Have they ceased the skydiving ops at Moultonboro? I know they were doing sightseeing and skydiving there a few years ago. I like to watch it but not interested in jumping again. When I did it in 1960 in PA there were no tandem jumps. The way I see it is if you can build it 'They will come'. The nearest decent size op is now in Lebanon, Maine.
Once a suitable landing area is established at LCI the only problems I would foresee would be NORDO traffic in or transiting the area. Don't know if there is much there but there is some in the Skyhaven area.
I used to fly into White Mountain Apt a lot (No Conway) and we had no problems with all the glider traffic back then - seems to me it's about the same.

Skydive Laconia
 

Hi Seeker,

Thank you for your comment on the possibility of no radio flights in the area.

If we are given permission to operate at LCI, we intend to file a daily NOTAM of skydiving operations over LCI whenever we are operating.

As an added safety measure, before any skydiver exits an aircraft, a spotter (called a Load Organizer, or LO) always scans the surrounding area below for any approaching traffic. If the LO spots an aircraft in close proximity, he or she can elect to hold skydivers in the aircraft until the aircraft in question is no longer in the area.

Between filing daily NOTAMs and using an LO in flight, skydiving operations around the country peacefully coexist with NORDO traffic.

Blue skies to all and to all a good flight,

Tom

Cool.

With a bit of training, you'll be soaring through the White Mtns.

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_...=&fullscreen=1

Good info
 

Tom,
I would like to wish both you and your wife nothing but the best of luck. We are all seeing the true value of this forum when information can be shared like this, both pro and con. You have taken on all questions and responded in a professional and forthright manner. My friends and I have all exchanged the "I-will-if-you-wills" and are hoping things work out. Two have decided to wait for it to come out on Wii. Aside from participating I think it would be fun on a nice summer day to grab an ice cream from Sawyers or a sandwich from Waldo Peppers and spend some time watching the excitement.
You have been very good answering technical and procedural questions and I feel very comfortable with your experience and knowledge. Its just that if you have been following this forum, and it appears you have, you may be aware of some other merchants and the antics they have pulled when having a bad day. There is the bookstore that body slammed a child, a pizza shop that swept the floor and put it in a nice lady's sub and the computer shop that replaced a hard drive with a gerbil. (I am not sure on that one I might have lost focus). I guess what my question is what do YOU do on a bad day? What if we go through all that you have to go through to make a jump and all seems fine. We take off and I get tense, nervous, it turns out I'm a thrasher or dooms sayer, or worse, a wetter. You are already having a bad day so I get ejected sans chute. On the way down I hear you yelling "Please visit our gift shooooooooppe.........." Could you at least dump me over the lake?

Skydive Laconia
 

"Two have decided to wait for it to come out on Wii."

That is one of the funniest things I have read in a long time.

Hi Pontoon Goon,

You've posed a really interesting question.

I think the primary difference you will see in our operation regarding work ethic, versus say a pizza shop employee, is the passion that we have for what we do. Most employees and even alot of business owners may enjoy thier job, but it is still a job. Given the option to work or do something else they enjoy doing, most people will opt to do something else. We are very fortunate in that our jobs are our passion.

The other part of the answer has to do with the responsibility of being a skydiving instructor. When we work with skydiving students, 100% of thier well being is in our hands, similar to a CFI. It is an awesome responsibility and one we take very very seriously. Outside of this business venture proposal, I am the Tandem Training Program Director for one of the largest tandem equipment manufacturers in the world (located in Orlando, FL). I am responsible for the continuing education and training standards of thousands of tandem instructors around the globe. I say this only to offer to the readers that my professional skydiving career is based in large part on my ability to effectively communicate safety protocols and training methods to others.

To answer your other question about potential student panic, one of the things that we point out in the beginning of all our training is that you can change your mind about skydiving right up until you leave the plane. You can go through the entire pre jump training, climb in the plane and go all the way up in the plane ride, and still have the opportunity to change your mind. After your instructor has you hooked up and your exit time is near, they will ask you "Are you ready to skydive?". If the answer is "No". They will bring you back down in the plane, no questions asked. No pressure, no problem. As for any possibilities of a student not performing well in freefall, we train everyone to participate as fully as possible on their first skydive from body positions to even opening the parachute. If a student forgets everything they have learned or panics when they exit the plane, the tandem instructor is trained to handle any and all occurances such as that calmy and professionally. Part of my job as Tandem Training Program Director is that I am the first tandem passenger that my tandem instructor candidates take skydiving during their training courses, so I can speak from first hand experience that when an instructor graduates our tandem training course, they are prepared to handle whatever they encounter in a calm, professional manner.

