Syrang Aero Club, Inc. v. Commissioner

73 T.C. 717, 1980 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 201
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedJanuary 17, 1980
DocketDocket No. 13244-78X
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 73 T.C. 717 (Syrang Aero Club, Inc. v. Commissioner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Tax Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Syrang Aero Club, Inc. v. Commissioner, 73 T.C. 717, 1980 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 201 (tax 1980).

Opinion

OPINION

Tietjens, Judge:

Respondent determined that petitioner does not qualify for exemption from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3).1 Petitioner, challenging respondent’s adverse determination, has invoked the jurisdiction of this Court for a declaratory judgment pursuant to section 7428.

The issue for our determination is whether petitioner is organized and operated exclusively for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3).

This case was submitted for decision on a stipulated administrative record under Rules 122 and 217, Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure. The stipulated record, which is assumed to be true for the purpose of this proceeding, is incorporated herein by reference.

Petitioner is a not-for-profit corporation incorporated pursuant to the laws of the State of New York on August 4,1971. Its principal place of business is Syracuse, N.Y. Petitioner filed Form 1023, Application for Recognition of Exemption, on September 30,1974, which was received by the District Director on October 21, 1974.2 On August 31, 1978, respondent issued a final ruling denying petitioner’s application.

According to its pre-amended articles of incorporation, petitioner’s purposes included:

A. To promote interest in flying and enable and encourage members to improve and enjoy their flying skills and abilities.
B. To provide members of the Syracuse Air National Guard of military and civilian status, as well as any other personnel who from time to time may qualify for membership, as well as any other qualified personnel under the ByLaws and regulations, through its operation and maintenance of its aircraft, the safest and most economical flying opportunity possible.
C. To promote interest and participation in the New York Air National Guard by providing all members the opportunity to participate in recreational flying.
D. To provide support, such as the club is able, for activities of the New York Air National Guard as from time to time may be requested by the Commander or his representatives.
E. To provide assistance to the community at large in time of disaster or other public need for aerial operations.
F. To conduct a program or programs of flight safety and instruction for all members under proper regulation of the New York State Department of Education, the United States Federal Aviation Agency, and any other regulatory agencies applicable thereto, including the United States Veterans Administration when and if qualified.

The articles included no provision for the dedication of assets upon the organization’s dissolution. Petitioner, however, received approval of the New York State Education Department as a type B corporation. N.Y. Not-For-Profit Corp. Law sec. 201(b) (McKinney 1970).

According to its certificate of amendment, accepted by the State of New York on November 15, 1973, petitioner’s original and continuing purpose is: “To conduct a program or programs of flight safety and instruction for all members under proper regulation of the New York State Department of Education, the United States Federal Aviation Agency and any other regulations thereto, including the United States Veterans Administration when and if qualified.” The certificate of amendment stated that the purpose of the corporation shall be solely educational and that the stated purposes (A) through (E) of the original certificate were hereby eliminated.

The amended certificate provides also that upon petitioner’s dissolution, the assets of the corporation, less any obligations, liens or encumbrances, would be distributed to the United States Government, Federal Aviation Agency (FAA), or the Civil Air Patrol, whichever the Director of the FAA determined, at the time of the dissolution, to be most appropriate to further the intention of aviation education in the public interest and that, at its dissolution, in no instance shall petitioner’s assets be distributed to its members.

Petitioner’s bylaws describe the purposes of the corporation in language essentially the same as purposes (A) through (E) of the original articles of incorporation. There is no reference in the bylaws to “conduct[ing] a program or programs of flight safety and instruction.”

Petitioner owns one airplane which it rents to club members at a low cost. Petitioner does not maintain a professional staff of flying instructors, and neither requires nor provides classes in, or supervision of, flying.

Petitioner restricts its membership to all members of the Syracuse Air National Guard and civilian employees, active and retired members of all reserve military units, FAA personnel, and dependents of all of the above and their civilian employees. Because of its limited facilities, membership is further restricted to 30 from the above groups.

Petitioner contends that it is organized and operated exclusively for the educational advancement of aviation, that it allows for no private inurement of individual members, directors, or officers, and that, by serving the U.S. Air Force Reserve Mission of the 174th New York Air National Guard (Mission) and personnel, it exists for the interests of the public.

Respondent, by contrast, asserts that petitioner’s articles of incorporation, until their amendment in 1973,3 failed the “organizational test” of section 501(c)(3) because they (1) empowered petitioner to provide recreational flying for its members, a nonexempt purpose; (2) failed to describe in detail the manner of petitioner’s operations, as required by section 1.501(c)(3)-1(b)(1)(ii), Income Tax Regs., where a document is more specific than merely delineating a section 501(c)(3) purpose; and (3) failed to contain the necessary dissolution clause.

Additionally, respondent argues that petitioner fails the “operational test” because it has not established it is operated exclusively for an educational or other exempt purpose within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) and because it is operated for the private interests of its members.

Respondent’s final ruling letter denied petitioner exempt status on the grounds that petitioner was originally organized for the recreation of its members and petitioner still operates for the recreation of its members. Petitioner has the burden of proof to show that respondent’s determination is wrong. Hancock Academy of Savannah, Inc. v. Commissioner, 69 T.C. 488 (1977); Rule 217(c)(2)(i), Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.

In order to be exempt under section 501(c)(3), an organization must qualify under both the organizational and the operational tests. Sec. 1.501(c)(3)-1(a)(1), Income Tax Regs. The organizational test requires that an organization’s articles of organization4 restrict its purposes to one or more purposes enumerated in section 501(c)(3) and do not empower it to engage, except insubstantially, in activities in themselves not in futherance of those purposes. Sec. 1.501(c)(3)-1(b)(1)(i)(a) and (b), Income Tax Regs.

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Syrang Aero Club, Inc. v. Commissioner
73 T.C. 717 (U.S. Tax Court, 1980)

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Bluebook (online)
73 T.C. 717, 1980 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 201, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/syrang-aero-club-inc-v-commissioner-tax-1980.