Pearce/Kalispell City AirportKalispell City Council,
With respect to City Airport, S27, I would like you to know that because
of the convenience to the city, I brought my family to Kalispell for
vacations. Because of the vacations, I purchased a summer home there,
and that summer home will this year become our permanent domicile. The
airport not only serves fly-in vacationers, it brings great revenue to
the city that you do not want to be without, while also providing
employment opportunity for residents of the Flathead Valley.
This airport does not serve jet traffic or large aircraft, and those who
say that it creates noise really don't know what they are talking about.
The noise factor, if the Db Ratings were charted through out the day
would be less than that measured from traffic on Main Street. The
airport is a long standing community asset and except for the Radio
Towers south of town (and runway 13) is a totally safe operation with
the Unicom 122.8, the ATIS from Glacier, and the Glacier tower. The
fact that it is possible to file IFR before Take Off and receive
clearance authority on the ground using Salt Lake Center makes this a
doubly safe airport to operate into and out of. If Safety is a
consideration the realignment of the runway is the only improvement
necessary to make this a first class General Aviation Airport. (That or
blast away the towers).
The elimination of this airport would take Kalispell off the map for
many people like myself. It would eliminate the opportunities of many
young people who would pursue aviation careers. It would make Kalispell
an inconvenient place to visit--and you do get many visitors over the
year, including many pilots from the Coastal areas going to and from
Oshkosh in the summer both prior to and after the EAA Fly-In. I
personally know of 12 pilots from the Seattle area who spend at least
one night in Kalispell both going and returning from Oshkosh, Wis. Do
you need to fill Kalispell motels and restaurants? You bet you do--and
it is the visiting pilots that help to do that for you.
It seems that there are activists in every community wanting to get rid
of airports. To give in to them is to take away the aviation industry,
the income, and the visitation that ultimately brings permanent
residents to the Flathead Valley. Please do not allow these vocal few
to cut off the community revenue and stifle pleasure and progress. I
hope you are aware of the number of pack trips that depart Kalispell
City each year with people from all over the U.S. Why does a community
grow, it grows and becomes vital when there are services available that
meet a growing community need, and General Aviation is Growing!
Respectfully
Michael A. Pearce
7022 Puddingstone Lane
Silverdale, Washington 98383