We look forward to your visit and thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and offer your support. We also encourage anyone that is interested in what we do to stop by and visit us, even if just to hang out, watch the parachutes land and let us talk your ears off about anything and everything skydiving related.

Blue skies to all and to all a good flight,

Tom

By way of introduction, my name is Vincent Dooley. My uncle, Fenton Dooley, was originally from the New Haven CT area. He returned to the place he loved as a child and spent the last years of his life on Cotton Hill (Gilford) where he diligently practiced law and mentored future lawyers until his death in 1996.

Fenton was one of seven children. Each summer our extended family would trek up to the hill where we would meet cousins from far away places to play in your exotic paradise. I have other family members in the Laconia/Gilford area who either take up summer residence each year or reside in the area full time. I do not know what opinions they may have on this subject and I am not speaking for them.

I have been an avid skydiver since 1992. During those years, I have travelled extensively and made skydives in many different places and under many different conditions. While my skydiving resume is not as impressive as Tom Noonen's, I have known him for many years. He is an extremely competent skydiver.

Tom is also the director of tandem training for Strong Enterprise. As a a certified FAA rigger, I am very familiar the tandem rigs developed and manufactured by its founder Ted Strong. While I have no desire to earn a living in that arduous fashion, I am nonetheless proud to hold the privilege to do so. Its proven record of safety speaks for itself.

Skydiving and air travel have been living in relative harmony for many years. There are a number of drop zones all over the country that are in the flight paths of airports with much higher volume than Laconia. More than anyone, skydivers recognize the obvious fact that objects in the physical universe do collide. All those involved in the aviation industry do our best to avoid being one of those objects.

Many of my family members think I am nuts for having followed the path I have chosen. They still would like to see me every now and then. It would be a privilege for me to skydive in this area and will cherish the memory. Thank you for allowing me to express my opinion.

Tom, I'm starting to think that Flyguy might have done you a favor by posting his resistance to your business. You've done a great job of defending yourself and probably earned more than a few converts. And look at all the exposure your getting. You're probably increasing your potential customer base with each response. It's all good, man.

For all those who have never tried and insist they never will, I would encourage you to look a little deeper inside yourself. When it's all said and done it will be one of the most exciting things you will ever experience. I think it should be one everyone's bucket list. I found that when I got out on the wing it really wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. At that altitude the ground is kind of an obscure thing and not so scary. It's easier than jumping off a high bridge into the water. You don't get that same knot in your gut. For me, anyway.

I've never been closer to doing it
 

Thanks Gatto Nero, I can't tell you how much this thread has helped me realize that this is something that I have always wanted to do. When I was 12 and climbing Chocoroa for the first time I got seperated from my older cousin who was leading us up. I climbed up on the opposite side of the trail to the top, climbing over rocks and leaping from rock top to rock top all the way hearing people's voices above me, knowing I was close to the top but just not quite there. I wasn't scared until I reached the top and looked down onto the wrong path that I had taken to reach the summit. I felt a sense of pride that day that I had really conquered that mountain. I have never had that feeling again, and would like to feel it once more. I think the Noonans can count me in as a tandem 1st timer this summer. 250 lbs., 6' 6'', 54 yrs old, good health, OK? I can lose 10 or 15 if it is needed before then.:laugh:

Skydive Laconia
 

Hi Gatto Nero,

We are definitely thankful that we found this thread and forum, as it provides us a venue to provide the community with factual information regarding our Skydive Laconia proposal. The community response has been incredibly positive, and we thank you all for your posts and your emails offering your support, they are all very much appreciated.

We continue to respect Mr. Hemmel's opinion regarding our proposal, and wish him well in his pursuits. We hope that if/when we receive permission from the LAA to operate, that he will stop by and spend some time with us and get to know us and our operation.

Blue skies to all and to all a good flight,

Tom

Tom,

When do you expect to know more about the status of your proposal? Is there anything that we on the forum who support you can do to help?

Gn....
 

He Dots his I's and crosses his T's, and I am more than positive if he needs any help from us, Tom will be in touch.

Tragic tandem jump
 

According to this article, a tandem jump ended in tragedy, but it was the instructor who was in trouble; His trainee tandem jumper took over and landed the pair safely.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,486409,00.html

I feel sorry for the instructor, but a bit more comfortable about jumping.

