Tiedown agreement sample?
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2008
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 650
Likes: 45
From: Canada
Tiedown agreement sample?
Aerodrome operators, I could use a bit of help. A good friend, who was the owner of a home aerodrome, with a half dozen aircraft tied down, passed on very unexpectedly a couple of weeks back. (slim 49 year old CPL, sudden fatal heart attack 
). This has left his widow to manage the home aerodrome, along with the associated aviation business, and life in general. I'm offering help.
The non owned aircraft tied down there seem to have nothing more than a handshake agreement to be there. Now, I think that's not enough to protect her from economic or practical nusense. I am assisting her in getting things organized. A part of that will be to express to these aircraft owners that there are a few expectations (indemnification for damage, tying it down effectively, cutting grass, etc.).
Can anyone offer me a sample of an agreement that an aircraft owner would be expected to sign to tiedown at an aerodrome? I intend to draft and agreement which she will have the owners sign, to protect and enable her. The owners who have abandoned non flying wrecks there, and seem not to care, will be asked to take them away.
Your help is appreciated....
). This has left his widow to manage the home aerodrome, along with the associated aviation business, and life in general. I'm offering help. The non owned aircraft tied down there seem to have nothing more than a handshake agreement to be there. Now, I think that's not enough to protect her from economic or practical nusense. I am assisting her in getting things organized. A part of that will be to express to these aircraft owners that there are a few expectations (indemnification for damage, tying it down effectively, cutting grass, etc.).
Can anyone offer me a sample of an agreement that an aircraft owner would be expected to sign to tiedown at an aerodrome? I intend to draft and agreement which she will have the owners sign, to protect and enable her. The owners who have abandoned non flying wrecks there, and seem not to care, will be asked to take them away.
Your help is appreciated....
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 896
Likes: 0
From: Strathaven Airfield
Step Turn,
In order to be confident any legal agreement is in any way effective, you need a lawyer: at the very least, you can claim against their indemnity insurance!
What you need to do before seeing a lawyer, is work out what you'd like to get in that agreement. Looks like you have already covered much of that - ie: grass cutting (most airfields leave the grass around the tyres for fear of being accused of slashing tyre walls accidentally), Of course, you may, instead, recommend that small concrete/slabbed pads for each wheel are put in place so the grass can be safely cut.
That's what I mean: you have to look at what you want, you have to look at ways of doing it (by legal agreement or by other methods), and then your lawyer will advise on what is possible under Canadian law.
One "trick"is to keep the Agreement very simple, and then put "regulations"- such as refuelling in certain areas, engine run-ups etc - in a Flying Order Book. Part of the Agreement is to follow the Flying Order Book. An example of how this can be useful is: in the Agreement all aircraft must be insured, in the FOB you enter the amount of insurance. So you can change the amount of cover required very easily.
In order to be confident any legal agreement is in any way effective, you need a lawyer: at the very least, you can claim against their indemnity insurance!
What you need to do before seeing a lawyer, is work out what you'd like to get in that agreement. Looks like you have already covered much of that - ie: grass cutting (most airfields leave the grass around the tyres for fear of being accused of slashing tyre walls accidentally), Of course, you may, instead, recommend that small concrete/slabbed pads for each wheel are put in place so the grass can be safely cut.
That's what I mean: you have to look at what you want, you have to look at ways of doing it (by legal agreement or by other methods), and then your lawyer will advise on what is possible under Canadian law.
One "trick"is to keep the Agreement very simple, and then put "regulations"- such as refuelling in certain areas, engine run-ups etc - in a Flying Order Book. Part of the Agreement is to follow the Flying Order Book. An example of how this can be useful is: in the Agreement all aircraft must be insured, in the FOB you enter the amount of insurance. So you can change the amount of cover required very easily.
