Narrative:

There was 6 aircraft in the pattern doing touch-and-goes, we were 1 of 3 for takeoff. As we taxied on the runway to takeoff I heard a call on the radio that an emergency vehicle was making a taxiway inspection on taxiway F. We started takeoff roll. As the tailwheel came up, the fire truck came on the runway approximately 1500 ft down the runway. I pulled the aircraft into the air and turned slow to the right. We passed to the right and 200 ft over the truck. This is the third time this has happened with the fire trucks on the runway, the other 2 were during landing. Problem: the airport has been changed to a part 139, and the people running the airport have no knowledge of aircraft, airports, airport security. Runway and taxiway inspection must be done, but once in early morning, one late afternoon and not when aircraft are in pattern. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states this is an ongoing problem since airport became part 139. Airport is required to do runway checks but they overdo it. Reporter has talked to airport management but it is like talking to a wall. 'They are a bunch of old men who are used to running a jail and they know nothing about airplanes or airports.' reporter is with ATC and reported to his supervisor but they feel nothing can be done from there. Touchy position. The airport is non tower and is an international airport run by the city. Many charter flts are coming and going for gambling. Many nearby flight schools use the airport for training. It is becoming a very active airport and reporter feels very hazardous with the kind of operation that exists. He was so scared with this reported incident and knows if he had not had the high performance aircraft he would have hit the truck. Hates to think what might happen with a student pilot in same situation. Others are planning to send reports and they really want help.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FIRE TRUCK CROSSES RWY AS ACFT ON TKOF ROLL.

Narrative: THERE WAS 6 ACFT IN THE PATTERN DOING TOUCH-AND-GOES, WE WERE 1 OF 3 FOR TKOF. AS WE TAXIED ON THE RWY TO TKOF I HEARD A CALL ON THE RADIO THAT AN EMER VEHICLE WAS MAKING A TXWY INSPECTION ON TXWY F. WE STARTED TKOF ROLL. AS THE TAILWHEEL CAME UP, THE FIRE TRUCK CAME ON THE RWY APPROX 1500 FT DOWN THE RWY. I PULLED THE ACFT INTO THE AIR AND TURNED SLOW TO THE R. WE PASSED TO THE R AND 200 FT OVER THE TRUCK. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH THE FIRE TRUCKS ON THE RWY, THE OTHER 2 WERE DURING LNDG. PROB: THE ARPT HAS BEEN CHANGED TO A PART 139, AND THE PEOPLE RUNNING THE ARPT HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF ACFT, ARPTS, ARPT SECURITY. RWY AND TXWY INSPECTION MUST BE DONE, BUT ONCE IN EARLY MORNING, ONE LATE AFTERNOON AND NOT WHEN ACFT ARE IN PATTERN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THIS IS AN ONGOING PROB SINCE ARPT BECAME PART 139. ARPT IS REQUIRED TO DO RWY CHKS BUT THEY OVERDO IT. RPTR HAS TALKED TO ARPT MGMNT BUT IT IS LIKE TALKING TO A WALL. 'THEY ARE A BUNCH OF OLD MEN WHO ARE USED TO RUNNING A JAIL AND THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT AIRPLANES OR ARPTS.' RPTR IS WITH ATC AND RPTED TO HIS SUPVR BUT THEY FEEL NOTHING CAN BE DONE FROM THERE. TOUCHY POS. THE ARPT IS NON TWR AND IS AN INTL ARPT RUN BY THE CITY. MANY CHARTER FLTS ARE COMING AND GOING FOR GAMBLING. MANY NEARBY FLT SCHOOLS USE THE ARPT FOR TRAINING. IT IS BECOMING A VERY ACTIVE ARPT AND RPTR FEELS VERY HAZARDOUS WITH THE KIND OF OP THAT EXISTS. HE WAS SO SCARED WITH THIS RPTED INCIDENT AND KNOWS IF HE HAD NOT HAD THE HIGH PERFORMANCE ACFT HE WOULD HAVE HIT THE TRUCK. HATES TO THINK WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN WITH A STUDENT PLT IN SAME SIT. OTHERS ARE PLANNING TO SEND RPTS AND THEY REALLY WANT HELP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.