Pilots, ASN volunteers end threat to Casa Grande

The threat to Casa Grande Airport in Arizona has been squashed thanks to vocal pilots, AOPA Airport Support Network (ASN) volunteers, and AOPA Western Regional Representative Stacy Howard. After nearly a year of public meetings, local pilots persuaded the Arizona Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee to recommend proposed power lines for the area be routed more than 3 miles south of the airport. The original plan, proposed by the Salt River Project on behalf of several state and local utility companies, would have placed 90- to 130-foot-tall power lines within 1 mile of the airport. The lines would have been located under the ILS/VOR approach to Runway 5, jeopardizing the usefulness of the ILS for that runway. Casa Grande ASN volunteer Patrick Dykes and Deer Valley ASN volunteer Art Rosen provided valuable assistance to local pilots and the committee throughout the process.

September 27, 2005