Tragic Tandem Jump
 

Good afternoon all,

I got a phone call on Saturday around 4:45pm informing me that my friend and former coworker, had passed away on a tandem skydive, in all probability of a heart attack under his main parachute on a tandem jump. My wife and I have yet to make peace with the fact he is gone, but we take comfort in knowing that he died doing what he loved most in the world, skydiving.

Mary and I talked it over last night and we decided that we wanted to offer the winnipesaukee.com community some insight into the safety protocols that go into making a tandem skydive, in that hopes that it would provide some peace of mind to those in the community that may have questions stemming from this incident.

The first thing I would like to offer is that in order to qualify to become a tandem instructor, every candidate is required to go through an FAA Class III flight physical administered by an appropriately rated FAA Medical Examiner. This medical certificate is also required to be a Student Pilot' to pursue aircraft flight training, including solo training flights. The Class III is required to be kept current, meaning every three years it must be renewed if you are under 40 and every 2 years if you are over 40. In this case, the instructor did have a current FAA Class III medical certificate.

The second thing I would like to offer is that both the main and reserve parachutes are set to open in a "half brake" setting, so that if in the unlikely event the tandem instructor is rendered unable to control the parachute, it will sail to the ground in a slow, survivable speed. Both the main and reserve parachutes are also exceptionally large and docile parachutes, again, so that in the highly unlikely event no input is given once the parachute is open, the canopy will drift slowly to the ground.

The third safety protocol I would like to offer is that all tandem parachute systems are equipped with on board computers, called AADs. These Automatic Activation Devices are a secondary safety protocol, or "back up" if you will. In the highly unlikely event that a tandem instructor is unable to deploy the parachute once in freefall, the AAD unit will automatically release the reserve parachute at a predetermined altitude high enough to allow it to float to the ground once deployed.

With these three safety protocols in place, tandem passengers are protected from the highly unlikely event of a tandem instructor being rendered unable to do his (or her) job. I offer all of this information to the community to assure you all that your collective safety is our industry's number one priority and while no aeronautical activity can be made 100% risk free, there are multiple safety protocols in place to ensure that tandem passengers are not placed in any undue risk situations, even in highly uncommon scenarios such as what occurred this past weekend.

My wife and I continue to remain available to answer any and all skydiving specifics questions or concerns, but I hope you will all understand if we choose not go into specifics regarding the loss of our friend. General questions about the incident are fine, we just cannot in good faith, publicly discuss details of our friend's passing.

The tandem passenger that attempted CPR is truly a hero and despite the pain of our loss, we are comforted in the thought that in the last moments of our friend's life, he was cared for and not alone. Hopefully someday we will have the opportunity to meet the tandem student and thank him personally.

Blue skies to all and to all a good flight,

Tom

Curious...
 

This question may have been asked already, so if it has, I apologize...
The more I read this post, the more I am wanting to give this a try (some forum members would probably like for me to try it with no parachute) , as I have often thought about it. So, assuming you are up and running this summer, I am curious:
What type of cost is associated with a single jump?
Is a reservation required?
How much total time should be allowed? From arriving at the airport, thru leaving.
If you have a chance to answer, that would be great. I wish you folks well.

Sorry for your loss
 

Tom & Mary:

Sorry for your loss.

Best wishes to you both, his friends, and his family.

With Sympathy....
 

To Tom, Mary and families

May wonderful memories of your friend help you celebrate his life, remind you of his love, and bring peace and healing to your hearts.

Terry

What's the deal?
 

Tom,

How are your approvals coming. Will you be opening up shop soon?

Skydive Laconia
 

Hi Gatto Nero,

Thank you for your reply. I have been meaning to get back on here and post an update. My wife and I are finishing up preparing some documentation that the LAA has requested and we plan to attend the May 21st, 2009 LAA meeting to be available for any Q&A that they may have.

We invite any and all that would like to attend to come down and meet us. We will be bringing with us some sample videos and photos of some skydives that we have made. We look forward to meeting everyone and answering any questions that you might have.

Blue skies to all and to all a good flight,

Tom

And if all goes well at that meeting, when will you be starting operations?

Skydive Laconia
 

Hi Gatto Nero,

Please forgive the delay in response, I was out of the country conducting a skydiving course for the Ecuadorian Air Force Special Forces. Just got back to the US.

