General aviation airports in the USA are being closed down at the rate of 70 a year and, if the trend continues, the situation could become catastrophic, according to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA).
"The loss of our public use airports is critical, as it has an impact on the remaining infrastructure - once they are gone, we will never get them back," says AOPA.
According to the Association, there are around 5,500 general aviation airports in the USA, of which 4,000 are publicly owned and 1,500 are privately owned, but available for public use. Most recently, Richard Gabaur Airport in Kansas and Bader Field Airport in Atlantic City were threatened with closure to "-free up the land" for other uses. Meigs Field Airport in Chicago is expected to be closed in four years to make way for a park. "With more GA airports closing, this is going to create a capacity problem," warns the Association.
AOPA claims that there are around 189,000 general aviation aircraft in the USA which operate about 35,000 flights a year. "More than 50% of aircraft operating at any one time in the USA are general aviation aircraft," it says. Environmental pressure and the high value of the land are cited as the main reasons for the decline.
"These airports were built many years ago in rural locations. Since then, the population has expanded and enveloped a number of airfields, which has not only increased the value of the land, but led to an increase in complaints over noise and safety," says the Association.
AOPA set up an Airport Support Network in 1997, in which volunteers at GA airports "-alert AOPA to emerging problems that may threaten its viability".
Source: Flight International
