--- Begin Message ---
- From: "Ron Herold" <ronsolve@xxxxxxx>
- To: <FlyboyEd@xxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 10 Jun 2006 09:15:29 -0400
Ed,
Its always interesting to hear Jim Haynes' perspective.
He asks one to consider the 'facts' but presents none.
What would have been much more impressive would have been numbers.
Numbers that show how many jets this will attract; where they will be
hangared; who gets that revenue and the other airplane revenue; and in
general how they pay off that $500K/year loss that the town incurs at no
expense to 'small airplanes'. Not - how much secondary income is
generated by businesses in the town (or county) that fly their execs
in/out of JYO.
Now - that model would be really convincing.
Ron
-Ronald L. Herold, MEII
NAAA Certified Senior Aircraft Appraiser
(703) 573-2222/63 (phone/fax)
http://www.N72JP.com <http://www.n72jp.com/>
Chief.Pilot@xxxxxxxxx (e-mail)
________________________________
From: jyo-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:jyo-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of FlyboyEd@xxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, June 09, 2006 8:44 PM
To: jyo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: jhaynes@xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [JYO] Words from Jim Haynes...
Another way of looking at Crosstrail
Every problem and situation has several sides and several potential
solutions. Key to any situation is having the correct information and
the real facts. I respectfully ask that you consider the following in
your consideration of the Crosstrail property adjacent to JYO:
The Leesburg Airport has a few problems - the largest of which is a huge
financial drain on the Town of Leesburg. The airport lost $537,000 in
2005 which was an increase from $501,000 in 2004. The Town Council is
concerned about this. Some have asked me how this loss could be turned
into a profit, or at into least a breakeven situation. Their suggestion
was that perhaps increasing the personal property tax on airplanes to
the same tax rate for farm and construction equipment, etc., charging
landing fees and other user charges might be a solution. I said I
disagreed. My solution is Crosstrail.
Crosstrail will make it possible for companies that own business jets to
locate in the Class A office space that the Peterson Company is planning
to develop. Their executives and employees can live in Crosstrail, shop
in Crosstrail, and even walk or bike to work, eat in fine restaurants,
and enjoy entertainment. Think Reston Town Center or Peterson's Fair
Lakes development. Neither of these communities is near an airport,
which market research shows will be a strong selling point to major
corporations. These are the companies that own and operate business
jets. The Peterson Company has a Gulfstream.
Two hundred or even 300 small airplanes will never make the Leesburg
Airport profitable. A few business jets will. My business has given me
the opportunity to work with almost every major general aviation airport
in the US and many smaller ones. I understand what works and what does
not. I have been following the Crosstrail development for over a year
and have studied it carefully. I am convinced it will be the biggest
boost to the airport since I negotiated the deal to bring the Flight
Service Station to the airport the early 1980s. The Flight Service
Station will be gone in February.
The Peterson Companies does not want to see the airport stagnate or
close as some have suggested. The airport is a key part of their
marketing plan. Bringing major companies to our community will make the
Leesburg Airport a center for business aviation. No longer will we have
to wait 16 years for life-saving improvements like a glide slope and a
control tower.
Through the fence operations can be very successful if managed
correctly. I have seen it work very well and not work well. I can say
the same for airport management.
Noise and safety are two other issues that are being misrepresented. As
pilots you know that you do not fly inside the Greenway on a downwind to
35. Your downwind leg is west of the Greenway. An occasional plane may
fly over the airport to the downwind for 17, but this is rare and not
the standard pattern. These planes would be above pattern altitude and
below the Class B airspace. You also know that an off-airport landing
or accident is extremely rare. This has never happened on the
Crosstrail property, at least in the last 30 years that I can attest to.
Lawn mowers in Crosstrail will make more noise than airplanes. Noise
contours compiled by the FAA confirm this.
I urge everyone who has any interest in the Leesburg Airport to spend
the time to study the facts as I have done. You are welcome to disagree
with me, but please do so with knowledge and not just with emotion and
conjecture.
Finally a personal note - I spent 12 years of my life managing and
developing the Leesburg Airport on a full-time basis. I did it 24/7.
It was my only job. I poured hundreds of thousands of dollars of my own
money transforming the airport from a bankrupt recreational airfield
into an airport capable of handling business jets. This airport is in
my blood. No one wants it to succeed more than I do. I will do
everything I can to ensure success.
Jim Haynes
jhaynes@xxxxxxxxxxx
(703) 777-4142
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