Pressure on airports for restrictions grows nationwide

It’s no coincidence that while Eden Prairie discusses “noise, night landings, airport expansion, and the future of the reliever system” with MAC, (City, MAC discuss Flying Cloud Airport’s future, Sept 8, 2005) the Airline Operators and Pilots Association (AOPA) has come out with a campaign to preserve airports and fight against any encroachment, noise restriction, curfew or any other community quality-of-life requirement, including security enhancements residents deem essential to safe living.

The AOPA says pressure for more restrictions on public and privately owned airports continues to grow. The national organization tells its members “pressure takes many forms, including curfews, noise restrictions, lack of improvements, residential encroachment, and even calls to close the airport.”

While launching a campaign to denounce and eradicate community input, the AOPA consistently pressures MAC to keep rates low and all relievers open regardless of need or economic viability. MAC says they will continue throwing money at Flying Cloud despite diminished operations and community opposition. While many communities think in terms of reuse, more park-land, more tax-base to off-set high taxes, and more public/private amenities rather than airport land with limited use, the industry is planning an alternative to the crowded highways via-general aviation in the form of airport skyways called SATS.

Anderson says “MAC stands by their agreement to retain the character of Flying Cloud Airport as a general aviation and light aircraft airport.” The real future for Flying Cloud Airport could include NASA and the FAA's Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS), an alternative to crowded highways and commercial airports. The plan utilizes the nation's thousands of general aviation airports as terminals for new highways in the sky: the result would be crowded skies with little or no restrictions on use. Does that sound like retaining the character of the airport? We won’t have just an airport in our backyards, we’ll have highways to the sky.

The AOPA calls the implementation of the SATS, alternative to highways an “uphill battle to change the general public's perception of GA airplanes and airports.” The recent presence of PR articles touting local flyers and the appearance of a booth promoting flying at the 4th of July event at Round Lake are all calculated steps to create a community friendly appearance—fly us, but don’t ask us to abide by any user restrictions.

Concerns related to the expansion of FCM are warranted. But, heavier planes, alone, may not be the only threat to the community: a horizon filled with air taxis evokes first impressions of the Jetsons to sci-fi to the more realistic pie-in-the-sky. What’s disturbing is the reality of fuel scarcity and expense, unreported emissions, noise and environmental impacts and inconsistent, under funded and voluntary security measures at thousands of General Aviation and reliever airports around the nation.

The President of the AOPA says, "It is so important we recognize that the general public holds the keys to the SATS program — and their attitudes about 'small planes' must change for SATS' ultimate reality.” The AOPA has enlisted an army of volunteers in order to react to national pressure for airport restrictions, closures, curfews and night landings and reshape public opinion.

Creating Model Aviation Citizens who put their stories in the paper.
Assisting in direct/indirect promotion of local airport activity to enhance favorable image of airport.
Notifying AOPA of any operational restrictions (curfews, noise abatement procedures).
Being the "eyes and ears" at every public-use airport across the United States.
Countering negatives about a local airport to preserve the airport or avoid restrictions.”

The problem with this public appeal is that it doesn’t include quality-of-life assurances to go along with a high-risk form of transportation. It doesn’t include land-use compatibility, or environmental efficacy. The real battle for unfettered skies, multi-modal transportation, sustainable and environmentally safe fuel options starts with each and every one of us demanding services and products that are sustainable, compatible, responsible and accountable to the community.


www.talktans.com
Talktrans Research Group
Next talktrans meeting October 10, 2005
Eden Prairie City Center 7 to 9PM
Sign ups for volunteers; local action plan.