Not trying to start a bitching party, but opened the mail tonight and got a bill from Massport and KBED. I got charged for a DEPARTURE fee of $10. It's only $10, but I have NEVER landed their nor departed. The date on the invoice is from a trip I took from Maine to Long Island NY on December 12, 2007. I looked at the popcorn trail left behind in the 296, and my track was about 15NM west of the airport enroute to New York. I was in contact with Boston Center for most of the flight and I never had to tune into KBED tower. So how does an airport get my tail number under these circumstances. Is Massport trying to bill everyone that is operating in the area? Has anyone else received a bill similar to this throughout the USA? [/b]

menendez, that sounds about as good reason as anything I've heard to start a good old "bitchin' party".

Keep us posted on this. I've got planes flying over my place all day long. I'll need an adding machine to get my charges added up.

Lets see, 150, times $10, times 365 days, wow, half a mill. I think I'll sign off and go down load trade a plane. John

I would call AOPA and tell them about this..... also all the more reason to keep your mouth shut on the radio and not talk with anyone the whole flight.

You have GOT to keep us posted on this. I assume you are going to call someone or at least write a letter asking them to explain as well as prove you were at their airport. Slim, Fat, and None, would be the chances I'd pay that one even if it was One dollar. Although remember you are flying in the land of Ted Kennedy!!!!

Hello Menendez777
I only live about 5 mi from KBED.I have all over their airspace and never heard of this one.I'll get the scoop today if I can.
Bill

I just spoke to Masport at Hanscom Field(KBED).Evidently they have an automated system that using radar and transponder info that will automatically put an aircraft into the fee/billing system when in their area with the assumption that the aircraft is landing.It does make a mistake once in a while he said.
If anyone else encounters this call 781-869-8000,option 1 ,and ask for Sedrick Daniel .
Bill

Thanks Willy,
you pretty much summed it up. A mistake by Massport. Looked at the comments on airnav.com for KBED and it sounds like they have had some problems with the system. For a moment I figured they saw a backcountry flyer way out of his element and tried to slip one by me!

is Massport in Massachusetts, as in Mitt Romney??

patrol guy wrote:is Massport in Massachusetts, as in Mitt Romney??

Lets not start that. The other so called Republican is no friend of genral aviation.

Tim

qmdv wrote:

patrol guy wrote:is Massport in Massachusetts, as in Mitt Romney??

Lets not start that. The other so called Republican is no friend of genral aviation.

Tim

None of them Politicians are General aviation friends. They all see us as a possible cash cow. Gee how can we get som money out of those rich pilots?

I work at KBED and massport is a joke.....they are just plain awful when it comes to this type of issue. They have a late night fee if you come in after 11pm or out before 7am and if you do it more than 3x in a year they triple the amount...comes out to something in the 300-400 dollar range its insane! The best thing to see though are the old Learjets sit at the end of the runway will the throttles wide open witht he hopes of waking the neighbors up since they just had to spend $300.00 on a late night dep...I guess they get their money's worth....rude but funny at the same time....KBED should be avoided by all small planes...

the other guy mentioned above also thinks pilots are over paid and underworked.
on topic, how about just turning off the old transpx.