In article ,
says...


Note the term "major airports." i.e. JKF, ORD, LAX, etc.

Once again the anti-aviation loons distort facts and outright lie to
bolster their (weak) case against GA. They quote studies of major het
airports and try to use them against minor, GA airports.



Welll. . . If you're going to be honest about it, both major, commercial
airports AND GA airports bring significant nuisance effects to surrounding
communities. True enough, most of the well organized anti-airport lobbies
deal with issues related to major airports, who, with their day-and-night
activities and thousand flight-a-day schedules have the effect of wearing
through the nerves of close residents. It's hard to pity them, because
100% of them moved there after the airport activity was well established,
often BECAUSE of the airport, one way or another, and they'll move away
when they've had enough. Besides - do they think they're going to close
ORD, just because they have a 6-month old baby?

BUT - GA airports have been targeted by opposition groups as well, and the
case is more delicate, because most people see GA activity as
recreational, and not revenue generating or otherwise necessary. Of
course, this is as much a distortion of the facts as the plane
enthusiasts' version of it, but the bottom line is times ARE changing, and
GA pilots are going to have to make efforts to fit better into their
communities. There are many ways to try to lessen the noise impact of a GA
airport on surrounding communities, but the ostrich method is one of the
less successful.

Educating the community about the full role of GA in the community/economy
is important, but in some cases it's not enough. Some citizens' groups
are contributing toward noise-reduction equipment on airplanes. Some
airports have specific, noise-abatement traffic patterns, others restrict
hours. The old, "I was here first, and it's my RIGHT" isn't going to cut
it much longer. One crash, and it becomes a safety issue, then the GA
airport, and its irascible users is gone.

G Faris