## SOA R MINDEN , INC . & MINDE N AVIATI C 'N,I]fg , ^''Mi M 9 201

0 RT/ENVIRONMENTA L tAW , AGC-60 0 Novembe r

22,201 0 The Offic e o f

Chie f Counse l Attention : FAA Part

1 6 Airport

Proceeding s Docke t

AGC'61 0 Federal Aviatio n Administratio n 80 0 Independenc e Ave. , S W Washington , D.C . 2059 1 CERTIFIED Mail , T o FA A 700 9 341 0 000 0 588 6 424 5 RE : Par t

16 , Titl e 1 4 Complain t Dea r Si r o r Madam : Thi s lette r i s sen t a s aComplain t

agains t th e Dougla s Count

y Manager , T . Michae l Brown , manager

o f Doi:^a s County , th e sponsorin g organizatio n for th e Dougla s Count

y Airport . I t i s sent/file d usin g Certifie d Ma U #700 9 341 0 000 0 588 6 425 2 t o P.O . Bo x 21 8 Minden , Nevad a89423 , telephon e 77 5 78 2 9821 , facsimil e numbe r 77 5 78 2 6255 . I t

i s submitte d pursuan t t o Par t 16 , Titl e 1 4 o f

th e Cod e o f

Federal Regulations . Thi s Complain t i s broi^ t

b y myself , individually , an d throug h tw o Nevad acorporation s vWc h I ow n i n thei r entirety . Soa

r Minden , Inc. , an d Minde n Aviation , Inc . Pursuan t t o you r direction , I hav e enclose d with thi s origina l docimient

thre e additiona l copies . Al l futur e communicatio n ca n b e directe d bac k t o m e a t th e addres s above . I allege , an d I believ e th e enclose d docimient s prove , that th e Dougla s Count

y Airport use d miniminn standard s t o protec t a n exclusiv e righ t

t o Hvit t Aviatio n t o functio n a s aFul l Servic e Fixe d Bas e Operato r (FSFBO) . FA A General Orde r

5190.6B , a t

Chapter 10 , addresse s reasonabl e commercia l minimu m standards . Sectio n 10.2(c ) state s tha t th e minimu mstandard s mus t b e "reasonable , no t

unjusti y discriminatory , attainable , uniforml y applie d an d reasonabl y protec t provider s o f

aeronautical service s fix)munreasonabl e competition, " Sectio n 10. 3 provides :

103 . Us e o f

Minimu mStandard s t o Protec t a n Exclasiv e Right . Whe n th e sponso r

implement s minimu mstandard s fo r th e apparen t purpos e o f

protectin g a n exclusiv e right, th e FA A wil l fin d th e sponso r i n violatio n o f

th e exclusiv e rights prohibition . Evidenc e o f inten t t o gran t a n exclusiv e right

migh t be , fo r example , th e adoptio n o f

astandar d tha t

onl y on e particula

r operato r ca n reasonabl y o r

practicall y mee tDougla s Count y adopte d ne w minimu mstandard s on Octobe

r 7,2010 . Prio

r to th e adoption o f

th e standards , mysel

f an d Hut t Aviatio n wer e bot h FSFB O a

t the Airport . Followin g th e adoptio

n o f th e ne w standards , ther

e i s no wa y tha t an y othe r entity , otiie

r tha n Hut t Aviation , ca

n provid e fiieling service s a s aFSFB O a t th e Airpor

t I a m convince d tha t wha t Douglas Count

y ha s don e i s i n violation o f

you r regulation s an

d i t ha s pu t in plac e asituation vdier

e I wil l b e shu t ou t a s a n FSFBO , o

r eve n apurveyo

r o f fue l unde r othe r standards , and i n s o doin

g ha s created asituation v/bes K ther e wil l b e onl y on e possibl e provide

r o f fue l a t th e Airpor L I n consonanc e wit

h FA A Genera l Orde r 5190.6 B a t paragrap h 162 1 (a ) an d (b ) I offe r the following : a . Bot

h the partie s associated wit

h thi s cas e agree

d tha t the mediation session scheduled fo

r Octobe r 13,201 0 (attachmen

t 54 ) wit h adistrict cour t judge , not i n Douglas Count

y wa s a n acceptable , informa

l manne r in whic h t o engage agoo

d ^t h effor

t t o resolv e disputed matters . h . Althoug

h I a mno t alawye r I must write , th e paragrap h referenced , :l6.21(a ) say s th e "Thes e effort

