FAQ’s

Currently, Mr. Schieffer can put floats on the helicopter and land right on the edge of his beach!  He simply seeks a small landing area on his private property, behind his house and out of view from neighboring properties.  He does not want to be a nuisance to anyone!

Mr. Schieffer has four years of flying experience and maintains annual re-current training.

He also holds the following licensing and is a member of the following associations:

• FAA Private Pilot’s License
• HAI (Helicopter Association International)
• AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association)
• Fly Neighborly (HAI/Rotor)

Seaplanes are often landing on the same bay where Mr. Schieffer has his home.  This same bay is also listed with the FAA as a Seaplane Base (identifier M16).  Also, this bay is used as a “Seaplane Pilot Training” location offered at Madden’s Resort yearly.

Mr. Schieffer is willing to work with the City and is voluntarily offering to recommend and adhere to the following conditions as part of the Ordinance/CUP.

• Must attain MnDOT approval (please note, MnDOT approval is more stringent and tougher to meet than FAA approval)
• Must follow all Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Noise Guidelines
• Hours of operation times being 7 am to 10 pm in keeping with MPCA rules for daytime hours
• Wind conditions must be less than 25 knots
• Prevailing visibility must be greater than 3 statute miles as reported by the Automated Surface Observing Systems (ASOS) at Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport
• No more than two flights can occur on any given day

Aircraft operations are very much a common occurrence within EGL. Between the seaplane base and the city airport, there are 104 Average aircraft operations average per month. 

View the 5-Alpha LLC’s noise chart | View the Purdue University noise comparison study

The Bell 206L4 is categorized as a “small size” helicopter as categorized by the FAA.  There are 3 classes of helicopters: Small, Medium, and Large.  A small helicopter is rated up to 7,000lbs max gross weight.  The gross weight of the Bell 206L4 is 4,450lbs.

Click here for more “small class” Bell 206L4 information

Historical studies, as well as real estate appraisal guidelines, indicate that property values are not affected due to the proximity of a heliport. (1)  Also, some of the most expensive neighborhoods in America have heliports.

(1) Heliports: 25 Frequently Asked Questions & Answers – Raymond A. Syms & Associates

No, Mr. Schieffer is recommending the following conditions be incorporated in to the Ordinance and CUP guidelines.  Also, adherence to MnDOT Aeronautical regulations will be strictly followed.  There are very few, if any, other properties in EGL that could meet MnDOT’s strict guidelines.

• Must attain MnDOT approval (please note, MnDOT approval is more stringent and tougher to meet than FAA approval)
• Must follow all Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Noise Guidelines
• Hours of operation times being 7 am to 10 pm in keeping with MPCA rules for daytime hours
• Wind conditions must be less than 25 knots
• Prevailing visibility must be greater than 3 statute miles as reported by the Automated Surface Observing Systems (ASOS) at Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport
• No more than two flights can occur on any given day

Any other person in the City, County or area that wishes to build a landing area for a helicopter would need to obtain MnDOT approval.

Since Mr. Schieffer lives in a bay with a Seaplane Base, it is already obvious that Eagles, Loons, and other habitats have shown tolerance to aircraft.  Unlike airplanes, helicopters have the ability to maneuver around animals/obstacles if needed, whereas an airplane does not.

Number of reported strikes from 1990 to 2019 (29 years) for the Bald Eagle and the Loon.
(statistics provided by the FAA/USDA Wildlife Strike Database)

(2) AK (1996) = 1 / MN (2007) = 1
(3) 3 miles south of Flying Cloud Airport (KFCM) Minneapolis, Minnesota at 800 feet enroute

Reviewing a study done in 2016 U.S. Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) Heliport Accident Study “No person from the general public has ever been injured or killed from an accident occurring at a ground-based private-use heliport.”

For the purpose of EGL residents, this constitutes a 100% safety record!  You cannot say the same about any other type of vehicle on the planet!

Using prior data, the FAA and NTSB determined that the probability of an accident is one accident every 495 years on a landing area based on 400 operations a year.  Let’s assume that Mr. Schieffer would only make up to 50 operations per year, that equates to the possibility of an accident once every 3,960 years!

The Safety USHST Heliport Accident Study shows not one person from the general public during a 48 year period was injured at a private use heliport.  You cannot say the same about any other method of travel.

For the Bell 206L4, the average wind created by Rotorwash is 20.11 mph.  The maximum wind created by Rotorwash is 40.23 mph (note this is during a hover, which would never happen near neighboring properties).  The average and maximum wind speeds created would happen at a distance of 55.5 ft down from the rotor.  Under Option A and using distances away from neighboring properties, it is prudent to say there would be ZERO wind ever felt from a neighboring property.  Under Option A the wind created by Rotorwash would only be felt on the Schieffer property.

EGL Airport

1. It is imperative for operational and security reasons that this helicopter is stored in heated storage
2. There are no hangars allowed at EGL Airport.  When Madden’s donated this property to the City of East Gull Lake, they demanded that no flora be disturbed, and if the city does disturb flora  the property would revert back to Maddens.  They also specifically state in the terms there are no hangars allowed.  The City of EGL approached Maddens for approval to allow Mr. Schieffer to build a hangar there and they will not allow it, despite me having no objections to building a hangar there.
3. For obvious reasons EGL Airport is not an option

Brainerd Airport

1. Beyond the time it would take Mr. Schieffer to and from Brainerd (it is a 25–30 minute drive one way, depending upon the stoplights),  there is also an extensive “pre-flight” procedure before flying a helicopter.   Another reason is when searching for hangars at Brainerd Airport there was only one hangar available that his helicopter could fit into.  This hangar like most hangars at this Airport is not heated, and Mr. Schieffer’s helicopter requires heated storage.
2. The one hangar available that his helicopter fits into has about 4” of clearance on the front and 4” of clearance on the back, and it must be driven in sideways!  This takes an extensive amount of time, along with risking damage to the helicopter.
3. Mr. Schieffer’s home is on an airport, along with his neighbors – the lake itself serves as that airport.  Sea planes are louder and according to MNDOT aeronautics have been shown to be a higher risk than Doug’s helicopter but yet, they are allowed. People living on the lake have sports cars, motorcycles, boats, jet skis, etc.  Flying a helicopter in and out once in a while and utilizing Option A where it’s not visible is far less intrusive than what goes on at the lake currently.
4. Therefore, the option to store the helicopter at Brainerd Airport is not feasible

Click here to read the Advisory Legal Opinion