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Chapel Hill Airport impending closure

Bradp

Member
The latest word from IGX is that UNC Chapel HIll is set to close the airport on May 15. Recently the state legislature has been directing the Airport to be kept operating while the University has been simultaneously choking it financially over the years (no new based aircraft allowed, air medical services moved off site, etc). The last University Board of Trustees resolution used an argument that there were no University missions being conducted, and does not produce revenue; therefore closure plans could go forward unobstructed (irony noted). The state legislature convenes on May 16th, which is not insignificant with regard to the selected closing date.

The airport has a long standing historical significance to the local area and the nation. It was a WWII training facility and has a significance as the home of the Wheeler Air Service, the first African-American owned air carrier.

Airport staff have indicated that AOPA hasn’t been helpful or successful in this Airport advocacy issue. 

The mechanism to save the airport may be to get the Airport on the national / NC register of historic places...

Thoughts or ideas? NC residents please call your state representatives.

http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2018/03/a ... s.html?m=1

A link to the petition:
https://www.change.org/p/save-horace-williams-airport

The availability of this airport in close proximity to the hospital got me to see my little one be born when my wife went into labor. I owe the Airport some effort. Thanks Horace Williams.

I’ll be on the phone with my representatives Monday AM.

https://twitter.com/bradpodd/status/995388073671299076?s=21

#savehorace

Thanks 

Brad
 
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My son lives in Raleigh and I have flown there twice. It would be a shame to see it close.

Larry
 
Historic Register

TIB - My understanding is that a site or facility on the National Historic Register only protects the site from any project or encroachment that is Federally Funded (even partially).

The Register status doesn't protect the site from alteration, abandonment, or destruction if is is threatened by other than a Federally funded project, e.g. highway, canal, construction of a imposing Federal building. A privately owned site, even if on the Register can be removed or altered; it would simply lose its Federal historic status.
 
The university has wanted to close the field ever since I was a kid there 50 years ago.
Maybe the strangling moves they have made (many) will finally do it despite the original wishes of Horace Williams who donated it for aviation use.

The university is absolutely the most unfriendly bunch and the airport is depressing. Newcomers won't know it. It's just a field with gas and usually a student attendant.

There used to be a lot more planes (including my dads) but even then the sword of damocles was over the field at all times.

My understanding was the field was Navy and the 3 crossed runways made it the largest sod field east of the Mississippi.

This changed around '72 when a POS tiny paved strip was put in which killed the other two sod runways.
 
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Man, what a shame a public University would take such action. I am so glad we were able to land and spend a few days there while visiting friends in Chapel Hill.

1d.jpg


:(
 
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Man, what a shame a public University would take such action. I am so glad we were able to land and spend a few days there while visiting friends in Chapel Hill.

1d.jpg


:(

Agree. I brought my then brand new 200 hours RV to Horace Williams in 2011. To join Ted Chang on our first Bahamian trip. The tensions were high I was told. What a shame. :(

 
My first formal lesson took place there in the fall of 1962. Sad but not surprising, academia has little interest in private aviation and the engineering departments, if they have one, are focused on drones because that's where the student body is focused.
 
Airport closure

If the airport is owned by the University and doesn't have FAA grants funding or the grant funding has lapsed probably not much can be done to change the plans of the university. Regrettably it's probably too late to save,but let it become a a reminder to us all how easy it is to lose an airport ( remember Megis Field) . The best thing we can do is foster a good relationship between the airport ( our own local airports) and the community, local decision makers ( city council-board of supervisors - ect.) show them the value early get them to think of it like the highway it doesn't make money,but it brings money to town. Host events that the community can and will come to and enjoy and want more of ( youth flights, wings & wheel shows, Halloween candy drops , TAKE THEM FLYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Heart Breaking

I don't live anywhere near Chapel Hill, but this is still heart breaking. Once a small airport is closed, it is gone forever.

I'm not sure what makes this so sad. It's more than just the fact that I love flying in small airplanes. It is something more significant than that.

Perhaps it reminds me that the younger generation prefers virtual experiences of any kind, to the real physical experiences available in our beautiful world. I think that is sad.

Each one of these airports represents a small part of the history of our country. It gives us a connection to the past and reminds us of the freedoms that we enjoy here.

I agree that we need to do more to expose the younger generations to aviation. Young Eagle flights are one of my favorite kind of flying. I'm bummed out that this year I'm going to miss out on the Young Eagle flights at Paine Field Aviation day because I'm installing an engine monitor and didn't quite finish in time.

Michael-
 
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I flew out of this airport for a year when I was at Duke. Dan Boone (now passed) ran the FBO. He was one of the best pilots and mechanics I have ever met. When he would preflight an aircraft everyone around would watch and learn.He could alway get five more knots out of an aircraft then any of us. When I would bring a date there to go flying I always would avoid the crowd at the FBO, knowing I would get a good natured ribbing if I walked though the clubhouse.
The memories and the airport will be missed.
 
