Suggestions and/or help, please!

The city sells it's hangers and
also sells lots for building new hangers. If the airport has debt on the
hangers, they could sell the hangers to the tenants and pay the debt.

You're on the right track.
From what I've seen of Iowa City, it's growing in directions that include all
that lovely open land around the airport, and some developers are casting
covetous eyes upon the space for industrial and other uses. Trashing the
airport would give them a playground.

But I posted recently about the clever airport manager I talk to on occasion,
and another clever thing he's done, along with lots of ongoing work pacifying
homeowners who are too near the airport, is work slowly and steadily to get a
plot of land developed for new street and hangar space on an undeveloped side
of the airport.

The waiting list has been 8 years long for hangar space, and you can bet the
folks who'll get the new hangars are those who'll be valuable allies in the
preservation of the airport.

Plus, the new buildings will include non-hangar spaces too, plumbed and wired
(all with T-1 Net connections) office space for insurance agents, tax
preparers...ANY business in a fast-growing metro area that will generate tax
revenue and jobs. Just like a strip mall, it'll be seen as economic development
and do a lot to quiet critics of the "unused" space and its aviation subsidy.
There ARE solutions...

The city could save even more money by not subsidizing roads. After all,
most of the automobiles on the roads are not even being used for business
purposes. Why should the city pay for roads being used only by a bunch of
hobbyists? The city needs that money for police and fire services. It should
stop paying for roads and jeopardizing public safety with this huge waste of
money.

The city should also stop subsidizing newspapers by providing police and
fire protection, utilities, and other services to them. Few intelligent
people read these works of fiction anyway. Why should taxpayers jeopardize
public safety in order to cater to a bunch of spoiled, whining hobbyists?

Perhaps if everyone at your airport wore badges that say "I use the airport,
and if the aiport is closed I will have to move away" so that every merchant
in town saw just how much their businesses are dependent on people who use
the airport, then maybe the newspaper might lose some advertising revenue.
Another approach might be, "The newspaper wants to close my business now. Is
yours next?"

Has the airport ever been used for a medical evacuation?

I appreciate that helicopters are the traditional local medevac, but
every one in a while a badly injured or very sick patient has to be
flown to a distant hospital. (I remember a guy flown from Aspen to
Denver when he broke his back skiing, and this subject came up talking
to a young doctor last night. She's on emergency room standby and
ready to fly rotary or fixed-wing.)

What's the nearest alternative airport if a case like that came up?

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: www.danford.net/letters.htm#9

see the Warbird's Forum at http://www.danford.net/index.htm
Vietnam | Flying Tigers | Pacific War | Brewster Buffalo | Piper Cub

Has the airport ever been used for a medical evacuation?

Actually, this is one of their biggest "businesses". University of Iowa
Hospitals and Clinics is one of the largest transplant centers in the
Midwest. It's also renowned for cancer treatment.

As such, we get a fairly constant stream of aircraft in, carrying nothing
but Igloo coolers.

Airport critics would say "so land at Cedar Rapids", which they claim is
just "20 minutes north". (Ha -- maybe in a Ferrari...), of course.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:

Has the airport ever been used for a medical evacuation?

Actually, this is one of their biggest "businesses". University of Iowa
Hospitals and Clinics is one of the largest transplant centers in the
Midwest. It's also renowned for cancer treatment.

As such, we get a fairly constant stream of aircraft in, carrying nothing
but Igloo coolers.

Airport critics would say "so land at Cedar Rapids", which they claim is
just "20 minutes north". (Ha -- maybe in a Ferrari...), of course.

Maybe you should call the transplant surgeons and ask them if the extra 20
-30 minutes makes a difference. I bet it does.

Margy

Actually, this is one of their biggest "businesses". University of Iowa
Hospitals and Clinics is one of the largest transplant centers in the
Midwest. It's also renowned for cancer treatment.

Then can't you get testimonials from the parents of some beautiful
child who was safely delivered / treated because of a fixed-wing
flight out of the airport?

Or get a photo of the guy with the Igloo cooler and run an advert with
the caption: "That may be *your* heart he's carrying!"

Or "This heart brought to you by Iowa City Airport".

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: www.danford.net/letters.htm#9

see the Warbird's Forum at http://www.danford.net/index.htm
Vietnam | Flying Tigers | Pacific War | Brewster Buffalo | Piper Cub

Here's an article that's good for airports:
http://www.kare11.com/news/news-arti...?NEWS_ID=49293

Big John wrote:

If they close the airport, how will the teams of the U of I get to
away games and away teams get to Iowa City to play? Seems the
University should have an input in this?