If everything goes well at the May meeting, and the LAA gives us the go ahead, we would like to open our doors for the Fourth of July weekend, Friday July 3rd, 2009. If we get a favorable decision, it will still take us a few weeks to get ready and with a NASCAR event at the end on June, we figured that since we waited this long, an extra week wouldn't be the end of the world. As we originally planned, we'll probably just sit at the airport and count planes in and out during the NASCAR event to get an idea of the "busy season" at the airport.

We hope you will all be able to make it to the meeting in May so that you can meet us and see some of our promotional material.

Blue skies to all and to all a good flight,

Tom

Age Limit?
 

I wish the Noonans all the luck in the world with their ambitious venture. What an exciting addition to the resources available to residents and tourists in the Lakes Region.

I wonder if there is an age limit to the tandem skydive activity? I am a reasonably heatlthy male in his mid sixties who has never skydived. Eligible?

Best Wishes
 

I also wish the Noonan's the best of wishes in their adventure. I do appreciate that they respond to the members concerns. Based on the responses they have provided, I really believe they are truly committed to their work (of skydiving!!). I for one, would never think of doing such a thing, but seriously, after reading all of these posts......I really kind of want too!

To the Noonans....The Best of Luck to you......who knows I may meet you sometime....in the air!

YIKES! Skydiver & airplane video
 

:eek: If you haven't yet got the idea of the potential problems this proposal raises- and it seems some of you haven't- take a peek at this video. This skydiver was also jumping directly over an airport.

not that I discount your point
 

But I can get hit crossing the street by an oncoming car as well. Yes this is the increased risk of skydiving. Everything can be dangerous in anyway you want it to be.
Do not get me wrong Skydying is one of those risks that you DO NOT have to take, but like with anything if you choose to do an activity there can be consequences

Skydive Laconia
 

Hi Skisox24,

The minimum age limit for tandem skydiving is 18 years of age. There is no maximum age limit for tandem students. Just this past Saturday, I had the honor of taking a retired member of the 82nd Airborne on a tandem skydive for his 85th birthday. He jumped into France during WWII, and since turning 80 years old, got back into skydiving and has gone on to make over 100 tandem skydives around the country.

Hi Flyguy,

Please forgive me for not reiterating everything that I have already posted earlier in this thread about the potential for skydiver/aircraft mid air collisions. You have your opinion, we respect it and we don't expect it to change.

Hi AC2717,

Thank you for your response. One of the most positive outcomes of this this thread is that it shows that the community as a whole is supportive and wants to judge the situation based on the facts. It really has been a pleasure communicating with everyone and we look forward to meeting you all in the near future.

Blue skies to all and to all a good flight,

Tom

$$$
 

Hope all goes well, and you folks are up and running this summer.
I've always wanted to try this, although must admit, when given the chance two years back, lacked the nerve. Maybe this year.
I'm very curious about what the cost will be.
Maybe it is not in your best interest to disclose this...I'm not sure.
But, if you don't mind...

Skydive Laconia
 

Hi sa_meredith,

Thank you for your question. Unfortunately, we can't provide pricing information yet, as we can't finalize prices until we sign a hangar lease, and we don't want to sign a hangar lease until we get an approval.

As soon as we have some firm pricing information, we will post it here for everyone.

Blue skies to all and to all a good flight,

Tom

He'll be first in line!
 

I was so excited to come across this thread! My husband loves to skydive, but hasn't been able to in a few years. I really hope everything works out for you, Tom and Mary. My husband will be first in line...and MAYBE I'll go, too! Good luck to you!

"Please forgive the delay in response, I was out of the country conducting a skydiving course for the Ecuadorian Air Force Special Forces."

....the Ecuadorian Air Force....does they even have any airplanes....or maybe just a couple old rusty Jeeps and a very reliable donkey named Blackie....ha-ha...only kidding...everyone has heard of the famous Ecuadorian Air Force...


Say, any chance of you running a winnipesaukee.com special....like a free skydive for the first five to reply, or something....and you give me some advance notice (wink-wink) for suggesting this brilliant advertising idea :D

Skydive Laconia
 

Hi fatlazyless,

The Ecuadorian Air Force conducts skydiving training out of a Hercules C-130 that they purchased from the United States and a Dehavilland Twin Otter that they purchased from Canada. The country's Air Force actually has a rather impressive array of aircraft that they operate, and the soldiers that I have worked with have all been professional operators that have an incredibly high code of conduct that they train by. I would invite anyone that wants to learn more about the history of the Ecuadorian Air Force to look up the group on Google or Wikipedia. They are an impressive group of aviators and skydivers and I am honored to be able to work with them.

