Lacy/S27 Kalispell City AirparkDear Distinguished City Council Members,
My name is Dennis S. Lacy. I am a young pilot that has been learning to
fly at our city airport. I have the privilege of serving our local EAA
Chapter (Experimental Aircraft Assoc.) as Young Eagles Coordinator.
This is a program where kids 8-17 from our valley get to come to our
city airport and go for a free flight with a local pilot. This program
has introduced well over 1.5 million kids to the joy of flight since
it's inception and Kalispell City Airpark has played an important roll
for our local youth. I have sent up over 150 kids in just two sessions
since taking over the position. 10 of those kids are working on
aviation projects and scholarships via Flathead Youth Aviation with a
career in aviation in mind. Many kids go on to some form of aviation
career from experiences like the Young Eagles. Our airport is the only
one within 50 plus miles that is suited for this kind of needed access
by our local youth. The future airline pilots and mail pilots that
would be from our community depend on this little airport. It is where
we all get our flight lessons from. Glacier does not have a flight
school at this time per Joe Fossett the FBO Mgr at Glacier Jet Ctr. One
cannot even get onto GPI without TSA badge and background check. (Our
kids do not need to go through these steps just for a plane ride.) So
where else do they go if this airport were to go away. I believe the
City Council members should be able to answer this question as it
pertains to the future of this great community and anyone thinking that
aviation is going away from our future is being just plain unrealistic.
These decisions have huge ripple effects on our future generations as
far as aviation is concerned.
My common sense thoughts around the "IMPROVEMENTS" to the airport are
this: Lengthening, widening and moving the runway further south
improves the safety of the pilots/passengers and the vast majority of
those on the ground. It also lessens the noise footprint of air traffic
over the southwestern end of town. Please tell me how many residents
that bought or rent in that area of town were oblivious to the fact that
an airport was nearby when they moved in? Since 1929. So any
enhancements that improve my safety margin as a pilot and keep those on
the ground a little safer than they already are, is liability concern
(for all parties) wisely addressed. And again noise levels would
hopefully also be mitigated by the realignment of the runway.
I thank you for your time and I will pray that common sense prevails
with a win-win outcome.
--
Yours in Flight and Friendship,
Dennis Steven Lacy
Support Young Aviators by visiting:
http://flatheadyouthaviation.org/