Okotoks Airport Closing
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Okotoks Airport Closing
Was wondering when this was going to happen, now it appears that by April 18th
It's closing down. The multi million properties surrounding it and their owners were
Probably strong opponents of it closing down, not so much an Air Ranch now.
Will be sad to see it go as I have some fond memories of that place.
It's closing down. The multi million properties surrounding it and their owners were
Probably strong opponents of it closing down, not so much an Air Ranch now.
Will be sad to see it go as I have some fond memories of that place.
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Re: Okotoks Airport Closing
Proponents or opponents?
Do the people near the airport support aviation or seek drive it out?
Miso confused!
Do the people near the airport support aviation or seek drive it out?
Miso confused!
Re: Okotoks Airport Closing
http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/safety-issues ... -1.2854845
CTV Calgary Staff
Published Monday, April 11, 2016 5:18PM MDT
Last Updated Monday, April 11, 2016 7:19PM MDT
An airstrip in Okotoks is shutting down after voluntarily surrendering its licence so that it can address safety deficiencies.
The Okotoks Air Ranch Airport will close next Monday because the area around it has been built up over the years and it now requires higher certification.
Airport officials say unauthorized breaches to the landing area, increased regulatory compliance and seasonal elevated levels of wildlife activities on and around the airport, have led management to determine that the current safety risks are excessive.
PHOTOS
Okotoks Airport, airport, airport closure, Okotoks
Some have just a few days to find a new place for their planes.
In order to keep pilots and residents safe a number of things need to be addressed and that could take some time.
The airport operator will make a voluntary surrender of the airport operator’s certificate, on a temporary basis, to Transport Canada.
“The airport has always been a certified airport with Transport Canada and that means that it has a standard of safety and compliance that is to be adhered to and is regulated and over seen by Transport Canada,” said Bryce Medd, GM Okotoks Airport.
Owners with operational aircraft must have it out of the airport before April 18th, at 6:00 p.m and Transport Canada says that no takeoffs or arrivals can occur after that time.
CTV Calgary Staff
Published Monday, April 11, 2016 5:18PM MDT
Last Updated Monday, April 11, 2016 7:19PM MDT
An airstrip in Okotoks is shutting down after voluntarily surrendering its licence so that it can address safety deficiencies.
The Okotoks Air Ranch Airport will close next Monday because the area around it has been built up over the years and it now requires higher certification.
Airport officials say unauthorized breaches to the landing area, increased regulatory compliance and seasonal elevated levels of wildlife activities on and around the airport, have led management to determine that the current safety risks are excessive.
PHOTOS
Okotoks Airport, airport, airport closure, Okotoks
Some have just a few days to find a new place for their planes.
In order to keep pilots and residents safe a number of things need to be addressed and that could take some time.
The airport operator will make a voluntary surrender of the airport operator’s certificate, on a temporary basis, to Transport Canada.
“The airport has always been a certified airport with Transport Canada and that means that it has a standard of safety and compliance that is to be adhered to and is regulated and over seen by Transport Canada,” said Bryce Medd, GM Okotoks Airport.
Owners with operational aircraft must have it out of the airport before April 18th, at 6:00 p.m and Transport Canada says that no takeoffs or arrivals can occur after that time.
Re: Okotoks Airport Closing
Sad. My career started there.
Not surprised to see this happen, though.
Not surprised to see this happen, though.
Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace. The soul that knows it not,knows no release from the little things; knows not the livid loneliness of fear, nor mountain heights where bitter joy can hear the sound of wings.
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Re: Okotoks Airport Closing
How long ago? A while ago I started a project to make a bit of a photo archive, we got first solo pics from when way back. If you were interested in a copy of the old polaroid, it could be arranged. That stands for anyone else for that matter, feel free to PM me.Flybabe wrote:Sad. My career started there.
Not surprised to see this happen, though.
We can't stop here! This is BAT country!
Re: Okotoks Airport Closing
Anyone want to fly in this weekend before it's gone? Add to your "runways I landed on but now are closed" list?
