Can't have it both ways!!!!!

[BeerNear]

Howdy,

This is crazy. Centennial Airport in Denver lost federal funding in 1998 due to the fact the airport and neighborhood authority banned scheduled passenger service. Now that the airport is in the red, they want their federal funding back without changing the current status of scheduled passenger service.

They are courting Congressman Ben Campbell and FAA Administrator Jane Garvey to try to help them get fed funding and to continue to ban pax service. If this does not work, they want to, first, tax the community, and then allow pax service with very high service fees. So high it would make pax service unprofitable.

This is crazy. Does this sort of thing go on throughout the country. The spirit of the regulation tries to keep airports form discriminating from certain portions of the aviation sector.

Any pilots here use Centennial? What do you think?

Here is the link to the community website:

www.nopassengerservice.org

Here is some propaganda from the local rag:

www.greenwoodvillage.com/newsletter/newsletter2002/JulyGVNewsletter2002.pdf

Take care and fly safe,

BN

 

[avbug]

Yes, this does go on everywhere. Welcome to avaition.

 

[bobbysamd]

APA

I agree with Avbug. I don't remember if it was my flight instructor or another person who pointed out this notion, but consider this point: People decide to build an airport. They build the airport as far outside the city limits as possible, because that's where sufficient land is to build the airport, noise abatement concerns notwithstanding. Then, the city expands and land near the airport is developed. Then, people move in and complain the airport causes too much noise. The airport was there long before people moved in near it!! It's the classic chicken and egg story.

That's exactly what happened at Centennial. I grew up in Denver. I remember when there was NOTHING but open area when the airport was built (the airport was first known as Arapahoe County Airport until someone figured out that the south end of the field was in Douglas County; then, they changed the name). There was NOTHING but country near the airport for many years. As Denver grew, the land was developed, in particular the Inverness area south of the field. I believe it was about 1992-'93 when noise restrictions were implemented, e.g. you could not fly over the buildings south of Lincoln Avenue.

I don't remember the man's name, but he tried to start up some kind of commuter airline service at Centennial about 1994 or so. There were hearings or something and the Inverness people opposed the airline vociferously because of the potential noise problems (sorry, it just came out that way). The guy started his airline anyway, but was stopped virtually on his first flight.

I should mention that the residents near Centennial in question are affluent and conservative, especially the ones in Greenwood Village. There are some big-time businesses in the Inverness area. Jepp is there. Property taxes in Arapahoe and Douglas Counties are high, compared to Denver.

I last flew out of Centennial in 1993 and this business was an issue back then. I remember that the field was always very busy. I don't hang out at the airport at all, but at work I see plenty of bizjets, etc., flying in and out of Centennial. Sadly, not all that many training type aircraft. Of course, when operations are down, less fuel and other revenue is raised.

Hope this puts some perspective on the issue.

 

[Timebuilder]

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