Mon, Mar 31, 2003
The
General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) is decrying the
closure of Meigs Field and the destruction of its runway by the
City of Chicago.
"This is a sad day for general aviation," said Ed Bolen,
President of GAMA. "Mayor Daley obviously saw an opportunity, using
the ruse of security and the cover of night, to pursue his
longstanding goal of closing Meigs Field. The mayor's action, which
comes after years of negotiations over the fate of this important
airport, smacks of bad faith and smears the reputation of general
aviation."
The City of Chicago appears not to have provided advance notice
to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of its decision to
close Meigs. Notifying the FAA prior to the closure of an airport
is generally required under Part 157 of the Federal Aviation
Regulations. According to Bolen, "We are currently exploring
possible legal and administrative options for reopening the
airport."
In 1996, when Mayor Daley first attempted to close Meigs Field
and turn it into a public park, GAMA joined other aviation
associations in filing a lawsuit against the City of Chicago.
Although that suit was ultimately unsuccessful, it helped serve as
a catalyst for action by the Governor of Illinois and the state
legislature which, until yesterday, had kept the lakefront airport
open.
GAMA
is a national trade association headquartered in Washington, DC
representing 50 manufacturers of general aviation aircraft,
engines, avionics and related equipment. GAMA's members also
operate fleets of aircraft, fixed based operations at many airports
and pilot training facilities across the United States.
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