04/16/86 Ferguson/Tower HazardDEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
AERONAUTICS DIVISION
P.O. BOX 5178
TED SCHWINDEN, GOVERNOR 2630 AIRPORT ROAD
STATE OF MONTANA
(406) 444-2506 HELENA, MONTANA 59604
April 16, 1986
Ms. Kathy Paul - ANM-530
Airspace Technician
Northwest Mountain Region
Federal Aviation Administration
17900 Pacific Highway South
C-68966
Seattle, WA 98168
Dear Kathy:
I have read with interest the copy of your letter of March 11 to lion Ross of
Kalispell. which was in response to his concern over radio towers which tie [eels
are a safety hazard for aircraft operating at the Kalispell City Airport. Thank
you for copying the Montana Aeronautics Division.
As you know, I have for a long time been on record expressing my grave concerns
over this "extreme unsafe hazard to air navigation." I have voiced my feeling on
this matter to the FAA at all levels in the Northwest Mountain Region. I have
even written to the owner of the towers, and they responded to the effect that the
FAA says there is no problem. I don't blame them, as there -would be additional
costs associated with installing strobes.
You previously responded to my request to investigate this matter by saying that
inasmuch as the local users of the airport have not complained to you there really
isn't anything you can do. So I have passed your response on to the MPA, and I
can only assume that, in their dedicated interest in air safety, they are thus
expressing their concerns to you. With all due respect, I find your response to
Mr. Ross's letter, as well as to our requests for FAA review and action on this
matter, unacceptable. It reeks of "bureaucratic rhetoric" with no regard or under-
standing of the hazards of air safety surrounding this important issue.
The fact that you have researched the history of building the towers and/or airport
to determine which came first is irrelevant. The question is: are these towers
a hazard to air navigation? OR are these towers NOT a hazard to air navigation?
Now if these towers are a hazard to air navigation, then you should say so and let
the owner(s) of the radio towers know and recommend appropriate marking so that
they can reduce their liability. I would like to see - in writing - the fact that
the FAA has conducted an on -site inspection (which we have requested in the past)
and has determined that, in fact, these radio towers are NOT a hazard to air
navigation for the Kalispell City Airport air traffic.
AN FOUAI OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYFR
`j f
Ms. Kathy Paul
Page 2
April 16, 1986
I conclude by apologizing if this sounds harsh; however, it is not personal but
only meant to impress upon you that I am very concerned over air safety•and find
it frustrating when no one seems to be able to get the FAA to show some interest
and address the real issues surrounding this matter. I do not feel we need to
wait for a catastrophe before addressing air safety.
Respectfully yours,
Michael D. Ferguson, Administrator
Aeronautics Division
mk