. Dan Boone (now passed) ran the FBO..

Its refreshing to hear someone speak about Dan. None of my current circle of friends knew him. A good friend and aviation mentor.

A couple of memories of his cub that impressed me as a kid. He flew it backwards down the runway in the face of an oncoming storm (using the gust front winds). I joined him for a toilet paper ribbon cutting. Cut it 3 times.

Prior to Carolina Flying Services (the FBO), there was an avionics shop owned by the local AM radio station. WCHL. My dad was moonlighting as chief engineer for WCHL via his first class radiotelephone rating. The WCHL owner asked if dad would trade flying lessons for the radio shop to use his FCC credentials. He said yep and our family flying life and friendship with Dan started.
 
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Perhaps it reminds me that the younger generation prefers virtual experiences of any kind, to the real physical experiences available in our beautiful world. I think that is sad.

As part of this younger generation you are referring to, this couldn't be further from the truth. There is a surge in popularity in outside hobbies and sports because of the younger generation getting jobs and having the disposable income to travel and enjoy the outdoors. The problem with aviation? It's just too expensive. With crippling student debt and rising housing costs in big population centers where the jobs are, aviation, which requires airports (expensive land) and money (expensive airplanes), the younger generation are getting priced out.

Young people interested in aviation can turn to increasingly realistic flight simulators complete with real air traffic controllers, and for the equivalent cost of about 10 hours of flying, can fly for thousands of hours in essentially any plane they want to. I think everyone would prefer the real thing, if they could afford it.

Want to save neighborhood airports? Then we need to make sure that the average pilot age shifts from 50+ younger. Outreach is not enough, we need to lower the entry barrier, i.e. cost.

P.S. I don't think drone pilots and piston/heli pilots have much overlap. Drones are attractive to people who want toys and/or interested in photography. At least the current iteration of drones.
 
EZ, getting off topic but where there?s a will, there?s a way. I?ve been working to get the toys I?ve wanted since 10 years old farming to get my first RC airplane. I was able to keep working and moved up to ultralights and was able to get some hours at a local airport in a 140 to learn the basics. I?m now 31 and on the 7th and 8th aircraft I?ve owned since that first ultralight. All of this from my own hard work all the while paying for college on my own and through scholarships I earned. Toys are toys and other things come first, but I?ve been able to maintain a great lifestyle while in the military, able to live comfortably and support my family, all the while enjoying aviation. Where there?s a will, there?s a way....
 
I salute ecozulu for speaking truth to power. I have two grandchildren, one at George Tech as a Junior and the other entering as a freshman. Both in aeronautical engineering. I had nothing to do with their choice, I'm sure they consider me an old out of touch curmudgeon but they seem to be heading the right way.

Worse still, depending on your political leanings, my son has a doctorate in math and computer sciences and works for NOAA as a research scientist at the University of Hawaii.

They are the future and don't care much about what we think. Kinds of reminds me of myself fifty years ago :)
 
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There was a small gathering of aviators and townspeople at the airport on its last night of operation. A perfect evening for flying. A couple of pictures and videos of the activity.

The FAA techs cut the ASOS equipment down. There are yellow Xs now painted on the runway. Perhaps there’s a little hope yet as the Xs are not in permanent paint.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/WlGc4ra8SXXS2dHt1

https://youtu.be/_rznRHPpLrA

https://youtu.be/NMFlVL-b28U

https://youtu.be/49G4CM_jtns

https://youtu.be/ZMpwZCKDM7g
 
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As I recall, there was to be some sort of governmental meeting today (5/16) Does anyone have a report on what occurred there relative to Horace Williams Field?

George
 
Sad times

I wish I could have made it over yesterday eve..WX wasn't as good over here at 8A7. I sure hope Horace Williams can survive the storm..senseless closing of a great little airport.
 
EZ, getting off topic but where there’s a will, there’s a way. I’ve been working to get the toys I’ve wanted since 10 years old farming to get my first RC airplane. I was able to keep working and moved up to ultralights and was able to get some hours at a local airport in a 140 to learn the basics. I’m now 31 and on the 7th and 8th aircraft I’ve owned since that first ultralight. All of this from my own hard work all the while paying for college on my own and through scholarships I earned. Toys are toys and other things come first, but I’ve been able to maintain a great lifestyle while in the military, able to live comfortably and support my family, all the while enjoying aviation. Where there’s a will, there’s a way....

