Today's airspace is unforgiving of mistakes
The answer is clear to me. It's reinforced every time I secure my Cessna 172 after a flight, or wipe down my classic Waco biplane. Consider this phrase I often use to describe the value of an airport to the surrounding community: A mile of highway takes you one mile, but a mile of runway takes you anywhere. A runway provides access to transportation for businesspeople--and it provides access to the dreams held by those who are learning to fly.
When you earn your pilot certificate, airports are your gateway to thousands of communities across the country. As pilots we can fly from a privately owned grass strip; a large, multi-runway airport with an air traffic control tower; and every airport in between. For a fascinating look at the wide variety of airports we all can use, see "A Day in the Life of America's Airports" (August 2007 AOPA Pilot), a special documentary report by this magazine's sister publication. You can also enjoy the many stories on AOPA Online.
The sad fact today is that airports are taken for granted--until they're threatened. As the president of AOPA, I've long been concerned about the welfare of America's airports. You may not realize that public-use airports are becoming an endangered species. In 1981, there were 5,846 public-use airports in the United States; today the number is 5,204. Thanks in part to AOPA's aggressive defense of airports, the rate of general aviation airport loss has slowed substantially--although many remain threatened. Could your airport be the next one to face closure?
AOPA has staff and resources available to help members preserve their local airports. Yet much of our success in stemming the loss of GA airports is thanks to nearly 2,000 designated AOPA Airport Support Network (ASN) volunteers. These dedicated AOPA members keep an eye on their local airports and help to build community support for them; if the airport is threatened, more often than not it's the AOPA ASN volunteer on the front lines in their communities, with assistance from AOPA staff.
It seems hard to believe, but the ASN just marked its tenth anniversary. I announced its launch in a general session at AOPA Expo 1997 in Orlando, Florida. While I'm proud to say the program has seen a lot of successes, the fact is that it's needed as much today as ever.
In St. Petersburg, Florida, the mayor and city government wanted to close Albert Whitted Airport and build condos and a park on the prime waterfront property. More than 1,600 airport supporters in St Petersburg joined airport support groups led by, among others, Jack Tunstill--AOPA's ASN volunteer at Albert Whitted. AOPA provided assistance, too, meeting with elected officials and working with airport supporters. Airport supporters prevailed--by a whopping margin of 3 to 1--in a November 2003 referendum on the airport's future. Last year, I joined Tunstill and the once-anti-airport mayor for the dedication of a new terminal at Albert Whitted, solidifying the airport's now-bright future.
Across the country in California, the Contra Costa County board of supervisors considered plans for the commercial redevelopment of Buchanan Field in Concord. While that specific threat is off the table for the moment, the situation reminds us that airports of all sizes need to have vigilant supporters watching over them at all times. Don't ever think that it can't happen to you, that your airport is too big (or too small) to be threatened.
In each of these cases, thanks to our ASN volunteers, AOPA received information very early in the process that enabled us to defend these important airports and represent your interests.
What most often endangers airports? Incompatible land use around airports is one. Because it is the responsibilities of individual municipalities, all zoning is local. We encourage AOPA members to get involved in the local planning process to help prevent the impact that incompatible land use can have on community airports. Development pressures, and their promises of greenbacks, also threaten airports, whether privately or publicly owned.
AOPA has resources to help members address all these issues in their communities. The key to success is realizing that airport protection happens at the local level, where the decision-makers are. Of course, AOPA will continue to fight for GA airports, but local involvement--your involvement--is critical.
Now is the time to build community support. Contact your airport's ASN volunteer and offer to help show the value of your airport. If there is no volunteer, consider becoming one. To find a volunteer, offer to become one, or for more information, visit the Web site. The airport you save may be your own.
To learn more about AOPA's extensive work on behalf of airports, see AOPA Online.
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