s a t informa l resolutio n ma

y include , ^^^ ^ w limitation* ' woul

d see mt o allo w othe r reasonabl e method s towar

d iesolution . Surel

y writte n letters , emails , telephon

e call s an d meeting s fal l in the are ao f

"effort s o f informa l resolution" . c . Additionally , throughou t th e cours e o f

thi s disput e I hav e proposed man y solution s t o thi s problem . Pleas e se e attachment s 6,11,15,24,29 , 3 1 pleas e see pag e 5 , "Th

e Solution" , 32,34,35,3 8 pleas e se e pag e 4 , paragrap h 1 , * ! think..." , 4 1 pleas e se e pag e 6 "Alternative s A an d B" , 42,43,46.47,48,49,51,55,5 6 an d 60 . d . Failing th e County' s respons e to m y continued reasonable an

d goo d Mt h effort s I initiate d sui

t agains t Douglas Count

y o n 1 1 Novembe

r 201 0 i n th e Nmt h District Court , Douglas Count

y Nevada . e . I n th e followii ^ paragrap

h "Background " (page s 3- 6 o f thi s letter ) I addres s th e issue s require

d in 16.23 (b)(3 ) an

d (4) .

WOTld' sNovembe r 21,201 0 Pag e 3 Rackgronn d I a mno t askilled write

r an d reques t you r patienc e i n workin

g throug h the documentatio

n whic h I hav e provided to you . I believe tha t yo u will find everythin

g necessar y t o suppor t m y Par t 1 6 Complain

t in th e enclose

d documentation . I hav e retained a n attorne y to fil e suit agains t th e Airpor t fo r variou s breache s o f

leases , pennits , an d othe r agreements whic

h I have wit

h th e Airpor

t I simpl y canno t affor d to pa y hi m an d als o a n aviation attome

y t o bring thi s Complain

t A s yo u wil l see in th e enclose

d document s wha t ha s happene

d ove r th e las t fe w month s i s separat

e an d apar t fix>mthe grievance s whic

h I hav e agains t

th e Count y arisin g ou t o f th e leas e an

d othe r contract s tha t I hav e wit h them . Tha t said , however , i t

i s importan

t tha t yo u understan

d th e bacl^ound . Accordingly , yo

u wil l fin d variou s document

s enclosed . First , yo

u will see a

n April 26 , 201 0 lette r (attachmen

t 38 ) fromm

y attome y Mr . Jame s R . Hale s to Mr . Mchae l McCormick

, a n Assistan t District Attome y fo r Douglas County , Nevada . I a mprovidin g t o yo u th e lette r an d al l o f th e documents tha

t wer e enclose d i n tha t letter . Tha

t lette r dooanent s tha

t unde r the previou s se

t o f minimu mstandard s th e Airpor

t issued to m

e a permi t a s a n FSFB O unde

r circumstance s wher

e i t kne w I coul d no t possibl y compl y wit h the provision s i n th e permi t A t tha t time th e Count

y planne d t o mov e soarin

g operation s t o the eas t sid e o f th e airport , an

d kee p powe r based flights o n th e wes t

sid e o f th e Airpor t I t agree d t o tak e utilitie s to ± B eas t

sid e o f tiie Airport , an

d w e all agree

d tha t \mti l the utilitie s wer

e ou t ther e I woul d not b e required t o buil d building s o n tha t sid e o f th e Airpor t Fo r economi c reason s the Count

y neve r took th e utilitie s to th e eas t

sid e o f th e Airport . Fo r th e las t nin e year s I hav e continue

d to operat e a s I di d whe

n th e permi

t wa s first issued , whic

h i s witiiou t the required hanga

r space . Th e ^pri l 26,201 0 lette

r fix>m Jame s Hales , an

d th e document

s attached t o th e letter , establis h tha t th e Count y kne w tha t I wa s no t i n comfdianc

e an d waive d an y complianc e requirements . Meanwhil e I continue d to pa y mone y to th e Count

y fo r aleasehold o n parcel s tha

t wer e no t developed , an d could no t possibl y b e developed . Ove r th e years the Airpor

t Manage r changed , a s did th e Cotmt

y Commissioner

s an d Count y Manager . Despit

e th e clea r writte n recor d o f the agreemen

t I ha d wit h the County , the curren

t officer s refuse t o accep

t the documentatio

n showin g ou r agreement . A s aresult o f m y attorney' s Apri l 26,201 0 letter , th e Count y sen t aMa y 7,201 0 respons e (attachmen

