A recent Director's Determination from the Federal Aviation Administration Office of Airport Compliance has found the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA) in violation of federal grant assurances in a complaint filed by Go Skydive America. USPA assisted Go Skydive America throughout the over six-year-long airport-access dispute. The determination addresses key issues raised by the complainants, with the FAA siding with Go Skydive America on all major points.
The dispute began in 2019 when Go Skydive first submitted a business proposal to operate at John C. Tune Airport (JWN). After years of delays from the MNAA and multiple FAA investigations, Go Skydive filed a formal complaint. The FAA issued its Final Determination in 2025, finding the MNAA in violation of its grant assurances.
Director's Determination on Key Issues:
- Unjust Discrimination—The MNAA's undue delay in processing Go Skydive's application, which it based on unsubstantiated allegations, constituted a violation of Grant Assurance 22, Economic Nondiscrimination.
- Unreasonable Requirements—The MNAA's imposition of an unreasonable $1 million liability insurance requirement and other overreaching terms in the operating agreement also violated Grant Assurance 22.
- Denial of Access—The MNAA's refusal to finalize an operating agreement was an "unjust discrimination" and an effective denial of access, thereby violating Grant Assurance 23, Exclusive Rights.
- Procedural Delays and Inaction: The MNAA's repeated delays in responding to FAA requests and its overall inaction were cited as primary factors in the final verdict, as the authority had been in "apparent noncompliance" multiple times before the determination.
The Director's Determination concludes that the MNAA is in violation of both Grant Assurance 22 and Grant Assurance 23. The FAA will now recommend withholding all future funding to MNAA until the FAA approves a corrective action plan providing access to Go Skydive.
USPA's Role in Airport-Access Disputes
USPA has a long history of providing extensive support to its members facing airport-access disputes. The USPA Government Relations Department actively collaborates with members to prepare and file complaints with the FAA. The complaint process is the official mechanism for challenging a federally funded airport's denial of an aeronautical activity, such as skydiving, when the denial lacks a valid justification based on safety or efficiency. USPA's engagement is critical, as it evaluates the merits of each case and its potential to establish a favorable precedent for the broader skydiving community.
Additionally, USPA's Airport Access and Defense Fund is available to assist members with financial resources in defending skydiving’s legal right to equal access to airports and airspace. Those who would like further information or assistance may contact USPA Director of Government Relations Michael Knight at govrelations@uspa.org.