Thrust Flight Files 2026 Complaint Against City Over Airport Landing Fee Structure

Arizona, USA – Thrust Flight and another local training school have filed a joint FAA Part 13 complaint against the City of Mesa's landing fee structure at Falcon Field Airport (FFZ), arguing the program creates critical safety risks, significantly raises pilot training costs, and may violate federal airport obligations.

• The formal complaint asks the FAA to investigate the Falcon Field landing fee program, require the City of Mesa to suspend implementation during the review, and determine whether the fee structure complies with federal law, FAA grant assurances, and airport safety obligations.
• The FAA Part 13 complaint escalates what was previously a public advocacy campaign by Thrust Flight, which in February 2026 raised alarm over the City of Mesa's proposed USD 30 per-landing fee for all general aviation aircraft at Falcon Field — one of the highest-density pilot training airports in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
• Flight training operations involve hundreds of landings per student over the course of a training program, meaning a per-landing fee of this magnitude would add thousands of dollars to the total cost of training for each student and significantly impact the competitiveness of flight schools operating at the field.

Thrust Flight has trained thousands of pilots over the past 15 years through its flagship Zero Time to Airline® program and operates locations across Texas, with Falcon Field representing an Arizona training base now under direct cost pressure from the municipal fee structure.

Source: Thrust Flight