Road blockades? Runway blockade!

[iflyforpie]

From our local rag here in the East Kootenay.

Stevens family to block runway at Invermere airport
By Brian Geis
Pioneer Staff
Basil and Mildred Stevens announced this week
they intend to form a human blockade on the north
half of the runway at Invermere Airport this Saturday,
March 20, and anyone who attempts to use it could be
arrested for trespassing.
According to Basil Stevens, the north end of the
runway crosses land he owns. After 23 years of nonpayment
for use of the land, he said, he’s had enough.
“It’s quite a mind-boggling thing, really,” Mr. Stevens
commented.
The Stevens family, he said in a statement issued
this week, are the legal owners of 81 hectares of land
used by the Invermere Airport, which is located within
the Shuswap Indian Reserve, north of Invermere.
Babin Air, the company which operates the airport,
he said, has failed to make any payments to the
Stevens family for the use and enjoyment of the airport
and the airport runway.
“This matter is currently before the court,” he said.
“So, effective March 19th, 2010, the airport runway
will be blocked until further notice. Anyone attempting
to use our portion of the airport runway will be
guilty of trespass.”
Both Mr. Stevens and Norm Babin, of Babin Air,
are pointing to Shuswap Band Chief Paul Sam and
council in the dispute.
“We are the operators of the airport and for the
past 20-some years, we’ve been paying the Shuswap
Band for use of the airport and our relationship has
been fair and good,” Mr. Babin explained. “I feel for
the Stevens family if they are not getting what they
deserve, but the Department of Indian Affairs have
told us that any dealings must go through the chief
and council.”
Mr. Babin said he is not sure if it will be business
as usual for the airport on Saturday.
“It’s a concern for us,” he said, “especially when
it comes to medical evacuations. We don’t knw when
flights are going to come in, so there is some liability
there.
Calls to Shuswap Chief Paul Sam and the Shuswap
Band office were not returned by press time. An
office worker said the office was closed for vacations.

http://www.columbiavalleypioneer.com/read.html

Not going to be here Saturday, but it will be interesting to see what happens. They have put 'no trespassing' signs on their half of the runway before and we have called the cops. Sucky situation for them, but their actions are illegal...

[flyinhigh]

Tower this Is Hotrod 324, Emergency in progress. Landing now

[midwingcrisis]

Could be interesting in whom actually is charged with trespassing. Two choices for landlord, distrain or terminate but not both!!

[Shiny Side Up]

Ah, finally something our regulator can be put to use for. I'd encourage someone to make sure they take photos of this event and get a list of names. If you want I could fly there and if the runway is blocked I'd be more than willing to make the formal complaint. There's a very hefty fine for this sort of action and personally I've had enough with people pulling stupid shit like this because they're unhappy with something.

[sanjet]

Wouldn't this be considered a terrorist act, technically speaking?

[swixtt]

i was thinking of going up there this weekend too. weather looks good and it's nice flight up the valley.

[rampking]

You guys sound like a bunch of losers, if it were my land I'd do the same thing. Why is this airport allowed to get away with this? Pay the guy for his land or get off it.

King

[iflyforpie]

Well...

The company I work for has paid the leaseholder of the all the lands of the airport: the Indian Band. They made some arrangement years ago with the plaintiffs for the use of the land for an airport (building them their houses or something like that). Instead of going after the Indian Band (well, they are trying) or just accepting their $16 worth of beads for their land (white people aren't the only swindlers), they are trying to attack us and everybody who has a right to use the airport (tennants, itinerant traffic, joe public).

[swixtt]

Well...

The company I work for has paid the leaseholder of the all the lands of the airport: the Indian Band. They made some arrangement years ago with the plaintiffs for the use of the land for an airport (building them their houses or something like that). Instead of going after the Indian Band (well, they are trying) or just accepting their $16 worth of beads for their land (white people aren't the only swindlers), they are trying to attack us and everybody who has a right to use the airport (tennants, itinerant traffic, joe public).

king doesn't know how to read... but he is the king.... must give respect.

[moocow]

Um how is this terrorism? They are not using violence or threaten the airport operators' lives. What I don't understand is why they are suing the operator as individuals. I thought any land on a reserve is the Band's land not individual's property. So if the operator paid the Band they fulfilled their end of the contract under my previous assumption.

[aviator2010]

If I own the land and you owe me money for the last 23 years me and my 30-06 are comming for a conversation.

I'd say he's being very restrained in his actions. I'm with the king on this, your a bunch of douchbags.

[swixtt]

man, this site rules....

[flyinhigh]

aviator and King.. Grow up.

Douche bags, mmmm, someone has issues

[matt777]

It sounds like Babin paid the band for airport operation, so it's not really their problem if the land owners aren't getting their share.

"Douchbags"?

...real classy guys

[ScudRunner]

How much of the Runway is allegedly on their land?

[iflyforpie]

How much of the Runway is allegedly on their land?

Roughly about half, 1500 feet.

For me it doesn't make a difference landing since I usually land long south (15) and am stopped in less than 1000 feet going north (33). Take off to the north is no problem either but I won't do a half-field takeoff south.

Drove by today and they are just camped to the side of the runway, not blocking it.

[Redneck_pilot86]

So if I'm flying along and have an emergency and have to land, and on landing I kill a bunch of these people standing in the runway, who is at fault?

[swixtt]

PacRadio issued a Notam while i was flying around noon, heard it on the traffic freq.... guys had to divert today.

[Mark_space]

Sounds vaguely like the situation north of Thunder Bay...

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/ ... -fire.html

Situation resolved after the appropriate baksheesh was extracted from developers...

[crazy_aviator]

ANYONE with half a brain would understand that it is MOST likely that the air cervice has dutifully paid the band BUT the band has NOT dutifully paid the property owners,,,,,Dont ya get it ? Have you ever been on a reserve for any length of time folks ?