Tue, Apr 05, 2016
Pilots Say Stacks Reduce Usability Of Burley Airport
The president of the Burley Airport Users Association in Burley, ID has written a letter to Burley City Administrator Mark Mitton concerning smokestacks that are being installed on a business near the airport.
The stacks were approved for a potato processing plant owned by Gem State in Heyburn, ID. Mitton responded in an email that “We did not know that Gem State had any plans to install additional stacks at their facility in Heyburn. We were advised last week of what was happening. Gem State did not advise the city of Burley or Heyburn or Minidoka County of their plans.”
The Times-News newspaper reports that Jack Hunsaker, the president of the airport users association said that a three-sentence email claiming ignorance is not sufficient. He says that the smokestacks may interfere with approaches and departures from the municipal airport. He said the city, which is the sponsoring agency for the airport, is the only entity that can stop the installation.
The general manager of the Gem State dehydration plant was replacing temporary stacks with permanent fixtures, part of a planned expansion partially funded by a block grant from the city. Some of those stacks are 10 feet taller than the temporary stacks, and are of a larger diameter, according to plant manager Bill Schow.
Schow said the company had completed the FAA's required paperwork at the agency's request. Steve Engebrecht, the FAA's lead civil engineer in Helena, MT said that it is not yet known how the larger stacks will affect the airport. He said the FAA will do an aeronautic study to determine those impacts, if any. That study will take about 45 days to complete, Engebrecht said. He said that the pilots have a "valid concern," but it is not yet known if that concern is warranted.
Hunsaker said that the airport users understand that Burley has a goal of replacing the airport, but that it will take years for that relocation to take place, and that the current airport cannot remain operational if the city continues to allow development nearby.
More News
Airplane Bounced About 3 Ft Then Touched Back Down And Then, With No Brakes Applied, The Airplane Began Veering To The Left Analysis: The pilot entered the airport traffic pattern >[...]
Aero Linx: British Microlight Aircraft Association (BMAA) The primary focus within all aviation activity is SAFETY. In all aspects of our sport SAFETY must come first, whether it b>[...]
From SnF25 (YouTube Edition): William Wynne Builds Practical Aircraft Engines on the Corvair Platform Seeking an affordable alternative to the traditional aircraft engine options, >[...]
How To Get A Story On Aero-TV News/Feature Programming How do I submit a story idea or lead to Aero-TV? If you would like to submit a story idea or lead, please contact Jim Campbel>[...]
From 2023 (YouTube Edition): Bridge of CiES CiES Inc. is a Bend, Oregon-based designer and manufacturer of modular embedded aircraft systems and sensors. The company’s fuel-l>[...]
NTSB Final Report: Aviat A1
See All