranch in Nuevo Mexico. My mistake.

J:

I am not a lawyer, but I think it is likely any liability legislation that will be passed won't cover them. Here in NM, we were able to pass a RUS (recreational use statute), but it specifies non-commercial use. If his strip was here in NM and he had customers using it and then staying at his cabins or using his services, I don't think he would be covered.

However, RAF negotiated a blanket insurance policy price for airstrip owners of $1,000 (apr price, maybe a little less) per strip per year. That doesn't seem too unreasonable to me and then he would be covered. We have an owner here in NM that uses that insurance and was pleased with the rate.

La Garita is a wonderful place and I hope you guys work with him to see if something can be done. Perhaps the Colorado Pilot's Group would work with him to kick in a little to cover the costs. Bet if you had a flyin there, you could pass the hat and cover quite a bit of that cost??

Thanks for letting us know about this and if you need any help with this, don't hesitate to contact me.

Good luck, L