A lack of communication appears to have led to an over-reaction at the Niagara District Airport in St. Catharines, Ont. Air Combat Canada is a St. Catharines-based company that offers airshow demonstrations, air combat adventures, movie productions, emergency manoeuvre training and aerobatic training in a pair of Extra 300Ls. Local noise complaints prompted the Niagara District Airport Commission to serve an eviction notice on the company. This was curious since whatever noise the team was generating was in Phoenix, Arizona where it was working for the winter. Following appeals for help, Kevin Psutka, COPA president and CEO, travelled to St. Catharines with Glenn Priestley, vice-president at the Air Transport Association of Canada, and attended an airport commission meeting. A follow-up letter was sent offering suggestions on how noise complaints could be handled without closing the businesses on the field.
We are pleased to report that the St. Catharines City Council has added two pilots to its airport commission: Rich Lancaster and Ken Loucks. Lancaster is a Canada 3000 captain and former Canadian Forces Snowbird. Loucks is a business professor at the local university, a COPA member and member of the St. Catharines Flying Club. Contact Kevin
Psutka.
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