t 40) , whic h I have als o enclosed . M

y attome y then sen t anothe r respons e o n Ma y 21,201 0 (attachmen

t 41) . Essentiall y th e Count

y pu t itsel f in aposition where , becaus e o f it s own conduc

t i n failin g t o develo p the Airpor

t i n the manne

r tha t i t expecte d an d promised , I coul

d not complet e the building s an

d hanga r spac e to put

mysel f i n complianc e wit

h th e minimu

m standards . Meanwhil

e Hut t Aviation , whic

h ha d als o change

d ownershi p sinc e th e permi

tNovembe r 21 , 201 0 Pag e 4 wa s first issued , bega

n complainin

g t o th e Count

y tha t the y wer e being unfairl

y treated sinc e I wa s not

i n compliance . Basi s o f th e Far t 1 6 Complain t M y attomey , throug

h acivil lawsui t

wil l dea l wit h wha t happene d to th e Coimt

y prio r t o Ma y 16,2010 . Th

e act s o f th e Count y followin g Ma y 21,201 0 ar

e th e basi s fo r thi s Par t 1 6 Complain

t I believ e tiie evidenc e enclose d woul d caus e an y reasonable perso n t o conclud e tha t th e Count y kne w tha t throug h it s ow n action s i t

ha d created a n ureconcilabl e situation . Th

e minimu mstandard s in plac e require d tha t a n FSFB O hav e 10,00

0 squar e fee t o f hanga r space . Ther

e simpl y i s not 10,00 0 squar e fee t o f available hanga

r spac e fo r me . I have mad

e arrangement

s wit h the owne r o f ahanga r t o leas e hanga

r spac e fso m him , an d the n leas e bac k to hi mtiie portio n tha

t I d o not need t o ru n m y FSFBO . Th

e realit y i s tha t tiie practicalitie s o f

operating a

n FSFB O i n Dov^la s Count y d o no t requir e 10,00 0 squar e fee t o f hanga r space t o hav e available o n a n immediat

e deman d basis . Th

e onl y entit y tha t ha s the abilit

y t o mee t tha t requiremen

t i s Hut t Avatio aI

n a n effor t t o presen t themselve s a s appearin

g to addres s the realit

y tha t the y ha d prevented m

e fix>m buildin g 10,00 0 squar e fee t b y no t puttin g the utilitie s i n on th e eas t en d o f the Airport , th e County , o n Octobe

r 7,2010 , adopted ne

w minimu mstandard s tequkin g tha

t hanga r spac e b e oid y 7,50 0 squar e fee t However, eve

n thou ^ I have 7,50

0 squar e fee t o f hanga r spac e throug

h m y leas e an d subleas e bac

k agreement , th e Count

y rejects m y assertion tha

t tiiis i s in compliance wit

h tiie minimu

mstandards . Th

e ne t impac t o f this , therefore , i s tha

t th e Count y ha s assate d tha

t withi n sixt y day s fiomOctobe

r 7,2010, 1 will no t b e authorized to continu

e to sel l fuel . I understan d in reviewin

g th e regulation s re^rdin g Par t 1 6 Complaints tha

t I nee d t o establish fo

r yo u tha t I have attempte

d to wor k thi s otx t directi y witi i Douglas Count

y an d th e Minden-Tahoe Airport . Afte r m y attome y prepared the Complain

t an d while the Airpor t the n wa s starting th

e proces s o f

adoptin g tiie minimu

mstandards , a

t th e reques t o f th e Airport , amediation sessio n wa s arrange

d betwee n m y attome y an d Mr . McCormick . The

y ha d agree d to utilizi e acurrenti y sitting Distric t

Cour t Judg e to presid

e ove r th e mediation session . M

y attorney' s August

4,201 0 lette

r to Mr . McCormic

k i s enclose d (attachmen

t 59.5) . W e wer e prepared to procee

d an d addres s al l o

f th e issue s o

f th e lawsuit , an

d als o thos e raised i n thi s Par

t 1 6 Complain

t However, Dougla s Count

y unilaterall

y discontinued th e mediation session . Se e Mr . McCormick' s Septembe r 28,201 0 lette

r whic h i s als o enclos e (attachmen t 59) . Th e Count y cite s tw o reason s fo

r not proceeding , bu t the y ar e bot h disingenuous . I wa s a

t al l times ready , willing an

d abl e t o attemp

t t o mediat e tiiese issues . Amazingly , the Count y assert s tha

t th e adoption o

f th e new standard s eliminate s th e nee d fo r mediation . No t to m y amazemen

