President's Perspective

Why Meigs Field is so important

Ironically, on March 31, as troops were taking over Baghdad's main airport in the Middle East war, a destructive force hit the runway of one of America's premiere general aviation airports - Merrill C. Meigs Field (CGX) in Chicago. AOPA and others have fought a decade-long battle to keep this 3,800-foot runway in place. The mayor of Chicago, Richard Daley, openly stated he wanted the airport closed and a park developed on the property. Much to the shock of both pilots and the general public, Mayor Daley ordered two-foot trenches in the shape of Xs to be cut in the runway, rendering it useless. To make matters worse, he did this in an overnight "sneak attack." Pilots nationwide woke up to Internet pictures of this scarred runway, and the mayor answered the press by stating he did this in the interests of security for Chicago's downtown area. Pilots of 16 stranded aircraft were equally stunned, and with AOPA's assistance they were able to depart the airport later in the week on an undamaged taxiway.

What has made Meigs field an icon to all pilots and Chicago residents is the fact it is little more than a five-minute cab ride from the city's Loop business district. The airport also lies in the shadow of Soldier Field, a major sports complex, and McCormick Place, a very large convention facility. An airport couldn't be better situated to provide ready access to Chicago's hub area. The airport is also an icon to the more than 15 million users of Microsoft Flight Simulator - Meigs is the program's default airport.

But what does this all mean to a new student pilot, especially one living far from Chicago? First, it represents another in the growing trend of airport closures, the number-one concern to a majority of AOPA members in any research we conduct. After all, GA airports to pilots are the equivalent of roads and off ramps to drivers of cars. Most pilots, new or old, wouldn't land at Chicago's O'Hare or Midway airports - or Los Angeles International, Miami International, Dallas/Fort Worth - you get my point. We learn to fly and exercise our skills at the more than 5,400 public-use airfields that often are located much closer to our business or recreational destination.

Second, it sends a clear message to the general public that these airports aren't important. If that's the case, you should ask yourself, "Then why in the world am I mastering stalls and crosswind landings?"

Third, and an important focus of AOPA's legislative work, is the ability of a local politician to destroy and/or close an airport built with federal funds. All citizens - not just pilots - should be concerned about the wanton waste of your tax dollars.

Fourth, Meigs is one of those very special airports. So many AOPA members have e-mailed me to express their disappointment that they may never be able to experience the thrill of landing at this unique airport.

There are unusual, to say the least, legal agreements between the FAA, the City of Chicago, and the Chicago Park District of which AOPA has known for years. The airport was actually closed, but with conventional painted Xs, in late 1996. It was reopened in 1997 after AOPA and the state of Illinois filed lawsuits and the state threatened takeover of the field. In 2001 Mayor Daley and then-Governor George Ryan shook hands on an agreement that, among other airport issues, was to have kept Meigs open until 2026. The aviation community and others were naturally shocked by the middle-of-the-night destruction of the runway.

Fortuitously, as AOPA's spokesman, I had been scheduled to testify about the FAA budget before the House aviation subcommittee at a hearing less than two weeks after the mayor's action. I submitted written remarks concerning the budget issues and devoted all my allotted time to speaking out on the damage that had been done by the city to this valuable airport. A majority of the committee's members - your elected representatives - agreed with me.

The last thing a student needs on his or her mind during training is "politics" - especially the politics found at the local, state, or federal level. That's why membership support of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is so vital to your future in general aviation. We combine the voices of individual pilots at all certificate levels to present one loud 400,000-voice message to Congress. We also use the resources that this large membership base provides to fund lawsuits, full-page ads in newspapers, and public relations campaigns - all parts of the 12-point plan that the association immediately undertook to save Meigs.

The restoration of this airport will be an uphill battle since much of the traditional law we rely on has not been broken. What has been broken is a city's trust in its mayor and the spirit of those who had hoped to someday land at Meigs Field.