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In response to the deliberate destruction of Meigs Field by
order of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, COPA President Kevin Psutka fired off a
letter to the mayor expressing our outrage and anger over this bizarre action,
and demanding the airport be restored back to service.
Dear Mayor Daley:
I am writing to you on behalf of the 17,000 members of the Canadian Owners and
Pilots Association (COPA). COPA represents the majority of pilots who fly for
personal reasons in Canada.
COPA and its members wish to express our outrage and anger and the wanton
destruction of Meigs Field on the night of March 30th, 2003. We are outraged
that you have ignored the basic principles of consultation and democracy as well
as the agreements you had signed with Governor Ryan in December 2001 agreeing to
keep the airport open until at least 2026. We are appalled that all of the good
work of your law-abiding citizens could be ignored in this manner.
We have received many letters and e-mails from our members expressing their
shock and dismay at the bizarre action that you have taken. They have also
clearly said that your stated reasons for destroying the airport in the name of
“homeland security” are ridiculous and transparently self-serving.
I strongly urge you to take no further steps to damage this vital transportation
resource and to allow those who are committed to do so to return it to serving
the people of Chicago.
COPA will provide whatever support we can to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots
Association to reverse this ill-considered destructive act and restore this
airport to the service of the people of Chicago who built it and paid for it.
Kevin Psutka
President and Chief Executive Officer
For more information on what is happening in the situation at Meigs Field have a
look at www.friendsofmeigs.org and
also www.aopa.org.
Express your own thoughts about the destruction at Meigs by writing to Mayor
Richard Daley directly at
mayordaley@cityofchicago.org.