Mon, Dec 15, 2003
Future Of Rural Airstrips At Stake
Pressure from key
members of Congress and AOPA's Washington staff has forced the US
Forest Service back to the table to discuss the future of
backcountry airstrips in central Idaho.
The Forest Service had wanted to close four airstrips, Dewy
Moore, Mile-Hi, Simonds and Vines, located in the Frank
Church-River of No Return Wilderness but is required by law to
obtain the approval of Idaho's Division of Aeronautics before any
such closure. The state denied approval. So instead, the Forest
Service planned to restrict access at the four strips to "emergency
use only."
The Idaho Division of Aeronautics contacted AOPA for assistance.
In written comments to Wilderness coordinators, AOPA told the
Forest Service that restricting access to the airstrips violated
the intent of Congress when it passed the Central Idaho Wilderness
Act (public law 96-312).
AOPA then learned that, despite having received several hundred
written comments that favored by a margin of almost 4-1 keeping the
airstrips open, the Forest Service was still planning on closing
the airstrips for all but emergency use.
At that point, AOPA turned to Idaho's members of Congress
including Senator Larry Craig (R-Idaho), Senator Michael Crapo
(R-Idaho), and Congressman C.L. "Butch" Otter (R-Idaho) to help
convince the Forest Service of the need to preserve the backcountry
airstrips.
As a result of this pressure, the regional Forest Service Office
has approached the Idaho Division of Aeronautics to discuss
possible alternatives for the airstrips.
"Without AOPA's assistance to take this issue to the highest
levels in Washington, I doubt we would have made it this far," said
Idaho Aeronautics Director Bob Martin. "AOPA's commitment to
backcountry airstrips really came through for us."
More News
Runway Lead-in Light System Runway Lead-in Light System Consists of one or more series of flashing lights installed at or near ground level that provides positive visual guidance a>[...]
Aero Linx: Aviation Without Borders Aviation Without Borders uses its aviation expertise, contacts and partnerships to enable support for children and their families – at hom>[...]
Dave Juwel's Aviation Marketing Stories ITBOA BNITBOB ... what does that mean? It's not gibberish, it's a lengthy acronym for "In The Business Of Aviation ... But Not In The Busine>[...]
From 2010 (YouTube Version): Yeah.... This IS A Really Cool Job When ANN's Nathan Cremisino took over the lead of our Aero-TV teams, he knew he was in for some extra work and a lot>[...]
Also: Junkers A50 Heritage, Montaer Grows, Dynon-Advance Flight Systems, Vans' Latest Officially, the Carbon Cub UL and Rotax 916 iS is now in its 'market survey development phase'>[...]