Thu, Apr 29, 2004
AOPA Calls For New Study To Preserve Runway
The plan to close a
runway at Eugene (OR) Mahlon Sweet Field (EUG) is based on
information that is so flawed, the plan should be scrapped and the
study redone, says AOPA. In a letter to the airport manager, the
association said the wind study used to justify the closure is so
broad that it's useless.
The airport wants to build a parallel runway to increase
capacity, but wants to close its crosswind runway once the new
runway is operational. That would leave the airport with no
crosswind runway to accommodate aircraft during times when
significant crosswind conditions exist.
The wind study for the proposal averages data collected 24 hours
per day over an extended period.
"Under normal circumstances, it may be appropriate to collect and
tabulate wind data based on 24 hour per day observations. But
Eugene is significantly different," wrote AOPA Vice President of
Airports Bill Dunn. "There are few, if any, general aviation
operations at night, and crosswind conditions occur most often
during daylight hours. Therefore, conducting data in a 24-hour
window very obviously skews the results of the total wind
coverage."
Dunn pointed out to Airport Manager Robert Noble that the FAA
recognized the unique nature of each airport in an Airport Design
Advisory Circular appendix on wind analysis. "'At many airports,
airplane operations are almost nil after dark, and it may be
desirable to analyze the wind data on less than a 24-hour
observation period,'" Dunn quoted the agency. Therefore, he
continued, "We suggest the study examine a window of daylight hours
between the hours of 8 a.m. to 8 pm. daily."
"AOPA believes strongly in the need for the continued
availability of the existing crosswind runway [original emphasis],"
Dunn continued. "Therefore, the Association requests that the
airport immediately initiate a new wind study."
AOPA has been campaigning on behalf of general aviation pilots
at Mahlon Sweet Field for quite some time. Association president
Phil Boyer has met with two members of Oregon's Congressional
delegation -- Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), who represents Eugene, and
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) -- to press for their support.
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