User Fees are coming closer to being very real

During WWII there were NO environmental impact statements,
every military based needed auxiliary fields. The Air Corps
had one standard airport layout that could be flipped. It
was a triangle with buildings and a ramp on one side. These
were built all over the mid-west and great plains, many are
still in use as they were built, some have abandoned the
shorter diagonal runways. Some are in terrible condition
and some have had good maintenance.

Before WWII paved runways were rare, long runways were rare,
long distance airlines used seaplanes because runways were
not available world-wide. The USA built airports everywhere
during WWII, not just in the USA.

Sad fact is that part of our problem today is that there is
no local support for those military airports that were often
sold to the local city for $1.00.



--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm
See http://www.fija.org/ more about your rights and duties.


"Montblack" wrote in
message ...
| ("Jim Macklin" wrote)
| 99% of all the airports we use today date from 1946 or
earlier. Most of
| those are WWII military training fields.
|
|
| The first part seems plausible, the second part does not.
|
|
| Montblack
|

Unless you're suggesting that the current fuel taxes would/should be
eliminated under the "User's Fee" plan? I wouldn't oppose that,
philosophically, although such a tax collection system would be
incredibly less efficient than the current one.

That may work but I have heard no details about the "user fee" system.
If they charge for weather briefings then many people will stop
calkling in. If they charge for filing a flight plan then those are
likely to plummet.

If they charge for flight following (which I use) then expect that to
drop as well.

Overall a user fee is likely to decrease safety.

Imagine when I fly above 00V now I talk to Springs Approach so that
they know where I am and in doing so I am able to help minimize
impacts to air carriers flying into COS. If they decide to charge for
that I might just quit talking with them which may impact flights into
COS as they divert around an unverified target. Note that I often fly
higher than commercial traffic as it passes 00V.

We shall see what happens.

Ron Lee

That may work but I have heard no details about the "user fee" system.
If they charge for weather briefings then many people will stop
calkling in. If they charge for filing a flight plan then those are
likely to plummet.

If they charge for flight following (which I use) then expect that to
drop as well.

Overall a user fee is likely to decrease safety.

Precisely.

Which is why (even if it starts out differently) user's fees won't be
restricted to voluntary stuff. They will have to apply to mandatory
things -- like takeoffs and landings -- simply because otherwise the
bureaucratic economics won't add up when pilots stop using the voluntary
things.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"