Blue skies to all and to all a good flight,

Tom

Skydive Laconia
 

Hi Jmo777,

Thank you for your support. We look forward to seeing you this summer.

Blue skies to all and to all a good flight,

Tom

Skydive Laconia
 

Good Afternoon To All,

I will be attending the Thursday May 21st, 2009 Laconia Airport Authority (LAA) meeting in hopes of receiving an approval for our operation to begin. If any of you would like to attend the meeting to lend your support (or Mr. Hemmel, to reiterate your concerns), I would invite you all to attend the meeting.

The meeting is being held in the airport's main terminal building at 65 Aviation Drive, Gilford, NH and begins at 5:30pm.

If any of you have local businesses or work for local businesses, I would strongly encourage you to come down and show your support. The decision of the LAA to allow or deny us our federally protected right to operate on the Laconia Municipal Airport will have a significant effect on the local economy. An approval to operate will provide an increase in tourists to the area and will also extend the tourist season beyond Memorial Day to Labor Day. A denial by the LAA will result in a status quo effect on local tourism. It's your inns, restaurants, bars, grocery stores and gas stations that will lose out on additional tourist dollars generated by our operation if this ends up getting delayed further.

To be fair, we understand that despite all the evidence to support our cause, there are a handful of people that don't want us there and no amount of information or evidence will ever change that.

To that group all we can do is offer an apology for affecting their status quo but remind them that the $10,000,000+ a year that is allocated to the airport comes from tax payer dollars and that it is not "free money", it comes with federal obligations, and like us or not, we are one of those obligations. Our right to pursue a federally protected freedom is non-negotiable. We are pursuing a just cause and plan to see this through to it's logical conclusion.

That is what makes community input so vital. The decision made by the LAA will reach far beyond just the end of the runway......it will reach into your businesses, into your jobs and into your cash registers. This decision is as much about the community as it is about the airport.

Blue skies to all and to all a good flight,

Tom

Tom, I wish TheNoonans the best of luck with your meeting with the LAA on the 21st of the month. This writer will not be able to attend, but would love to be there for your support and to meet you. You seem to have been very honest with all us with your replies here on this thread and I for one thank you for it.

As I understand, the Laconia Airport which is totally located in Gilford, NH, does not get any scheduled commercial flights, what-so-ever, from anywhere like Boston, New York, or Burlington, Vermont, Bangor, Maine or points between. Every plane that lands there is a private, non-scheduled flight........period(!).

That tells me that the airport capacity must be very under-utilized. I know that I do not see much airplane traffic, day or night, weekend or weekday, and I have a pretty good view out to Mt Gunstock and the southern flight-way approach to the runway. Maybe once or twice/day, tops, I may see a small jet line up for an approach from the south in the summer months. From Columbus Day to Memorial Day, October to May, the long off-season, the airport seems to be as quiet as a very quiet morgue.

As I recall, Vice President Dan Quayle landed there in March, 1992, for a ski weekend. Since then, not much has been happening at the Laconia Airport, so I say....... why the heck not say yes to skydiving.....nothing ventured.....nothing gained....and right now...nothing much is being ventured at the airport.....so Skydive-Laconia should be given the big green light with a big long, red, welcome carpet, all rolled out to their plane. :)

I spend every summer weekend at the end of the runway. I can't imagine traffic will be a concern for the Noonans. But i hope their plane isn't too noisy, might disturb my afternoon nap.:D

Just don't drop one of those skydivers on my boat.:laugh:

We can't be there either but good luck.

We Are Getting To Know The Noonans....
 

From what I can see, we need more treasures here anyway! Best of luck, you two!

Wow. Sounds great. Like another Hannafords on a Saturday afternoon.....:D

Smoke & Mirrors
 

No one is denying their “federally protected right” to use the airport. We are attempting to deny them the opportunity to deliberately inconvenience and endanger the rest of the air traffic solely for financial gain. No one objects if they use the facilities and land off-airport. It’s the Noonans who insist they can’t make money if they do it properly.

Allowing skydivers at Laconia WILL have a significant effect on the local economy, however. It will drive away many current visitors and airport customers who spend thousands of dollars every weekend in fuel, rental cars, hotels, meals, etc.

