Keep focus on airport realities

I know that Scott Davis is becoming tiresome to many following the airport debate. If you have been listening to him consistently, you may think that he was the general of an impressive army of individuals out there to protect us from anything airborne. His most recent letter and diatribe to the City Council recently asked, “How many planes need to crash into our homes, schools, day cares, playgrounds, city streets?” before our public officials end this dangerous activity? He undeniably knows how to put a sensational spin on this issue.

The recent crash in the Ashley subdivision should cause him and others to take a serious look at what our council members, airport manager, airport advisory board members and those at the Federal Aviation Administration are doing to safeguard the public and users of the facilities at Kalispell City Airport. This is a process that began well over a decade ago and has produced several studies bearing recommendations on how to update this airport to make it a safer facility. The facts bear themselves clearly. We have known for many years how to update this resource. We now need to act.

No one can guarantee that an aviation tragedy won’t occur. We have seen one in the last 10 years which made most of us wince and grieve. What we can do is be aware that dangers exist with aviation and manage them effectively. We live in a society governed by the laws of physics. We see physics in play several times each year when a car hits a house. We see it when we have houses detonated by natural gas leaks. We see it when satellites fall to the earth. Yet, when well-managed, these scientific marvels make our lives easier and more fulfilling. The developments in each of these technological arenas have been milestones of national pride. Because their operation is governed by the laws of physics they do have life-and-death ramifications at times.

Let us be proactive and manage our assets, not shut them down. What would you do without gas heat in your house? Electricity kills, could you do without that? Do you enjoy the ability to drive to the park on Sunday? What would you think if Scott Davis tried to shut down the roadway system on the south end of Kalispell to protect us and our houses from automobile traffic and the noise that it bears? How is this different from him trying to shut down an important part of the national airspace system?

Mr. Davis indicates that he told the airport manager and the airport advisory board to post the route that pilots should fly. He has been told on several occasions that once a plane leaves the ground, it is under control of the rules and regulations managed by the Federal Aviation Administration. Neither Scott Davis, Quiet Skies nor the city of Kalispell has jurisdiction over an airplane when it is airborne.

Now Mr. Davis is starting to question the effects of methane gas from the sewer plant on stalling aircraft engines. Due to methane’s flammable properties, logic would dictate that we would have a much more explosive issue at hand. This doesn’t deserve any further discussion. Mr. Davis, please don’t insult our intelligence with this nonsense.

Another fabrication that Mr. Davis continues to make is that the airport “doesn’t pencil out.” He says, “The accounting says it doesn’t. It costs the taxpayers money.” Wrong, wrong and wrong. I have wondered if he doesn’t know, doesn’t care to know or likes to twist the truth. The city airport is in a city fund called an enterprise fund. The airport’s revenues have been consistently greater than its outlays.

Any city official familiar with an enterprise fund can attest to this. Mr. Davis is simply not being accurate to state otherwise.

The frustration that I have with Scott Davis is that he is taking a crisis-motivated and “anything goes” approach to shutting down the airport. I encourage you, my fellow residents, to politely encourage our city officials to make an informed, well-considered decision on the airport. Prod them to keep our airport jobs and develop commerce on our blighted south end of Kalispell. Remind them of the excitement you, your children or grandchildren had as they saw an airplane landing at the airport. Help me keep this fine example of what is good in this country for future generations to enjoy.

If you have any questions about the city airport, please leave me a message at 751-5101 with your name and phone number. I will be glad to provide any facts that I can which relate to the airport. If I don’t know, I will tell you the same. The airport manager is another great information asset who can be reached by calling 758-7780 and pressing option 5.

Richardson, of Kalispell, is a member of the city’s Airport Advisory Board.