[TowerTalk] SteppIr's suck

[Richard M. Gillingham]

How 'bout Meigs Field in Chicago?  Daley did it in, didn't he?

Gil, W1RG
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Coleman" <aa4lr at arrl.net>
To: "Roger Halstead" <nra at rogerhalstead.com>
Cc: <towertalk at contesting.com>; <ny6dx at netscape.net>; <K2EK at aol.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2006 11:34 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] SteppIr's suck


> 
> On May 12, 2006, at 12:30 AM, Roger Halstead wrote:
> 
>> We had that too, but when they found that because part of the land  
>> had been
>> purchased with federal money they would have to pay it back "AT  
>> CURRENT
>> MARKET VALUE" and not just that portion opinions began to change.  
>> Also part
>> of it was donated with deed restrictions.  I think it would have  
>> run close
>> to the whole city budgett to pay off the feds and even the  
>> complainers shut
>> up after that.
> 
> It's actually worse than that, Roger. If a municipality accepts FAA  
> money, then they have to agree to operate the airport for a long  
> period of time (typically 20-25 years). It carries the stipulation  
> that they have to keep it up to standards.
> 
> More than once, a town has gotten FAA money, improved the airport,  
> then after a few years gets overtures from developers looking for  
> cheap land. They convince the town to close the airport and develop  
> it. The town then goes to ask the FAA how much they need to pay back.
> 
> Years and years ago, the FAA might go for this. But not recently.  
> They get the AOPA, EAA and other alphabet organizations breathing  
> down their neck, and the FAA says nothing doing -- you've got to  
> continue to operate the airport.
> 
> 
> Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
> Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
>             -- Wilbur Wright, 1901
> 
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> 
> 
> 
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