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I know I have asked this before but I really need to understand the reason the LAA crowd doesn't want skydiving
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Hi Steveo,
Here are the reasons and the responses:
Reason: The presence of parachutes will make the jets stop flying in. That means we lose the $5,000 (gross) fuel sale when a jet stops flying in here.
Response: There is no insurance preventing jets from flying into Laconia. EVERY SINGLE jet pilot, and I am not selective in my interviews, have stated unanimously that they would still fly into Laconia. Even the pilots flying the NASCAR drivers, I contacted them directly as well...... They will still get those fuel sales. Plus our season long fuel sales.
Reason: And this is a direct quote: "We hear the radio over at Skydive New England in Maine, they are 'up-down-up-down' all weekend long." (Paraphrasing now) "You will take over the airport's daily ops if you fly here.
Response: That's life. We expect on a Saturday to make 10-20 flights. If the airport's total average daily ops on a Saturday is 100, we would represent no more than a 10% or 20% increase in daily ops. They think we're gonna fly Twin Otters all day long and drop 23 skydivers over the airport twice a hour all day long, which is entirely not the case.
Reason: Aircraft and skydivers can collide mid air.
Response: Try actually doing some research. Aircraft and aircraft collide every ten days on average across the US. Aircraft and skydivers collide about once every ten years on average.
Reason: We're too busy of an airport for skydiving.
Response: Your really not. You have no idea what average daily ops mean in relationship to skydiving.
Reason: The airport is too small:
Response: Your really not. Do some research. You want to see a SMALL airport that can sustain skydiving, check out Sugarloaf Key airport in the Florida Keys. That is SMALL.
Reason: This is our airport
Response: This is everyone's airport
Reason: They want to land in the object free area!
Response: We really don't. It's listed as an alternate. But as far as the FAA is concerned, if parachutists aren't allowed in the object free area when needed, then neither are departing or landing aircraft that need to use it. Ironic, huh? lol
Hope that helps,
Blue skies to all and to all a good flight,
Tom