t th e Count y no t onl y create d ne w minimu mstandard s t

o minimiz e the thei r forthcomin

g los s i n court , bu

t tailored th e ne

w standard s to exacti

yNovembe r 21 , 201 0 Page s matc h all th e improvement

s th e othe r FSFB O ha s adde

d t o thei r facilit y sinc e the previou s docimien

t was written . Sirs o r madam , al l th e attachments referre d to above ma

y b e foun d i n th e (nearly ) chronologica

l lis t o f attachment s below . I

n orde r tha t yo u ma y know th e siz e o f

the effor t I hav e mad

e t o wor k wit h thi s count

y I hav e presented yo

u prett y muc h m y entir e file. Shoul d yo u choos e to mak

e adeepe r review o f thes e matter s yo

u ar e welcome . Attachments (som

e ar e multipage , I hav e signe

d th e first shee t o f eac h attachmen

t only) . 1 . Minde n Tahoe Airpor

t (MTA ) lette r Ma y 19,200 8 2 . Soa r Minde n (SM ) lette

r Ma y 21,200 8 3 . MT A lette r Ma y 22,200 8 4 . S M lette r Ma y 28,200 8 5 . MTAletterJunell,200 8 6 . SM lette

r Jun e 15,200 8 7 . MT A lette r Jun e 25,200 9 8 . SMletterJulylO,200 8 9 . MT A lette r Jul y 24,200 8 10 . S M lette r Jul y 28,200 8 11 . S M lette r 2 9 Septembe

r 200 8 12 . S M lette r Jul y 9,200 9 13 . SM lette

r Septembe r 9,200 9 14 . MT A lette r Octobe r 1,200 9 15 . S M lette r Novembe r 15,200 9 16 . MT A lette r Novembe r 18,200 9 17 . MT A lette r Decembe r 1,200 9 18 . S M lette r Decembe r 2,200 9 19 . MT A lette r Decembe r 9,200 9 20 . S M lette r Decembe r 21,200 9 21 . MT A lette r Februar y 16,201 0 22 . MT A lette r Febnaar y 19,201 0 23 . SM lette

r Februar y 19,201 0 24 . S M lette r Februar y 23,200 9 25 . MT A lette r Febnjar y 24,201 0 26 . Douglas Count

y IMstric t Attome y (DCDA ) lette r Februar y 26,201 0 27 . DCD A lette r Februar y 26,201 0 (differen

t subjec t th e attachmen

t #26 ) 28 . SM lette

r Februar y 28,201 0 29 . S M lette r Marc h 2,201 0 30 . MT A lette r Marc h 3,201 0 31 . S M lette r Marc h 5,201 0 32 . S M lette r Marc h 10,201 0 33 . DCD A email Marc

h 23,201 0 34 . Row e & Hales , LL

P Attomey s A

t La w (RH ) lette r Marc h 25,201 0 35 . SM notic e Marc

h 25,201 0 36 . DCD A lette r Marc h 31,201 0November 21 , 201 0 Pag e 6 37 . MT A lette r April 15,201 0 38 . R H lette r 2 6 April , 201 0 39 . R H email Ma

y 4,201 0 40 . DCD A lette r Ma y 7,201 0 41 . R H lette r Ma y 21,201 0 42 . S M lette r June 7,201 0 43 . R H lette r June 10,201 0 44 . MT A lette r Jun e 11,201 0 45 . MT A lette r Jun e 14,201 0 46 . SM lette

r June 15,201 0 47 . S M lette r Jun e 18,201 0 48 . SM lette

r Jun e 22,201 0 49 . SM lette

r Jun e 28,201 0 50.RHleti»rJuly9,201 0 51 . SM lette

r Jul y 13,201 0 52 . DCD A emai l Jul y 14,201 0 53 . MT A lette r Jul y 20,201 0 54 . R H lette r August 4,201 0 55 . SM lette

r Augus t 10,201 0 (Propose

d settlemen

t amoimt s blacked out

) 56 . S M lette r Augus t 25,201 0 57 . Dougla s Count

y Assistan t Count y Manage r (DCACM ) lette r August 25,201 0 58 . DCAC M lette r August 26,201 0 59 . DCD A lette r Septembe r 28,201 0 59. 5 R H lette r Octobe r 4,201 0 60 . SM lette

r Octobe r 7,201 0 61 . MT A note , unsigned , han

d delivere d Octobe r 6,201 0 62 . MT A lette r Octobe r 8,201 0 63 . MT A lette r to A l Gangwis h July 9,200 9 64 . Hut t Aviation lette

r to MT A Augus t 5,200 9 65 . MT A lette r August 5,200 9

Antonio M . Sabtn o p.do c Sincerely , J ( n Antoni o M . Sabin n ^