Re: Okotoks Airport Closing
'93 - '95Shiny Side Up wrote:How long ago? A while ago I started a project to make a bit of a photo archive, we got first solo pics from when way back. If you were interested in a copy of the old polaroid, it could be arranged. That stands for anyone else for that matter, feel free to PM me.Flybabe wrote:Sad. My career started there.
Not surprised to see this happen, though.
Oh so long ago
Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace. The soul that knows it not,knows no release from the little things; knows not the livid loneliness of fear, nor mountain heights where bitter joy can hear the sound of wings.
- Amelia Earhart
- Amelia Earhart
Re: Okotoks Airport Closing
I'm game, but need a faster plane than mine for a weekend trip...It's about 1400 miles from here!cpknight wrote:Anyone want to fly in this weekend before it's gone? Add to your "runways I landed on but now are closed" list?
"Carelessness and overconfidence are more dangerous than deliberately accepted risk." -Wilbur Wright
Re: Okotoks Airport Closing
Why would they not just lower it to registered? in stead of certified?s lots of municipalities have done it, as cert airports are way more expensive to keep than registered aerodromes . They may be a lot safer certified or they may not be , some registered aerodromes are very safe.
Re: Okotoks Airport Closing
Because that would involve keeping it open and subjecting the noble residents of Beautiful Okotoks to Chemtrails and AeroToxic Syndrome. And oooooooh, the noise, oooooh.anofly wrote:Why would they not just lower it to registered? in stead of certified?s lots of municipalities have done it, as cert airports are way more expensive to keep than registered aerodromes . They may be a lot safer certified or they may not be , some registered aerodromes are very safe.
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Re: Okotoks Airport Closing
Hilo, I would totally agree. I would almost guarantee that it's the local residents who have not wanted this airport in their own back yard.
Re: Okotoks Airport Closing
Looks like there is going to be some sort of consultation process on the future.
cf. http://cfx2.ca/
cf. http://cfx2.ca/wp-content/uploads/2008/ ... irport.pdf
"Stakeholders" are encouraged to register before May 6 at: stakeholders@CFX2.ca
cf. http://cfx2.ca/
cf. http://cfx2.ca/wp-content/uploads/2008/ ... irport.pdf
"Stakeholders" are encouraged to register before May 6 at: stakeholders@CFX2.ca
Re: Okotoks Airport Closing
Where can I but cheap stakes?cpknight wrote:
"Stakeholders" are encouraged to register before May 6 at: stakeholders@CFX2.ca
Re: Okotoks Airport Closing
You can't have a registered airport inside a built-up area.anofly wrote:Why would they not just lower it to registered? in stead of certified?s lots of municipalities have done it, as cert airports are way more expensive to keep than registered aerodromes . They may be a lot safer certified or they may not be , some registered aerodromes are very safe.
https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/ ... r6-406.htm
The CARs exemption for allowing low flying over a built-up area when taking off or landing only applies to certified airports IIRC.
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Re: Okotoks Airport Closing
I'll probably be heading there this weekend. I'm not sure how it will be with parking there overnight, might have to park in High River or Indus and just fly there for a few circuits.cpknight wrote:Anyone want to fly in this weekend before it's gone? Add to your "runways I landed on but now are closed" list?
The funny thing is that it isn't really a built up area apart from the houses that were specifically built around the airport under the guise of an air ranch. There is nothing beyond those houses on three sides. This closure was in the making and became almost inevitable when the developer started to build houses off the ends of the runway rather than just on the sides. I don't know what the general opinion is of the residents in that community but certainly many of them are non-pilots and may have no interest in aviation at all - they just bought at the air ranch because the houses are nice. Or maybe they didn't notice the airport is there when buying...CpnCrunch wrote:You can't have a registered airport inside a built-up area.anofly wrote:Why would they not just lower it to registered? in stead of certified?s lots of municipalities have done it, as cert airports are way more expensive to keep than registered aerodromes . They may be a lot safer certified or they may not be , some registered aerodromes are very safe.
https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/ ... r6-406.htm
The CARs exemption for allowing low flying over a built-up area when taking off or landing only applies to certified airports IIRC.
