FAA says hangar homes at public airports won't fly

[September 22, 2010]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- Lawmakers say they want to hear from aviation officials about their plan to prevent public airports from entering into new agreements to build "hangar homes" on adjacent property.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is holding a hearing on such so-called through-the-fence agreements on Wednesday.

The agreements give homeowners the right to drive their planes straight from their homes onto the airport tarmac through special access openings in perimeter fences.

Some lawmakers and Federal Aviation Administration officials are concerned that the arrangements can endanger safety and limit the ability of airports to expand and could be a misuse of government money. About 75 public airports around the country have such agreements.

[Associated Press; By JOAN LOWY]

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