Don Quixote Note: The two letters posted below are from H. J. ( Chub) Down and are posted with his permission. The one letter to the Courier was actually published by that newspaper while the letter to the Attention of R. Rolke remains unpublished to this day. The article of Nov. 18 to which Mr. Down refers can be found at Complaints land at Vernon Airport
UPDATE: The Morning Star Letter was published Dec.24 (01/02/08)
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Attn : Richard Rolke
Re: Your article November 18/07 Complaints land at Vernon Airport
Fuel Operation:
Currently and for some years all 100 LL Avgas is on a Self Serve basis. Jet A Fuel is a service provided separately by tanker truck at the Vernon Airport.
The current airport comparative prices for 100 LL AvGas are as follows:
Vernon Airport $ 1.29 per litre
Salmon Arm Airport $ 1.29 “
Kelowna Airport $ 1.46 “
Penticton Airport $ 1.48 “
Kamloops Airport $ 1.48 “
Oliver Airport $ 1.51 “
Revelstoke Airport $ 1.58 “
Bellingham, Wa Airport $ 1.31 “
Therefore the statement of paying “Astronomical fuel prices” is bogus. For example if a typical Aircraft was flown from Vernon to Kelowna, the cost of flying to and back would be approximately $50.00 for fuel. Assuming the aircraft could take on 50 gallons and tanker same back to Vernon, they would incur an additional cost of $38.25 (225 Ltr. * .17 cents) plus the $50.00 for the return flight, for a total added cost of $88.25 or an additional cost of .39 cents per litre higher than the Vernon Airport Av Gas price.
Promoting and acquiring a Commercial Air Service would provide the Vernon Airport with additional airport grants.
Airport was “All of Sudden it was closed”. This is total fabrication, your paper, Dept of Transport NOTAM,s (notice to airmen) and general airport scuttlebutt were all informed of the closure to take place during construction. If these people can make a statement like that, then their competency as pilot’s warrants serious checking.
“Willing to back efforts to get something done”. From my perspective the Vernon Airport has improved dramatically, extended runway, improved taxiways, GPS, RNAV, weather cameras, fencing and security. All this for no charge of landing fees for piston powered aircraft under 5000 Kg. Other airports have “landing” and “touch and go” fees.
The Net losses result from new accounting procedures that require the Vernon Airport to amortize the fixed and improvement costs which is standard accounting procedures, which are not cash expenditures. Finally the virulent abuse being thrown at the Airport Manager is totally without merit.
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Editor: The Daily Courier Nov 19/07
Seagulls Squawking at the Vernon Airport!
The recent machinations on the Petty TV station in Kelowna by the 100 privileged members of the Vernon Flying Club, must be questioned. As a former Commercial Pilot and owner of a number of Aircraft in the past, I often used the Vernon Airport and never experienced any problems or complaints, save one. That was one occasion when I had to take off earlier than expected due to the start of an air show. The 100 members enjoy a special privilege of owning aircraft valued between $75,000 to $250,000 and pay only $48.00 per month to park same at a secure and accessible subsidized Airport. Car parking rates in Vernon run from $30 to $60 per month and Boat moorage and storage are similarly priced. As a general assumption, each aircraft covers approximately 700 sq. feet and given the Commercial rate at the airport for land use of 20 cents per square foot, a charge of $90 to $120 per month would be more reasonable than the current charge of $48 per month. It should be noted that these members also enjoy incomes from $40,000 to $100,000 +, do not have to exist in low cost housing , miss any meals or wonder where their next pay cheque will come from.
Perhaps the City of Vernon should re-evaluate the fees they charge this privileged few and recover the subsidy of $40,000 per year. That would only require each Vernon Flying Club member to pay an additional $33 per month for a total of $81 per month, very reasonable for the value they receive. Perhaps the Seagull’s squawking or Crapping at the Vernon Airport should adopt the Axiom: A Closed Mouth gathers no Feet!
H. J. ( Chub) Down
7974 Silver Star Road
Vernon, B.C. V1B 3N2
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