2007 Minnesota Statutes

84.46 COMMISSIONER OF TRANSPORTATION; AIRCRAFT CHECKING STATIONS.
    Subdivision 1. Establishment of checking stations. The commissioner of transportation
shall as soon as practicable after the passage of Laws 1949, chapter 630, to designate as aircraft
checking stations at least three airports having suitable facilities for the landing of aircraft
equipped for flying and landing in wilderness areas. Such checking stations shall be located so as
to cover the commonly used approaches to such wilderness areas by air from all sides, as far as
practicable, and each such station shall be within 100 miles of the nearest point on the boundary of
such wilderness areas. The designation of such checking stations shall be made by rules adopted
as provided by and subject to the laws relating to rules of the commissioner of transportation,
and may be modified or rescinded in like manner from time to time as may be necessary for
the purposes of sections 84.43 to 84.52. The commissioner of natural resources shall appoint
attendants for such checking stations and shall prescribe their powers and duties, subject to the
provisions hereof. Officers or employees of other state departments or governmental subdivisions
of the state may be appointed as such attendants with the approval of their appointing authorities.
    Subd. 2. Report required. The provisions of this subdivision shall apply to all aircraft and
pilots thereof except as otherwise provided herein. From and after the designation of not less than
three checking stations as hereinbefore provided, no such aircraft pilot shall fly an aircraft into
or over any wilderness area at a height less than 2,000 feet from the ground, except as may be
necessary for safety, without first landing at a checking station designated hereunder and making a
written report to the attendant, on a form prescribed by the commissioner of natural resources,
containing the following information: type and federal registration number of the aircraft; name,
address, and license number of the pilot; names and addresses of the passengers; purpose of flight;
proposed line of flight and destination within the wilderness areas; proposed period of stay therein,
and proposed checking station for reporting on departure therefrom. The attendant shall deliver to
the pilot a countersigned copy of the report, which the pilot shall retain in possession at all times
while in the wilderness areas on the trip covered thereby. During the period of such trip as stated
in the report, the aircraft shall not be operated, landed, or kept at any place within the wilderness
areas except as specified in the report, and shall not remain within such areas after the expiration
of such period. Upon leaving such areas at any time after entering the same, the pilot, before
landing the aircraft at any other place, shall immediately proceed to and land at the checking
station designated for checking out in the pilot's report, and shall check out by submitting a copy
of the report to the attendant, who shall endorse the same to show such checking-out and return the
same to the pilot; provided, that if by reason of weather conditions or otherwise it is impracticable
for the pilot to check out at the station designated in the report, the pilot may check out at any
other checking station established hereunder, submitting a written statement of reasons therefor.
All records made hereunder shall be kept on file at the checking stations, and shall be subject to
inspection by the commissioner of transportation, the commissioner of natural resources, or their
authorized agents, and by any conservation officer or other law enforcement officer.
    Subd. 3. Exemption. The provisions of sections 84.43 to 84.52 shall not apply to the use
of aircraft by any officer or agency of the state or of the United States for any authorized public
purpose.
    Subd. 4. Emergency operation permitted. The provisions of sections 84.43 to 84.52 shall
not prohibit or prevent the operation or landing of any aircraft within any such area so far as may
be necessary to save life or property or prevent substantial injury thereto in an emergency.
History: 1949 c 630 s 4; 1967 c 905 s 9; 1969 c 1129 art 10 s 2; 1976 c 166 s 7; 1985 c
248 s 70; 1986 c 444