"People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it." -George Bernard Shaw
Re: Okotoks Airport Closing
According to the document on the air-ranch website which explains the issue, it's nothing to do with the housing around the air ranch. It is due to the town of Okotoks deciding a few years ago to increase the size of the town. I can't find the document now.Posthumane wrote: The funny thing is that it isn't really a built up area apart from the houses that were specifically built around the airport under the guise of an air ranch. There is nothing beyond those houses on three sides. This closure was in the making and became almost inevitable when the developer started to build houses off the ends of the runway rather than just on the sides. I don't know what the general opinion is of the residents in that community but certainly many of them are non-pilots and may have no interest in aviation at all - they just bought at the air ranch because the houses are nice. Or maybe they didn't notice the airport is there when buying...
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Re: Okotoks Airport Closing
Funny. Just last weekend I went to friend's house and his dining room table is literally 50' from the wind sock. He just moved in mid december. Doesn't even have dirt to plant grass on yet. He and his family love the airport and watching the planes. Says that through his triple pane argon windows he can barely hear the engines. What a bummer.
Re: Okotoks Airport Closing
How many planes based there approx? Before closure?
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Re: Okotoks Airport Closing
There was about 30-40 airplanes based on the field at the maximum. Unfortunately within the last year, the potential for closure has been well known in addition to the unwelcoming airport management. Landing fees and PPR requirements had been steepened, and the airport was subject to closure on a regular basis. In my view the plan has been to close it for a substantial time, though the airport management will refute this. When you realize that the airport management company's owner also has a stake in the development around the airport, well, follow the money.
That said, this is merely the culmination of some self fulfilling prophecy. The airport has been in danger since Mr Rowland stopped being involved in the development of and around the airport. The succession of developers since have been strictly interested in maximizing their short term profits at the expense of the long term viability of the aerodrome. This has been incredibly short sighted in my opinion since if the aerodrome would have been developed favoring air activity, Okotoks could have had a revenue generating piece of infrastructure the equivalent to Springbank given the current demands for GA activity in the Calgary area. If Orville Rowland knew what was going on now, or had been going on since he passed away, he'd be spinning in his grave.
That said, this is merely the culmination of some self fulfilling prophecy. The airport has been in danger since Mr Rowland stopped being involved in the development of and around the airport. The succession of developers since have been strictly interested in maximizing their short term profits at the expense of the long term viability of the aerodrome. This has been incredibly short sighted in my opinion since if the aerodrome would have been developed favoring air activity, Okotoks could have had a revenue generating piece of infrastructure the equivalent to Springbank given the current demands for GA activity in the Calgary area. If Orville Rowland knew what was going on now, or had been going on since he passed away, he'd be spinning in his grave.
That document is full of half truths. The plan for the land south of the airport was originally in the town of Okotok's growth plan was slated for recreational and light commercial. In particular, businesses that may have had synergy with the airport, and ball diamonds and soccer fields that would have left much green space. The developer (also the party of the airport management remember) worked a long time to have this land rezoned as residential. While this played into part of the town's plan to increase residential areas, it also began the problem for the town which then lacked room for commercial use. Okotoks has long had the issue of population growing faster than support for it, and a lot of people still are dependent on driving to Calgary for various needs.According to the document on the air-ranch website which explains the issue, it's nothing to do with the housing around the air ranch. It is due to the town of Okotoks deciding a few years ago to increase the size of the town. I can't find the document now.
More people needed to be more vocal in their support for the airport, and the lesson here is if you like the airport near you, support it now, not wait until its in trouble. In truth there has in the past been an adversarial relationship of the airport with residents, since even when Mr. Rowland handed over the development, the developer then had circulated the potential closure of the airport, which has cursed the place with uncertainty since the late nineties. Many of the original parcels of land were sold under the promise of the airport closing, and at least as many sold with the promise of it remaining open. Even among the residents there has been substantial disagreement in the past, though too little too late, residents have come to realize that the substitute of a lazy aerodrome in their back yard might be eminently preferable to whatever the developer has in mind. Even the removal of the airport infrastructure will mean substantial construction effort, which might mean five years or more of construction in your back yard, not to mention increased construction traffic in the neighborhood, and more neighbors. Most of the residents that have land adjacent to the airport grounds are likely to see a substantial value decrease to their property.He and his family love the airport and watching the planes.
We can't stop here! This is BAT country!