The New Hampshire Department of Transportation, Division of Aeronautics, announces that over $150,000 of the aircraft operating fees collected in the past fiscal year has been returned to the public use airports in the state.

Under New Hampshire Statute, an operating fee is collected on most aircraft registered in the state. This fee is collected in lieu of a property tax. Some aircraft that don't normally utilize airports, such as balloons, are exempt. Each year, a portion of these fees is returned to the state's public use airports, based upon where the aircraft are based.

In Fiscal Year 2000, which ended June 30th, 25 airports were eligible for receipt of these funds. Based upon aircraft population, the Manchester, Pease, Dillant Hopkins (Keene-Swanzey), and Boire Field (Nashua) airports were the primary beneficiaries. This was the best year for returning operating fee funds in recent memory. The airports receiving these funds must use them for aeronautical purposes.

Funds were disbursed in the amounts shown to the following airports:

Berlin Municipal:   $291.83
Claremont:   $245.35
Colebrook: 100.50
Concord Municipal:   $1,197.75
Dillant-Hopkins:   $7,464.87
Errol:   $117.62
Foss Heliport (Hampton):   $123.57
Franconia Soaring Center:   $109.43
Gorham:   $137.37
Hampton Airfield:   $700.04
Dean Memorial (North Haverhill):   $114.74
Hawthorne:   $281.26
Jaffrey:   $368.10
Laconia:   $3,056.36
Lebanon Municipal:   $5,078.59
Manchester:   $11,294.33

Telephone:
   (603) 271-3734
Fax:
   (603) 271-3914