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For your information, a new joint public hearing of the Gunnison BOCC and PC
is scheduled to take place in Gunnison this Friday, October 4, 2002 at 1
P.M. (in the Blackstock building, 221 N. Wisconsin St., second floor,
across from the post office, in Gunnison). Work session of the Planning
Commission starts at 12:00 noon.

If at all possible, could you please fax a short letter to the County
Commissioners (BOCC) and to the Planning Commission (fax and address
information below). Let me know if you plan to participate, it would be
greatly appreciated. Courtesy shuttle between KGUC (Gunnison Valley
Aviation) and the County building will be provided. Thank you.

The proposal is to (i) approve safety improvements (shortening 500 feet of
runway) and, (ii) to restrict the use of the Crested Butte Airport to only
15 local pilots.

Despite our recent victories, Gunnison County and the real-estate developer
do not take the rebuke of the Courts seriously and are trying, once again,
to circumvent the rulings with technicalities.

At best, the County and the real-estate are misleading the public by
alleging that the runway has to be shortened to improve safety. The reality
is quite different, if the runway is shortened, safety will be compromised
and the entire use of the airport will be compromised.

When aircraft take-off at the Crested Butte Airport, they need to start as
far back as possible, in order to lift-off way before the end of the runway,
gain airspeed and make a safe turn downstream to avoid the mountain which
lies directly in the flight path.

The airport elevation is 8,980 feet above sea level; the runway is 4,485
feet long. At such high elevation, any shortening of the runway will
effectively close the airport.

If anything, the proposed road to access Buckhorn ranch (the proposed high
density housing complex) has to be relocated and thought through.

There are several good options, including obtaining an easement from
neighboring properties, design the road around the other end which is also
lower than the runway grade (and NOT across the runway as now proposed) or
build an underpass beneath the runway. Aircraft need longer runways at high
elevation airports.

Also, why try to restrict the use of the airport to a select group of
friends of the Commissioners and other nomenklatura? The airport was
approved as a site of State interest and as a public facility, though
privately owned (the undersigned is a co-owner).

The Crested Butte Airport is an asset to the community; it saves lives
because it is used for medical evacuations and other emergency flights. The
Crested Butte Airport is good for the local economy because visitors,
hikers, skiers as well as businesses from all over the region use it with
small aircraft. The airport has been in use since 1975 and represents a
small part of the history of Crested Butte.

I know, it is a last minute notice; still, we appreciate your continued help
in trying to preserve the Crested Butte Airport. Please forward this
message to anyone who could send a fax to the Gunnison County or attend the
meeting -- we will have a complementary shuttle Friday between KGUC
(Gunnison Valley Aviation) and the County building.

Please do not hesitate to call me for any question you might have.

Hope to seeing you Friday. Happy and Safe Flying,

Carlo Cesa
President, EAA Ch. 881, Crested Butte Falcons
PO Box 214, Crested Butte, CO 81224-0214
303-905-7540 (mobile)
www.cbairport.org
www.eaa.org

- - -
Please write (fax) to:

Gunnison Board Of County Commissioners
Fred Field, Chairman (R)(970-641-4179)
Jim Starr, Esq. (D) (970-349-6862 and 970-349-5363)
Perry Anderson (R) (970-641-1663)
200 E. Virginia Av.
Gunnison, CO 81230
BOCC Fax 1-970-641-3061
BOCC TEL 1-970-641-0248

and to:

Gunnison Planning Commission (John Banker, Chairman)
Gunnison Planning Department (Mrs. Joanne Williams, Director)
Blackstock building
221 N. Wisconsin St., second floor
Gunnison, CO 81230
Fax 1-970-641-8585
TEL 1-970-641-0360

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