RETHINKING REQUIRED FOR AIRPORT INDUSTRIAL PARK PLANS

Editor:

There are some in town who believe we have no need for an airport; they feel it is only used by the privileged few.

If this proposed development goes ahead as planned, this minority will get their wish and our airport would become a white elephant and eventually be closed.

The reasoning I use is quite simple.

Airports are traditionally constructed away from other buildings, for obvious reasons.

The plan to build this industrial park so close to the runway, run up and parking area can only lead to us losing our airport licence and therefore any hope of further airport related development.

I would love to see hangars and other airport construction such as an airport terminal building, washrooms, parking and tie down facilities.

Using up one-third of a mile of land from the north to the mid field point would make future development questionable to say the least.

To quote the CEO of Destination Osoyoos Plans are also being pursued for future development of terminal services, fueling operations and hangars. He adds that exploratory talks are being held with air carriers for possible charter passenger flights in and out of the Osoyoos Airport in the future.

I am not sure where these facilities would be built as there will be very little land left.

It would be very beneficial for the town if, in fact, air carriers and/or charter services were to operate out of Osoyoos.

However, we would have to create a parallel taxiway to enable air traffic and other related vehicles to return to the terminal.

This taxiway is mandatory if we are ever to improve the airport.

Unfortunately, this will not be possible if the proposed development is approved.

Assuming an aircraft with a 100' wing span wishes to taxi back to the ramp, we would need at least 200' sliced off each proposed lot.

According to plans distributed by Destination Osoyoos, the new lots are only a few feet from the run up area at the north end and would encroach on the parking area mid field.

As it stands I would not want to be in the vicinity when any aircraft uses the run up area at the north end of the strip.

If the new lots are developed they will be bordering the run up area, the prop wash could easily knock a person off his feet and if the prop picked up a rock, a person could be severely injured.

I can also see a scenario when helicopters land and blow huge amounts of dust and sand around the new development; the complaints will be constant and could lead to airport operations being either cancelled or severely curtailed in order to appease the new businesses.

As I mentioned before, there is a reason airports are constructed away from buildings.

If the roles were reversed and we already had an industrial park at that location would we be trying to get approval to build a runway through the centre of it?

I think not, as that would be ludicrous.

It has already been advertised that development will begin shortly and prospective businesses are showing interest in purchasing land.

We should do a little more homework before making too many promises.

This is a poorly thought out proposal; we owe it to ourselves to consult with a person who has even a basic knowledge of airport operations.

This will help us develop our land efficiently and maintain our present status with Transport Canada.

With this in mind let us not shoot ourselves in the foot and move with too much haste; it would be very unfortunate if a few years down the road we had to attempt to buy back our land.

We have a considerable amount of industrial land to the west of Buena Visa which has been lying dormant for a couple of years now.

Why can't this land be utilized?

Bryan Holgate,rnOsoyoos

OSOYOOS TIMES-July 30, 2008