On Thu, 18 Aug 2005 17:38:33 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote in
tI3Ne.262425$_o.202397@attbi_s71::

Why? Because at the
current rate of pilot population decline, it will be impossible to convince
municipalities (like Iowa City) to maintain an airport that is used by fewer
and fewer people.

Another approach to convince municipalities to continue to operate
their airports is to make them aware of the FAA's imminent intent to
implement the Small Aircraft Transportation System*.

If the municipal airport is closed, and the property developed for
other purposes, it will be difficult or impossible for most
municipalities to re-establish a replacement airport once SATS is
implemented due to the lack of available real estate and NIMBY
resistance to airport operations. So closing the municipal airport
effectively shuts the municipality out of participation in the
aviation infrastructure of the 21st century.


* http://sats.larc.nasa.gov/main.html
http://ncam-sats.org/

The SATS benefits include improved standards of living and quality
of life for the nation in the new global economy. SATS technology
innovations will provide the nation with:

Economic development for communities of all sizes enabled by
localized air accessibility

Choices to bypass highway and hub-and-spoke transportation systems
delays

An efficient means for intermodal connectivity between small
airports and the global aviation system

An exportable transportation revolution with affordable "instant
infrastructure" for developing nations around the world