Ah, c’mon Tom. We weren’t born yesterday. One tiny off road business will have no significant effect on either the local economy or the length of the tourist season.

Um, $10M/year? I’m sure the airport commission would love to find out that was true! FYI, the Laconia airport is self-supporting. It does receive (infrequent) grants from the federal government for navaid upgrades, runway resurfacing and other maintenance, but it does NOT receive anything like 10 million dollars per year.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheNoonans (Post 94906) Our </ST1:pright to pursue a federally protected freedom is non-negotiable. We are pursuing a just cause and plan to see this through to it's logical conclusion.

A logical conclusion will change your business plans, I hope.

Skydive Laconia
 

Good morning Mr. Hemmel,

I'll try my best to address your statements:

You wrote: "We are attempting to deny them the opportunity to deliberately inconvenience and endanger the rest of the air traffic solely for financial gain."

What research have you personally done to validate that statement? You posted a video you found online.

Have you read about the two small aircraft that just collided off of Long Beach Airport. One was a Cessna 172, should we ban 172s from Laconia Municipal Airport?

The truth that you seem so reluctant to want to acknowlegde, is that the FAA has done considerable research on this topic and has come back time and time again stating that skydiving operations on local airports such as Laconia can be accommodated and safely integrated, including landing parachutes on the airfield. And that for an airport sponsor to deny such an operation based on "inconvenience and endangering" of other aircraft as you put it, isn't going to fly (forgive the pun) with the FAA. That's not my opinion, the FAA has stated it time and again when other small airports attempted to block skydiving operations in identical situations such as this. The FAA has clearly stated that there is an acceptable level of risk increase posed by any new business on an airfield and that the level of risk increase created by a skydiving operation is well within the realm of reasonableness. That's pretty much the FAA verbiage quoted.

You then wrote: "Ah, c’mon Tom. We weren’t born yesterday. One tiny off road business will have no significant effect on either the local economy or the length of the tourist season."

Really? You know relatively nothing about us or our industry or what we are capable of doing, yet you are an authority on the size and scope of our business model and the effect we will have on the local economy?

The truth is that realistically, if Skydive Laconia is given the chance to operate without such bias, we will generate hundreds if not over 1000 additional tourists to the area each year as our business grows. That is 1000 additional tourists that otherwise would not have made the trip to Laconia. These trips will start in early April and continue through the end of October. Our "tiny little business" will have a significantly greater impact on the local economy than you give us credit for.

We also intend to hire local employees. That means new jobs. Part of our job offer project will be to actually train local residents to do all the jobs we are doing. That will open up a global employment network opportunity to local residents. Did you know that a busy year round dropzone in the western United States is currently looking for tandem instructors and is offering a salary of $70,000.00 a year? Imagine a local resident training under Skydive Laconia full or part time and three years from now be able to travel pretty much anywhere in the world and earn a decent living as a skydiving instructor. In this job market, I think that is a good thing. But as you would like to lead the community to believe, our tiny little business will have no effect on the local economy. Out of curiousity, how many jobs did you create last year for local residents?

You wrote: "Um, $10M/year? I’m sure the airport commission would love to find out that was true! FYI, the Laconia airport is self-supporting."

The $10,000,000 figure was provided to me by someone in attendance of a recent LAA meeting in my absence where federal funding was discussed. if that number is inflated or incorrect, then by all means, I would happily recant my figure in the presence of a more accurate figure. But dollar amount aside, the airport does accept federal funding, and regardless of the amount, it brings with it obligations to meet federal funding grant assurances.

I see two ironies here Mr. Hemmel. With all due respect, your latest title "Smoke and Mirrors" is a perfect example of everything you have posted in this thread from your first post on. You have gone out of your way to give just enough scare tactic information without backing any of it up to try to create an uninformed anxiety amongst the masses. You accuse us of smoke and mirrors, yet your the one that is actually doing it. Ironic.

The second irony is that we had actually intended to bring business your way. If you had actually taken the time to sit down and talk to us like we offered, you would have come to understand how little, if any effect, our operation would have on the airport. But you have made it abundantly clear that you have no desire to understand us and you clearly don't want us there. So be it.

Despite not receiving the same in return, we continue to extend our respect to your views Mr. Hemmel, and wish you well with your continued attempts to thwart our progress.

To the rest of the community, we continue to appreciate your support and your willingness to consider the facts and judge the situation on it's own merits.

Blue skies to all and to all a good flight,

Tom