Vernon airport runway expansion

[Dizzy1]

So Bob and Dizzy, are you saying that the reason that the vernon taxpayers should spend $5-12 million dollars on a runway extention is because Kal tire may want to buy another bigger jet?

No where did I suggest that. If you read my post I simply explained the dynamics of current aircraft performance and the characteristics of the current runway - how you interpret that is up to you.

Companies that use the airport, not just Kal Tire bring lots of dollars into the local economy and it is not uncommon for a business to relocate if a city or municipality hinders their growth. The charter company I worked for was based out of a small airfield, we needed a runway extension as well as lighting - at first the local government was against it and our manager explained that they will simply relocate to another airport then. Given the amount of money we brought into the local economy, the city approved the expansion.

Now, I'm not saying that the city should nor am I saying that they city should not approve the expansion, but in order for a company to grow, they do require certain things that the average person may not understand and if they don't get it, a company very well may take their business else where.

[jlysholm]

If the airport was in just about any other location I could understand the need or want for expansion. Future expansion will create bigger planes, more complaints from neighbors, a political nightmare. I would rather see a waterfront plan developed and not have large heavy aircraft flying over the beach. I agree with many in this discussion, it's not that far to Kelowna Airport. I don't think Kal Tire or any other cooperate user of the airport is going to move because the trip to the airport is 20 minutes longer. Has anyone actually asked for input from Kal Tire or Tolko or?

[Glacier]

They should move the airport to Coldstream. I've noticed that there's a lot less cloud and fog there in the winter. Plus, land prices are cheaper. Selling off the current airport land would more than pay for 10,000 ft air strip or whatever they need to land to land 6 frqcktillion pound plane.

[bob vernon]

Airport improvements going ahead.

http://www.castanet.net/news/Vernon/179 ... -takes-off

I can't wait to read more of those letters to the editor complaining about planes "without mufflers".

[jasond_71]

What about selling that land and moving airport just past swan lake? There is a huge swath of land just over the road past swan lake. Not many houses there and it might service armstrong, salmon arm etc.

[Dizzy1]

What about selling that land and moving airport just past swan lake? There is a huge swath of land just over the road past swan lake. Not many houses there and it might service armstrong, salmon arm etc.

Why? The airport has been where it is now for almost 100 years.

Salmon Arm has its own airport.

[bob vernon]

Sure thing. Let's just move the airport to Coldstream or Spallumcheen. It won't cost more than a coupla thousand dollars.
And then the folks in Coldstream or Armstrong would be upset about the airplanes making so much noise because they don't have mufflers. Really, it's not going anywhere.

[jasond_71]

The land where the airport currently resides would be worth a lot of money because now you have land walking distance to the lake and recreation(soccer, tennis etc) where there is no airport. It could finally be turned into the vision that the city has had for the lakefront all along.
Vernon is the only city that is not by the lakefront.

Take the money from the sale of the land and buy the farm land just past swan lake. It would be way bigger and you could land bigger planes there if you wanted to. There are literally no houses out there compared to where the airport currently sits.

Yes you would have to get land out of ALR etc. but it would benefit airport users and make the city of Vernon a much nicer place to live with better amenities. I'm not saying it wouldn't be difficult or take a lot of willpower but it makes sense. Of course nothing that ever makes sense gets done, except for the rail trail. I'm shocked that actually went through but thank god it did.

[Dizzy1]

The land where the airport currently resides would be worth a lot of money because now you have land walking distance to the lake and recreation(soccer, tennis etc) where there is no airport. It could finally be turned into the vision that the city has had for the lakefront all along.
Vernon is the only city that is not by the lakefront.

Take the money from the sale of the land and buy the farm land just past swan lake. It would be way bigger and you could land bigger planes there if you wanted to. There are literally no houses out there compared to where the airport currently sits.

Yes you would have to get land out of ALR etc. but it would benefit airport users and make the city of Vernon a much nicer place to live with better amenities. I'm not saying it wouldn't be difficult or take a lot of willpower but it makes sense. Of course nothing that ever makes sense gets done, except for the rail trail. I'm shocked that actually went through but thank god it did.

Isn't most of the airport land owned by the Indian Band?

[Gixxer]

Yes it is.

[bob vernon]

Moving forward and staying put.

http://www.castanet.net/news/Vernon/180 ... rport-plan