October 6, 2002

Safety Is Top Issue in Airport Debate

Dear Editor:

Safety is and has to be the overriding issue in any regional airport debate.  If Yeager Airport's margins of safety were superior or even equal to those of the proposed regional airport the debate would be over-indeed it never would have begun.

The New Regional Airport's margins of safety are far superior to Yeagers.  Just ask the air traffic controllers (see their web site at http://crw.natca.net). 

Here are the facts:

Safety Issue #1:  Yeager's runway is only 6,302 feet long.  The New Regional Airport's runway length will be between 8,700 feet and 10,000 feet.

Safety Issue #2:  The FAA's recommended standard for overruns at the end of a runway is a length of 1,000 feet.  One of Yeager's overruns is only 200 feet and the other is only 130 feet.  All the overruns at

The New Regional Airport will be at least 1,000 feet.

If you add up the length of Yeager's runway and the safety overruns at each end of the runway you have a total landing space of only 6,632  feet versus a minimum of 10,700 feet at The New Regional Airport. 
Someday that extra 4,072 feet of landing space may make a difference.

Safety Issue #3:  Yeager's taxiway and the terminal building are located too close to the runway based on the FAA's recommended standards.  The New Regional Airport's taxiways and terminal building will clearly meet the FAA's recommended standards.

Safety Issue #4:  Because 10 hills around Yeager Airport are higher than Yeager's runway, departing planes on the main runway (RWY 23) are required to climb at a minimum rate of 375 feet per nautical mile, which is 85% steeper than the FAA's standard airplane climb rate of 200 feet per nautical mile.  The New Regional Airport will be designed to meet the FAA's standard climb rate.

Even Yeager Airport's Master Plan Update (3/1/95) recognized Yeager's shortcomings: "Several violations to FAA design and airspace standards need to be addressed." And "The safety areas for all runways should be extended as much as possible to meet FAA design criteria."

Recently, Homer Hickam was quoted on this same subject: "Since I fly into Yeager often, I am also aware of the constant gallows humor that takes place amongst the passengers on each prop-job airplane as it bobs and weaves its way to a landing."

The evidence is clear: short runway, shorter safety overruns, terminal and taxiway built too close to the runway, and take-offs having to climb at steeper rates.  It is time for narrow self interests to give way to reason.  It is time to stand up and say: "Airport debate over---New Regional Airport safer."  

Sincerely,
Ned Jones
Former State Senator