Mat Su, you are going to lose your floatplane lakes

Damn skippy, "Friends of Mat-Su", along with the assembly and Mayor Menard are on the attack RIGHT NOW!!!!

Plans are in the works to remove ALL floatplane activities to an undeveloped area on the fringes of the MatSu. ALSO, private airstrip owners, kiss those strips goodbye and say hello to more housing development.

As soon as I get the link to Menard's speech, I'll post it.

I warned you about this when the RC model crowd lost their rights.

Unless a united front is formed against these "friends" and the developers, we will all lose.

It's time to get dirty, defend what is our's. Do not let six or seven morons decide that their will is what is going to be.

Come out of the shadows pilot lawers. Open the wallets folks. Is there a MatSu pilots/landowners's association? If not, this would be a damn good time to start one.

Joe

I'm not really up on my ANILCA facts, but I think it protects fixed wing aircraft in Alaska from this very thing.

I'm in total agreement with you, don't let the CAVE people (citizens against virtually everything) get anymore of a toehold than they already have.

gb

Sounds like a good starting point. I'll see if I can learn anything about this in ANILCA.

Joe

From my experience, ANILCA deals with federal lands. You are right though, on the point about there being protections for fixed wing aircraft. You must be careful though, the Park Service has a strong history of ignoring the protections to users, even when they are guaranteed in black and white in ANILCA. But that is a subject for R&R.

As to your lakes. Good job Joe, letting people know. I am always bothered when a few people try to push an agenda that is contrary to the way we live up here. We seem to be getting more and more people telling us how to live and what we can and can't do...even out here in Nome.
Hopefully, we can nip this in the bud, and try to keep our image clean, by being respectful of others, like not running your 2 blade 185 at 2850 over your neighbor's house (at the legally required altitude)...

Bill

There is already a group for this, it is the Alaska Airmens Association. Join it and get them on it they already have the numbers.

Before we get excited I suggest people that are interested read the comprehensive aviation plan that has been published. I wasn't able to stay for that part of the work session, I will get a copy of Menard's remarks. Basically the borough cannot "ban" float-planes. Nor can they force a strip that has been registered to close. What the plan addresses is the need for a commercial float facility in the central borough. This would consist of a 2500 plus strip with at least 4000 ft of lake with tie-downs. There are approximately 250 strips in the mat-su. The borough could regulate new strips according to the plan.Some of these old strips have some real conflicts. Federal law has always protected the use of lakes that have been used for float operations. The only commercial designated float facility in the Valley is Willow Lake. I am on the Big Lake planning commission and I have been to some of the aviation meetings. I will try to find out what is happening and post it here

I'm surprised to see Curt's support of this type since he is a float plane owner and fellow pilot. He also owns a nice place on a lake.

I recall talking to his son (years ago) at an assembly meeting to discuss lake management plans. Curt Jr. was testifying to insure float plane access at Meadow Lake where the Marnards (Sr and Jr) had their homes.

Nevertheless, his support (if it exists) on this movement perplexes me. As for the Friends of Mat-Su getting behind such a thing, it certainly follows their agenda.

Jerry