Surf Air Update March 2019

Surf Air is flying.   Surf Air is not paying their tax bill, now at $159,292 *

Surf Air is flying in and out of San Carlos (KSQL), again.  They are partnering with Advanced Air.   When you search Flightaware  https://flightaware.com/ you are looking for the PC12 plane under the column Type.  The identifier is WSN 21, WSN 22, or WSN 23.  There may be others as Advanced Air adds more planes.

Surf is flying a few times per day.  It varies.   There are two other operators at KSQL who are flying the noisy PC12 and are carrying passengers.   They are Part 135 “unscheduled operators” whereas Surf is a Part 135 “scheduled” operator.   One is Big Wednesday with identifier N288SE.  Another is Santana, XSN32.  We also see Riki Pilatus N643PC.

There are other PC12s used by other operators at KSQL.  All of the operators will fly the same path over our homes as Surf.   The airport’s Voluntary Noise Abatement program is ineffective for these businesses.  We are not sure who follows that program, but we know it is not followed by the regular operators who want to fly the shortest and quickest route. 

No one seems to know what Surf is planning.  We have seen that they will add flights as often as they can find the passengers.  We know they are having some financial difficulties as they are unable to pay their San Mateo County (SMC) property tax bills.

They have not been paying their tax bills for several years.   Late fees and penalties have been added, yet there is no punishment.  Don’t try this at home.   The County is unwilling to impose punitive measures or confiscate assets.   We appreciate the difficulty of storing a PC 12 but something could be done.  A citizen who is late or does  not pay a property tax bill would find a foreclosure procedure ensuing.

SMC cannot prevent Surf from using the airport.  There are measures SMC could implement that would communicate to Surf that they cannot flout the law without repercussions. 

* Surf Air Tax Bill 3/10/2019