If Iowa is anything like the University of Tennessee, the administration
likes football 'cause it brings in money. Some uneducated slobs like it
as a substitute for the pro team they don't have. Some educated slobs like
it 'cause the went to school there.

All of the *real* intelligentsia hate it. All of the faculty hate it. From
what Jay has posted, I would guess that the paper is pandering to these
groups.

George Patterson
The optimist feels that we live in the best of all possible worlds. The
pessimist is afraid that he's correct.
James Branch Cavel

If they close the airport, how will the teams of the U of I get to
away games and away teams get to Iowa City to play? Seems the
University should have an input in this?

They'll fly commercial out of Cedar Rapids. They do now, for many games,
cuz our runways aren't long enough to accommodate a charter plane big enough
to carry the whole football team.

Has anyone checked the number of planes parked on airport when the
football team plays?

Heh -- that would be me. Every game day I write all the "N" numbers down,
and send 'em a postcard -- so I know PRECISELY how many planes fly in for
games. Suffice it to say, it's dozens and dozens -- as many as 50 --
depending on the caliber and proximity of the team they're playing.

Has anyone gotten together a committee with representatives of all the
actifities/companies that need/use the airport and flood the council
meetings to show support for airport?

Crap, Big John, I tried starting an "Iowa City Pilot's Association" here a
few months ago. I got as far as getting the "URL" for a website, and
getting the mailing list of all pilots in the area. Then I quickly ran out
of time when we hit the "busy season" at the inn, and the idea was
stillborn.

We really, REALLY need a "retired guy" with unlimited time to devote to this
endeavor, as a Pilot's Association would provide a positive voice that
simply isn't being heard here. It would even up the odds, since the
opposition seems to have DOZENS of "university guys" that apparently have
unlimited time to devote to bending people's ears...

I sometimes think all of us Iowans with common sense got out when we
could. G

Well, for better (and worse) Iowa City really ain't "Iowa"... At least not
the way most people think of it.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Airport critics would say "so land at Cedar Rapids", which they claim is
just "20 minutes north". (Ha -- maybe in a Ferrari...), of course.

The Cedar Rapids airport is easily within 20 minutes of the Iowa City
airport.

A few challenges of the Iowa City Airport:
Small runways for charter planes (athletics)
Development around the airport- some see an accident into the
Wal-Mart/Menards just waiting to happen. Some recent crashes into
the hill to the north keep this argument going (BTW, I know that
there were reasons for the crashes)
Approach/departure over the city
Approach/Depature over Kinnick Stadium- last year during a game, a
dip**** flew over just to the south of the stadium at low
altitude.
For good measure, he rocked the wings. 70,000 people were quiet
for a few seconds.
Waste of good land- Why in the world do you need three crossing
runways?
Proximity to Cedar Rapids- Cedar Rapids- only about 15-20 min. away
Services at Cedar Rapids- Tower, security, ILS approaches, crossing
large runways, pleny of room for more GA hangars, snow removal,
police, fire, general maintenance, good hangars
Duplication- To the layperson (in fact even to me) it seems to be
close enough to each other that one would do. Iowa city would
not only have no expenses, but Cedar Rapids could become
stronger
Liberals- Iowa City is chuck pack full of liberals that really
don't
care about folks rich enough to be able to fly. Dailey Syndrome.
Medical flights- Most are by copter- doesn't matter
Transplant stuff- 20 minutes to CID no big deal. thats the reason
for the igloo's
FBO's- choice of two in Cedar Rapids (Although you probably would
not count PS Air)
Dollars- Lots of commercial operations to pay the way. Virtually
none in Iowa City.
Lack of potential growth- I do not believe that any two of the
three
runways could ever be expanded.
Opportunity costs- Current use vs. the tax base of developement.
The
newer hangar could have other uses if developed around. Money in
rather than money out looks good. The deal about streets doesn't
hold much water because virtually everybody uses the streets.
Liberals- did I mention all of the liberals?
Cedar Rapids Airport Commision- I think that they squashed the
Marion
Airport expansion a couple of years ago. It is my opinion that
they
will get in your shorts also (I am golfing with one of the
commission
members this week. I will pick his brain)
Plenty of land around the Cedar Rapids Airport- Enough room for a
re-located aviation themed hotel

It is certainly not that I would like to see it closed, they just have
plenty of reasons to close it. I personally feel that it is just a
matter of time.

Good luck,
Jeff