JetAway’s Part 16 complaint dismissed

MONTROSE — Montrose County is claiming vindication after the Federal Aviation Administration found it was not in violation of federal grant assurances at Montrose Regional Airport.

Thursday, the FAA dismissed — for the second time in three years — a Part 16 complaint brought by JetAway Aviation. The company has 30 days to appeal the decision, which is an initial agency finding.

JetAway filed a Part 16 complaint with the FAA last January, claiming the county unreasonably denied its attempts to become a fixed-base operator. It had also filed a complaint that was dismissed in 2006.

The company, which in March had its on-airport access revoked, also wanted an FAA investigation. It previously operated next door to the airport under a through-the-fence agreement. JetAway has since laid off most of its staff.

Its FAA complaint and a separate antitrust suit (still pending) in general alleged the county discriminated against JetAway in favor of Black Canyon Jet Center/Jet Center Partners, which was awarded the FBO contract at the airport in 2005, after a competitive bidding process. JetAway also claims the county did not offer a comparable on-airport site for a second FBO.

The Part 16 complaint alleged Montrose County was in violation of its federal grant assurances by favoring JCP, which is situated on the airport.

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