Getting off topic from the original post but I do want to point out, while I agree with what you said (I gave up a lot to be able to fly and save up to build my first plane), for many younger adults it's not the choice between a yacht and a plane, it's the choice between food and a plane. There are certainly people who pay for their own college in this day and age. However, for the average person going to a state school, without parents pitching in they're looking at somewhere around 60K to 100K in loans. A decent STEM job right out of college will probably pay around 70K yearly. It basically costs around 50K to 60K to live in a big city these days. And if you don't live in a big city your job options dwindle fast.

But, bringing it back to aviation. In 1967 it took 16 months of the median household income to buy a plane. Today, it's about 57 months. That's a 360% increase. To compare, the inflation adjusted starting salary from 1960 to 2015 rose 5.9%.

The data clearly points to an issue with aviation, not an issue with young people. I don't think you can feasibly tell the average person, or even the above average person, "Hey! Work harder, make sacrifices, and make up that 355% deficit! You can do it!" I don't think that gap is something you can really expect most people to do "with a will".
 
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Getting off topic from the original post but I do want to point out, while I agree with what you said (I gave up a lot to be able to fly and save up to build my first plane), for many younger adults it's not the choice between a yacht and a plane, it's the choice between food and a plane. There are certainly people who pay for their own college in this day and age. However, for the average person going to a state school, without parents pitching in they're looking at somewhere around 60K to 100K in loans. A decent STEM job right out of college will probably pay around 70K yearly. It basically costs around 50K to 60K to live in a big city these days. And if you don't live in a big city your job options dwindle fast.

But, bringing it back to aviation. In 1967 it took 16 months of the median household income to buy a plane. Today, it's about 57 months. That's a 360% increase. To compare, the inflation adjusted starting salary from 1960 to 2015 rose 5.9%.

The data clearly points to an issue with aviation, not an issue with young people. I don't think you can feasibly tell the average person, or even the above average person, "Hey! Work harder, make sacrifices, and make up that 355% deficit! You can do it!" I don't think that gap is something you can really expect most people to do "with a will".

Your statistics, while interesting, are for a Piper Cherokee....not an Experiemntal. You might take a look at numbers a little more appropriate for the homebuilt world, and you might find them interesting. And while a Cherokee from 1967 is pretty much the same airframe, with the same capability, as today, the modern homebuilt is far more capable than what could be had in 1967, in terms of performance and equipment. Generally speaking, individuals are not buying new certified airplanes - there are exceptions, of course, but the ones that do are in an economic bracket where cost just isn?t that big of a concern. The Experiemntal world is different.

For citing what it takes to get in to aviation, a better comparison than new airplane prices is what it costs to get a license. Of course, there are differences there in that back in the 60?s, pretty much everyone got their private in the minimum 40 hours. Today, I know of folks that haven?t soloed in 30....and I have not figured that out.

You are right that aviation is expensive - but the truth is that it has ALWAYS been expensive. Many of us got into it by sweeping floors, pumping gas, and cleaning up messy airplanes - the old fashioned ?work your way in to it? scheme. The truth is, its always taken more resources than boating, golf, or other recreational activities. It borders on a way of life for most (if not many).
 
All valid points. I still question why these manufacturers can’t get a power assembly down to the reasonable price that a VW jug used to cost....then I remembered all the big makers are owned by lycoming or continental and want to keep their profits up. Or why radios cost what they do when you can buy a ham radio with more power and capability for a very small percentage of the cost. I do see the financial side of it, and it sucks.

None of us want to see airports closed, no matter the reason. One thing that does kill me is to see all of these airplanes that needed just a little TLC or the owner has a medical issue and they are sitting at all of these airports just rotting away. Owners think their plane is worth 10 pounds of gold and it just sits rotting further and further until it’s only worth scrap. These could be a valuable resource to get the younger generation into aviation. Give it to a group of young guys who are willing to put in some sweat equity and learn to fly in it. Just a rant, but it seems to happen far too often.

Perhaps a magazine could put out an article giving people something to think about when that time comes that aviation just isn’t in the cards anymore.
 
I dont think anyone ever expects to leave a plane sitting that long. A week of not flying turns into a month then a year. They always THINK they will fly it next week or next month. If you talk to them they?re usually gonna fox it soon. Many just like to be able to say they still own a plane I think. It?s their identity.

Usually the person flying has no one to go with them anymore so they just stop going up.

It?s a shame but most people interested in aviation, have their own plane and want to fly their own. So they don?t go fly with others. And the rest of the people don?t want to fly.
 
All valid points. I still question why these manufacturers can?t get a power assembly down to the reasonable price that a VW jug used to cost....then I remembered all the big makers are owned by lycoming or continental and want to keep their profits up. Or why radios cost what they do when you can buy a ham radio with more power and capability for a very small percentage of the cost.
Simply because there are enough people willing to pay that price. Just like why the average new car used to cost around $2,000 in the 60's and now cost more like $30,000. Supply and demand.

:(
 
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