It was very interesting to see comments by the Grand Jury regarding moving Lampson Airport in the Record Bee”s August 27 edition. There have been a number of studies all resulting in a decision that Lampson Airport is at its best location now.
I am a retired pilot and served along with Bill Brunetti and others on the Airport Land Commission. The result of a number of studies by qualified airmen indicates the original study made for the Board of Supervisors by Waddell Engineering Corporation titled “Master Plan for Lake County Airport” dated July 1983 was the proper study recommending a North-South runway crossing the present runway. It is a good decision as this direction has less high crosswinds which provides for a safer landing than the present runway.
To extend the present runway in an Easterly direction 1,000 feet would give a longer runway, but would be negated by a 1,000 foot “displaced threshold” (no landing or take off) because of its proximity to the mountain range to the West.
When Walt Wilcox was on the Board of Supervisors he suggested we continue with plans as originally recommended by the original study (Waddell Study). Our original Land Use Commission and California Pilots Association and representatives of the Federal Aviation recommended the North-South runway.
I am a retired engineer from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. I was one oftheir top engineers and in charge of the Los Angeles, California, and the Honolulu, Hawaii districts and had the responsibility of many large projects. I recommend that we leave Lampson Field at its present locationand add the North-South runway which has a great open area for expansion.
Paul R. Loewen, Sr.
Lakeport
