Need "political help" to build a pond at public airport

[diveout 0]

Hi all,

I want to build a proper swoop diamond at the Creswell Hobby Field where our two little battling DZ's operate. Here's the deal:

1) The land is owned by the State of Oregon (not a problem -DOT is positive about project so far)

2) Farmer who pays for a shared use permit or lease or something, for the same land(? haven't approached him yet). He has traditionally been totally fine with skydivers landing in his field, BUT he uses it to grow feed grass for his cattle and might miss 150 x 220 feet worth -he also puts sheep there in the winter.

3) Non-skydiving pilots (airport committee) and the airport manager don't like skydivers as a general rule and are afraid of birds in a major way. Our airport is surrounded by MANY natural bodies of water and birds aren't any kind of a recurring problem yet. As committed swoopers we could easily keep birds away from our pond...using dogs, guns, loud & obnoxious women and children, and high explosives if necessary.

The money and time to build and maintain the pond are not going to be an issue -IF AND ONLY IF- I can get permission to build it.

I need aerial photos of nice looking ponds at public airports. Any airport managers out there who are skydivers who helped to have ponds built? I need qualified people (FAA officials would be great) willing to write letters and make phone calls so that this can happen for us.

DO YOU FIT THIS CATEGORY? If so, or if you know someone who does, please respond and I'll send you my phone number so we can chat.

Sincerely,

Diveout Dan
D-23892
PST adv. pilot

[weid14 0]

I'm thinking you need to have the city create a drainage ditch.... about 50' wide and long....

[diveout 0]

Yea-

Fifty feet is pretty wide, SD Oregons' is 40'x200' and that's seems plenty wide enough. I considered the rectangle as a second option if we can't bargain enough land for the full diamond.

Who has a nice digital aerial photo of a swoop pond on their hard drive they can e-mail to me? Anyone?

[Rdutch 0]

You could always offer to add drainage, you can never get enough of that. Dont tell em what it's for. Zhills used the Retention for rain water route for their pond, and the Airport was more than happy to let them add retention area. Just complain about standing water and tell them you will pay for the fix.

Ray
Small and fast what every girl dreams of!

[diveout 0]

We got complaints for swooping nearby standing water. Neighbors are scared because of our fatalities (1 coronary, the other one very likely medical -we'll never know).

The Aerobatic pilots are "with" us, against all of the mcnasty's who think we're going to rain bodies through their ceilings. During a busy summer day there are two caravans and five 182's and at least two aerobatic pilots practicing =lots of really ,really cool noise.

Drainage cure -of course...

[TroyK 0]

Whoops! Correction Dan, SDO's pond is 60' wide. Trust me! I've been in there in a wetsuit removing the algea, and it's a big job!

TroyK

"Free your mind, and your ass will follow" - George Clinton

[diveout 0]

I guess I got some bad information-Sorry

I'll clean your pond for hire if you want, I've done it at large swimming pools: Charge two hop-n-pops per hour

Nobody has a digital photo of their pond on their computer or if so they won't send it to me...

If I were "rich" like so many of the skydivers north of where I live I could just fly all over the country taking nice pictures, that would be cool.

[towerrat 0]

I would get ahold of TK Hayes at Skydive city. We just enlarged our pond and it looks very nice.They dug a well and put a pump to keep it clean and full. So far it seems to be working nicely.

Randy

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes!

[weid14 0]

actaully, now that I think about it, Cross Keys built a pond on a public airport. The Monkey Claw Boys www.monkeyclaw.com were the driving force. You may want to email Stuey.