We are nearing the end of a
long battle for the retention of the Banff and Jasper Airstrips. For those
members who may not consider these airstrips to be important to them, perhaps
because you live so far away from them, consider that the main reason the
government wants to close the airstrips is to be consistent with their policy
that aircraft are not appropriate in national parks.
While we have argued that this is discrimination against one form of
transportation, the more important issue is the blind application of policy in
all circumstances. As the government continues down the path of creating more
national parks and marine conservation areas, they must be reminded at every
opportunity that there may be unique circumstances that would necessitate a
departure from policy.
The next blind decision may affect something near where you live and fly. In the
Banff and Jasper cases, these parks lie in the path of major transportation
corridors, where the safety of the travelling public should take precedence over
other priorities.
We can no sooner provide alternative air corridors through the mountains than
there could be alternative major rail and road corridors. In either case, we
cannot move mountains.
Following is COPA
President/CEO Kevin Psutka’s submission for the public consultation phase. It is
an appeal for common sense to counter the government's desire for common
treatment of all national parks.
To whom it may concern:
I am responding to the public consultation regarding the future of these
airstrips. I am a pilot and I would like to emphasize that reliever airstrips
are needed in both Banff and Jasper Parks.
Perhaps it is unfortunate, in terms of the government's goals, that Banff and
Jasper Parks are located where national road, rail and air transportation
corridors are located. But it is a fact. It simply does not make sense to argue
that the least intrusive facilities should be removed when those that have the
most serious impact are permitted to remain.
Despite the goals of the Air Access regulations, which ideally would be
applicable to all national parks, these two parks are unique with respect to the
major air corridors that are located over the parks. There are virtually no
alternatives for pilots of small aircraft who wish to travel across Canada for
business or pleasure.
I remind you that the Banff and Jasper airstrips were included as exceptions to
the air access regulations in previous versions. Some proponents of closure
argue that there are mitigating tools, such as weather briefings, in place now
that were not available years ago.
The fact is, weather stations have closed in the region and weather expertise
has been relocated, making the unreliable forecasts even less reliable now than
they were in the past. If anything, more airstrips are needed to compensate for
the loss of weather data.
Some proponents of closure argue that aircraft are more reliable than many years
ago. The fact is that most small aircraft flown today are 30 or more years old,
using the exact same technology as was in place when these airstrips were
considered necessary for safety. So, why should they not be considered necessary
now?
Regarding the report on the Comprehensive Environmental Assessments, arguing
that there is an appreciable improvement on the environment from ceasing to care
for the land as airstrips, when the very busy, noisy and wildlife-destroying
highway and rail lines are right next door, is like arguing that taking a bottle
of water from the river above Niagara Falls would have a noticeable impact on
the flow over the Falls.
Leaving these grassy "meadows" in place, appropriately identified as airstrips,
is the best balance between the safety needs of the traveling public and the
management goals for these parks.
The safety of the traveling public is at stake. There are virtually no
alternatives to these routes for traversing the mountains by small aircraft, and
options are needed for pilots when, not if, conditions unexpectedly change.
Please consider this message as a strong plea for common sense. Retain both the
Banff and Jasper airstrips, for my sake, for my passengers' sake, and for the
sake of the many citizens who travel these routes each year.