[Tom Vaught]

$$$$$$$ Toys for Boys and Girls in Ohio.

That being said, my son flies the same type of airplanes every day on smaller strips in Wisconsin teaching new pilots how to fly. You can easily spend $50K on gas just getting your normal Private/Instrument/Commercial tickets for your toy. These people have a lot of Clout.

Tom V.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by mgarblik

Problem is those 84 people may wield considerable clout. Chances are those 84 people aren't on the government hand out list, receiving food stamps and Obama phones. They probably own private planes and have plenty of $$$$. So their 84 little voices are quite loud in Columbus. It would make sense to come to some sort of compromise, but once both sides dig their heels in, they end up waiting for some judge or politician to make the decision for them. This rarely ends well. Possibly something like this could go to arbitration and be settled. As an outside observer, it just seems like a tiny air strip that probably has 3 or 4 planes take off and land a week and a seasonal drag strip could co-exist on that huge otherwise useless giant plot of land.

Well said, Mike!

[ho428]

How many millions of dollars does the Strip bring into the local coffers every event, year after year?
Airstrips generally cost money, race tracks generate money.

[Tom Vaught]

The People WITH THE MONEY do not contribute to the public coffers.
You know better than that. They contribute to their Tax Attorneys & Politicians.
Tom V.

[ho428]

In the end local Politicians still rely on the local voter.

[Old Goat Racer]

Not that it matters but who was there first? Airport or dragstrip. Trucking co.

[Elarson]

Thinking this thru to it's extreme....

It's not uncommon for small airports to get closed for various reasons. Blue Ash in Ohio and Meigs in Chicago come to mind. The Friends of Huron Airport (FoHA) seem to be on a mission to preserve their (money-losing) airport by fleecing deep-pockets Bader family.

Taking this scenario to the extreme.....if the FoHA push too hard and put Summit Raceway out of business, the airport loses even more revenue from what the Bader's pay them now, plus they lose a few customers that fly-in for races. So now their little airport is even deeper under water and they go out of business too. Congrats to FoHA for ruining 2 businesses!!!

Eric

[Elarson]

Next thought:

I think I recall these 2 facts:
the airport budget shortfall is $10,000 a year
there are 84 members of FoHA.

If they would each pony up $119 of their own money for the airport that they want to keep, problem solved....without all of the government involvement and hard feelings.

Eric

[gman005]

Maybe someone can get ahold of Mayor Daley. Problem solved.

[PAUL K]

Originally Posted by gman005

Maybe someone can get ahold of Mayor Daley. Problem solved.

Isn't he in jail?

[Tom Vaught]

Originally Posted by Old Goat Racer

Not that it matters but who was there first? Airport or dragstrip. Trucking co.

4,000 foot air strip was probably a carry-over from the World War II Days/ style planes and was connected with the Civil Air Patrol side during the war.

Tom V.

[GP_4_SPD]

????? Only 30 minutes away from summit. https://www.dragway42.com/

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by PAUL K

Isn't he in jail?

No, but he should be. How many people can violate a court order and get away with it?

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by Tom Vaught

4,000 foot air strip was probably a carry-over from the World War II Days/ style planes and was connected with the Civil Air Patrol side during the war.

Tom V.

Huron Co. is a relatively new airport.

[Tom Vaught]

OK Thanks. Just assumed older, like some of the ones I have visited in Texas.

Tom V.

[hurryinhoosier62]

The first airport I worked at had four 3,900 X 75 runways. It was built in 1981. I checked a listing of all the old military fields in OH. Norwalk-Huron Co. wasn't listed.

[johnta1]

Lots of interesting history of Norwalk:

Norwalk

No mention of the airport, but info on the dragstrip.
(and other cool stuff)

[Tom Vaught]

Thanks John, that was a great read!

Tom V.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by hurryinhoosier62

Huron Co. is a relatively new airport.

Norwalk-Huron Co. Airport was opened in 1966. Summit Motorsports Park was opened in 1964. The airport has 10,000 operations per year (1 take-off and landing represents an operation). There are 16 based aircraft (15 single engine, 1 multi-engine). The airport has no instrument approach. It is for VFR operations only.

[455firebird1969]

Having been involved and participated in general aviation activities, and drag racing, in addition to serving in Coast Guard aviation for the majority of my adult life, I have lived near and worked at or on an airport always, and I still do. I find this feud ironic. I think we all know that drag strips are an endangered species, as more of them get closed down, than new ones built. Small general aviation airports are in the same boat so to speak. Airports and drag strips often suffer the same demise due to urban encroachment. Both activities draw noise complaints from those that live nearby, often leading to cerfews that limit use. Many times the value of the land becomes greater than what it was when the airport or drag strip was built, leading to more housing tracts and mini malls after the land is sold. Savannah Dragway was sold back in the mid 2000's because the land was worth more as a sand pit than as a drag strip.

The FAA and other government entities have many rules and regulations that often seem to be far overreaching and useless, but they are there and must be adhered to. The FAA takes airport and aircraft safety seriously, and it is from this safety angle, that the imaginary airspace rule conflicts with the light pole height restrictions adjacent to Huron County airport (5A1). Unfortunately this simple rule seems to be the "gotchya point" that the "Freinds of Huron County Airport" are using.

I don't know who was there first, but the fact that one 60' pole has been in place at the Norwalk drag strip for 20 years, leads me to believe this could be used as the "gotchya point" by Bill Bader to leverage a request for a waiver for the height infraction.

Airport operations and drag racing are both noise generation activities that could make for good neighbors. Apparently the egress road on the airport property is the issue dividing these two entities, placing them at at odds. I hope they can work out the differences and continue to be good neighbors, for the good of both parties. I would hate to see either have to close their doors permanently.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-s...rocco-cipriano